Protecting the Gaze

Allah (azza wa jall) has magnanimously blessed us with the ability to see with eyes that are more powerful than any camera on the face of the earth.

For, it is with our eyes that we can view the magnificent creation of Allah (azza wa jall) around us, the most enchanting of scenes and most importantly, we can read the words of Allah (azza wa jall) and his Rasool (sallallahu alyhi wa sallam).

Allah [azza wa jall] says in the Qur’an: Say: “It is He Who has created you, and endowed you with ears, eyes, and hearts. Little thanks you give.” [Surah al-Mulk: 23] Yet, so many people show ingratitude to Allah (azza wa jall) by disobeying Allah’s (azza wa jall) command on what to use the eyes for and what not to use them for. Doesn’t the one who created our eyes know best how we should use them?

One of the reasons for the decadence of our society is the abuse of this blessing of Allah. The news, newspapers, magazines and tabloids are full of examples of how the unrestrained glance has resulted in the destruction of hundreds upon hundreds of households. Hearts have become engrossed in darkness and sin; so many have become prey to the addiction of pornography and forbidden stolen glances. Within these darkness’s let’s remember the command of our Lord:

“And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze.” [Surah al-Noor: 30-31]

In these verses (of Surah al-Noor: 30-31) you will find that Allah (azza wa jall) connects the matter of lowering the gaze with the issue of protecting the private parts. This shows that guarding ones chastity has an important connection with guarding one’s eyes from unrestrictedly looking towards non-mahrams. A well-known fact is that one of the first roads taken towards zinaa (adultery) is the unrestricted glance. Therefore, the gaze has a huge impact on desires being ignited, the intellect being clouded and hearts being swerved; a poet of ancient times has said:

“All affairs begin with the sight,

the raging fire a spark can ignite”

Another noteworthy quote:

“A look, then a smile,

then a greeting, then speaking,

then an appointment, then a meeting”

If one allows one’s gaze to roam and wander freely this could bring about the loss of one’s chastity and therefore one will earn the greatest causes of doom and punishment in this world and the hereafter. This is why the Muslim woman should try her utmost to lower her gaze, even if she trusts herself. Lowering the gaze and speaking to the point, will help her cut off all routes of evil that Satan may be adamant in bring about through both of these avenues. If by accident her gaze falls upon her brother-in-laws’ or any non-mahram’s face, she should turn her gaze away in compliance to the command of the Prophet (sallallahu alyhi wa sallam).

Jaabir ibn Abdullah (radhiallahu anhu) said:

I asked Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alyhi wa sallam) about the sudden glance (that is cast) on the face (of a non-Mahram). He commanded me that I should turn away my eyes. [Reported by Saheeh Muslim, Book 25, Hadith 5372]

My Dear Sister, let’s obey the command of our Lord and from today onwards try our very best not to allow our eyes to fall upon the face of a non-mahram…

Let’s be different from those women who have lost the modesty of the eyes and who openly stare at the faces of non-mahrams - including the brother in law…

Let’s lower our gazes, to the utmost of ability, in hope for a day when we will freely view the spectacles of the Paradise…