‘Shariah compliant’ sex products proposed for shop.
By Raif Karerat
WASHINGTON, DC: A Dutch Muslim entrepreneur has proposed the Middle East’s first “halal” sex shop and hopes to situate it in Mecca, Saudi Arabia — Islam’s holiest city.
Abdelaziz Aouragh, founder of the Amsterdam-based El Asira online shop that sells “Shariah compliant” sex products, has even consulted clerics on his plans to expand to the city that is visited by millions of Muslims during the annual Haj pilgrimage.
Aouragh was quoted by Arabic news site Alyaoum24.com as saying clerics told him it would be permissible to sell products that are considered “halal,” which is Islam’s equivalent of kosher, and would lead to an improvement in sexual relations between a husband and wife.
Aouragh says his endeavor is aimed at challenging the stereotypical image of Islam being anti-women as well as the image of Muslim women clad in burqas and confined to kitchens, reported The Hindustan Times.
Aouragh, who is of Moroccan descent, launched El Asira after discovering “his passion for sensuality in Islam,” according to the company’s website.
El Asira means “society” or “tribe” in Arabic, and launched its range of products in 2010. Among its offerings are sensual oils based on agar wood oil, one of the world’s most expensive natural raw materials. The Hindustan Times noted El Asira products have been approved by the Muslim community in the Netherlands.
“In the end, we’d like to see our Sensual Arabica product range to be able to build bridges. Not only between the East and West, but more importantly, between man and woman,” claims the company on its site.