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"It is important to consider the context under which a movie poster features a man and a woman in one bed," says the 43-year-old screen siren, who denies that the main idea was to suggest an unmarried man and woman making love. "They are shown terrified, surrounded by policemen toting guns. There is no way that the scene will arouse lust."

Though such Draconian interpretations of Islamic Sharia law might suggest otherwise, the Koran contains no restrictions on married sex (or almost none, as the Muslim holy book discourages fornication with the head or rear end facing Mecca and expressly forbids necrophilia with one's spouse). Indeed, the Koran praises physical beauty as an attribute of God; according to its precepts, sex is a duty and an act of faith -- so long as it is conducted between husband and wife.

Though the Koran commands women to lower their gazes and "throw their veils over their bosoms" in public, it encourages them to shed such inhibitions in the home. The prophet, who took at least seven wives, promoted marital tenderness and sexual enjoyment. According to the hadith -- the massive body of anecdotal traditions and sayings compiled by his followers -- he even advised Muslim men to engage in foreplay: "When any one of you has sex with his wife, then he should not go to them like birds; instead he should be slow and delaying."

Book your flight to Cairo right here!

Judging by Cairo's underwear souk, today's faithful are happy to obey their prophet's call to conjugal bliss. Happy to the tune of $10 million in annual sales, according to Adel Akl, marketing manager of the French-Egyptian joint venture Valisere, which commands 60 percent of the Egyptian lingerie business. "Only 20 percent of our models are conservative," he says. "The rest, how shall I put it, are more daring."

Not surprisingly, many sexy underwear shoppers in the Moski claim to be preparing for their honeymoons.

"My fiancé asked me to get something nice," says Nagla Al-Safi, a dark-eyed 22-year-old from Port Said who has come to the Egyptian capital with her mother and niece to pick out a dozen nighties and bathrobes for her trousseau. "As he's my future husband, I don't feel embarrassed," she says, checking the price tag on an emerald green negligee. "God doesn't restrict the relationship between man and wife."

"They don't just buy one thing, they buy several, and the mother usually takes the opportunity to buy a little something for herself," confirms Sarwat Munis, a 24-year-old salesman who moves about $15,000 worth of merchandise each month. The most popular item in his shop is a violet lace bodice, accented with hot pink fringe. It sells for 25 Egyptian pounds, or just over $7.

Munis doesn't see any problem helping an Islamic woman pick out a hot little number for a night of love. "I don't get embarrassed," he says. "First of all, I'm Christian. Second, I tell myself, this woman is like my sister."

"Naturally, not every woman is a youngster, and not every woman who says so is a bride," winks Salah Al-Shaboul, a grandfatherly merchant who has been selling teddies with names like "Fires of Jealousy" from the same pushcart for 40 years. "There are certain principles of the sexual relationship that I cannot discuss in detail. There are women who like to let their hair down and some who don't. But that doesn't have anything to do with Islam. It has to do with flirting."

"In Europe today," he continues, "sex is out in the open, but it is cold and faceless, and you can see it at the movies or do it in the street. In our country it has remained something intimate and secret, and therefore it's more appreciated."
salon.com | Oct. 8, 1999

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