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Abdelaziz Aouragh is a Muslim, lives in Amsterdam, and deals in sex articles. His webshop El Asira, which is for Muslims, will soon be selling Pure Power capsules which "heighten male performance, desire and pleasure". Desire capsules for women will also be available, sensual stimulators for him and her and lubricants based on cocoa butter, water or silicon. El Asira calls itself "the first Islamic online webshop for sex articles and care products". Its webshop should be open for business starting this weekend.
The combination of Islam and sex products is not an obvious one. When Aouragh's business partner, Stefan Delsink, suggested selling sex items, Aouragh was dubious. A day later he agreed. "I knew that Muslims do have a need for sex products. People bring them back from the Middle East and give them to young couples," he said.
Not knowing whether his religion would allow the trade in sex products, Aouragh visited an imam, who in turn consulted a Saudi sheik. It was allowed, he learned, as long as the products were halal and meant to improve sex within marriage. "There is even a fatwa on the subject." That just left the problem of how to tell his parents. "It's a forbidden subject for the first generation here," he said. Whenever his parents bring the matter up, Aouragh tries to quickly change the subject. "I tell them: yes, um, could I have some more tea?"