Sex education: New book for Muslims stirs controversy

A new book aimed at educating Pakistani Muslims in sexual matters has stirred up immense controversy in the UK.

A new book aimed at educating Pakistani Muslims in sexual matters has stirred up immense controversy and debate in the UK, reports BBC News.

The book's author, Dr Mobin Akhtar aims to explain sex education in the light of religion and in a way that is culturally acceptable in his his book - Sex Education for Muslims, states the report.

"I have had threats. Even other doctors have accused me of acting like a maverick, a quack," he told BBC News.

"A provincial politician even hauled me into his office and said I was encouraging pornography. I explained I was doing nothing of the sort."

Dr Akhtar, age 81, says that as a psychiatrist he experienced many problems himself and the fact that sex is not discussed in Pakistan has serious repercussions. He added that he has seen cases where teenagers, not understanding what is happening to their bodies, have become depressed and even committed suicide.

Dr Akhtar says it is not seen as appropriate to broach the subject of sex in the conservative culture of Pakistan, and that it is also felt that doing so might encourage young people to behave in an "un-Islamic" way.

Dr Akhtar felt that the best way to help people understand that was to write a book which brought together basic sex education with information about the Islamic perspective on the subject. Sex education should be made part of the general curriculum since there is no sex education teaching in any school where so ever, he told BBC News.