Poppy seeds with honey: The first online sex shop for Muslims

By Thomas Burmeister May 6, 2010, 13:13 GMT

Amsterdam - He got the idea while making a pilgrimage to Mecca.

'Even near to the holy sites there is, like in other Arab countries, a boutique for lingerie,' says Amsterdam resident Abdelazai Aouragh. 'Many people can hardly believe this is possible because they regard Muslims as being hostile to lust.'

So, in order to prove the opposite, the 29-year-old family man has now opened the world's first internet erotic shop which adheres to the religious rules of Islam. And with great success.

'Orders and queries are coming in from many parts around the world,' Aouragh reports. 'The interest is enormous.' In fact, at the website launch, the server turned out to be too small as it collapsed after the 70,000 clicks which the site got - in its first hour online. In the meantime, the El-Asira.eu site is now stable and firmly in the internet - and 'Sharia law compatible.'

Aouragh's line of massage oils, lubricant jellies and various aphrodisiacs are produced in Sweden and made without any alcohol or pork fat, or from any other products from animals which have not been slaughtered according to Islamic law.

If there was a Halal stamp of approval for erotic products, then El Asira would deserve one. Even the website front page makes clear that traditions are being carefully observed: there are separate doors, one for men, another for women. The layout is also Islam-compatible.

'It goes without saying that we don't have any nude pictures much less any pornographic depictions,' says Aouragh, who is a devout Muslim, born in Amsterdam as the son of a Moroccan carpenter. 'And on the packages themselves there are no images which would be looked down on by our culture.'

Naturally he wants to earn money with El Asira, Aouragh says. After all, he has absorbed the mercantile trading instincts of the Dutch. But at the same time he also would like to help to correct a 'wrong image of Islam' in society. 'The picture of the woman in the kitchen, subservient and forced to wear a burqa is not representative. There is much love, lust for life and eroticism for Muslim couples.'

He adds, 'we also want to stimulate the discussion within the Islamic community. That's why we called the website El Asira, which means community.'

However, there are some Muslims for whom the topic of 'sex and Islam' are taboo. 'It is no wonder that we receive protest and threatening emails. But that was above all before the website was launched. Some people were imagining some very bad things.'

As to those critics from Islamic circles, the online entrepreneur refers them to the Imam Boularia Houari. The 35-year-old who preaches in the Netherlands and, among other things, provides counselling to Muslim couples regarding sexual topics, sought and received advice from Islamic scholars in Saudi Arabia who are generally regarded as being conservative.

'They confirmed to us that sexuality in Islam is to be regarded positively, both by men as well by women,' Houari said. After all, going back for centuries Muslims have known of means for stimulating sexual lust and desire.

'It's still the same case today,' Houari added in remarks to the Dutch paper NRC Handelsblad. 'Many people may have some reservations about Viagra, but only because it is regarded as a medication.

'But in Islam there are instead herbs. Scholars for example recommend oil from poppy seeds, together with honey.'

Beyond this, Islam's position towards sex is clear: 'It is forbidden outside the marriage, but within the marriage it is encouraged.'

But this is precisely where there can be a problem which Aouragh cannot solve for Muslims with his online erotic site. How is he to know whether the person buying such products as 'Masculine,' 'Lovpil,' or 'Pure Power' is married or single? The imam has assured him that this is not his responsibility. 'For one's sins each person will be punished individually after death.'

Internet: www.el-asira.eu