US couple in khalwat trouble
October 28th, 2006
They came from wintry Alaska to enjoy sun and sea in Langkawi, Malaysia, but instead were shocked by loud banging and shouting at their doors after midnight. The Islamic religious officers, unaccompanied by police, suspected the couple of committing khalwat, which is the crime of close proximity between two people who are not married to each other. When Mr Barnhart, 62 showed them his Caucasian wife, 61, they even had the audacity to demand a look at their marriage cert. (Were they looking for a payoff?).
The intention of khalwat is to enforce purity. These officers’ task was to catch Muslims who commit fornication and adultery. They do have some powers and were meant as a deterrent to errant Muslims. The religion is strong on externals, and so the enforcement likewise is focused on the externals. However, it does not really get to the heart of the problem of lust, which is, a problem of the heart.
Jesus understood this and proclaimed the good news that the bad heart can be forgiven, healed and made good, and strengthened to resist temptation. Jesus said, “Whosoever lookeeth on a woman to lust after her hath already commited adultery with her in his heart.â€(Matt 5) In doing so he goes to the root of the matter: the heart, which can only be transformed and empowered for pure living, by the message of grace.
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