Lowering the gaze

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds [i.e., people]. Peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and all his Companions. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone who has no partner and that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger.

Of the afflictions which a Muslim facing in this life is the sedition of looking at women. A Muslim faces this sedition in markets, streets, public places, and in newspapers and magazines. Al Bukhari and Muslim reported in their books of authentic Hadiths from the Hadith of Usamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "After me I have not left any affliction more harmful to men than women."[1]

Imam Muslim reported in his Sahih from the Hadith of Abu Sa`id Al Khudry that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "The life of the world is sweet and green. Allah makes you generations succeeding one another so that He may try you in respect of your actions. So, beware of the delusion of the world and those of women. The first trial of Banu Israel was through women."[2]

Of the matters which help in overcoming this sedition are the following:

1- Recalling the texts commanding with lowering the gaze and forbidding looking at women. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts). That is purer for them. Verily, Allâh is Well-Acquainted with what they do." [Surat An-Nur: 30].

Al Bukhari and Muslim reported in their authentic books of Hadiths on the authority of Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Allah has written the very portion of Zina [adultery] which a man will indulge in. There will be no escape from it. The Zina of the eye is the (lustful) look, the Zina of the ears is the listening (to voluptuous songs or talk), the Zina of the tongue is (the licentious) speech, the Zina of the hand is the (lustful) grip, the Zina of the feet is the walking (to the place where he intends to commit Zina), the heart yearns and desires and the private parts approve all that or disapprove it."[3]

Imam Muslim reported in his Sahih from the Hadith of Jarir ibn `Abdullah who said: "I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) about (the Islamic ruling on) accidental glance (i.e., at a woman one is not Islamically allowed to look at) and he ordered me to turn my eyes away."[4]

Abu Dawud reported in his Sunan from the Hadith of Ibn Baridah from his father who said to Ali: "O Ali, Do not give a second look, (because) you are not blamed for the first, and you shall have no right to the second."[5]

2- A Muslim's recall to the monitoring of Allah to him so as to fear Him. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "And indeed We have created man, and We know what his ownself whispers to him. And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein (by Our Knowledge)." [Surat Qaf: 16].

Allah (Exalted be He) says: "Allah knows the fraud of the eyes, and all that the breasts conceal." [Surat Ghafir: 19]. Allah (Exalted be He) says: "Verily! The hearing, and the sight, and the heart, of each of those you will be questioned (by Allah)." [Surat Al Isra': 36].

It was reported in the selected Hadiths from Sa`id ibn Zayd that a man said to the Messenger (peace be upon him) advise me. He said: I advise you to fear Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) as you fear a pious person from your people.[6]

3- A person should remember the testimony of the eyes against him on the Day of Recompense. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "Till, when they reach it (Hell-fire), their hearing (ears) and their eyes, and their skins will testify against them as to what they used to do." [Surat Fussilat: 20].

Imam Muslim reported in his Sahih from the Hadith of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: "We were in the company of Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) that he smiled and said: Do you know why I laughed? We said: Allah and His Messenger, know best. Thereupon he said: It was because of the (fact that there came to my mind the) talk which the servant would have with his Lord. (on the Day of judgment). He would say: My Lord, have you not guaranteed me protection against injustice? He would say: Yes. Then the servant would say: I do not deem valid any witness against me but my own self, and He would say: Well, enough would he the witness of yourself against you and that of the two angels who had been appointed to record your deeds. Then the seal would be set upon his mouth and it would be said to his hands and feet to speak and they would speak of his deeds. Then the mouth would be made free to talk, he would say (to the bands and feet): Be away, let there be curse of Allah upon you. It was for your safety that I contended."[7]

4- A person should recall the benefits and fruits of keeping the eye downward. Ibn Al Qayyim (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said: And of the fruits of lowering the gaze are:

A- Lowering the gaze is abidance by the command of Allah which is the ultimate happiness of a person in his world and in the Hereafter. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "And whosoever obeys Allâh and His Messenger (peace be upon him), he has indeed achieved a great achievement (i.e. he will be saved from the Hell-fire and will be admitted to Paradise)." [Surat Al Ahzab: 71].

B- Lowering the gaze prevents the impact of the poisonous look which may cause destruction to the heart.

C- Lowering the gaze causes expansion and pleasure to the heart more than looking at women because of defeating one's enemy [Satan] and his whims.[8]

Imam Ahmad reported in his Musnad from the Hadith of Abu Qatadah and Abu Ad-Dahma' that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "You do not leave something for the sake of Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) but Allah replaces it with something better."[9]

D- Lowering the gaze generates light in the heart as looking at women generates darkness in the heart, therefore Allah (Glory be to Him) mentioned the Ayah of Allah's Light after He mentioned the lowering of the gaze. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts). That is purer for them. Verily, Allâh is Well-Acquainted with what they do." [Surat An-Nur: 30].

Then he said thereafter: "Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His Light is as (if there were) a niche and within it a lamp." [Surat An-Nur: 35].

It means that His Light in the heart of a believing person who follows the commands of Allah and avoids His prohibitions. When the heart becomes bright, delegates of goodness come to him from everywhere, but when the heart becomes dark, afflictions and evil will come to him from everywhere. [10]

5- Marriage is one of the most useful cures in this matter. Al Bukhari and Muslim reported from the Hadith of `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) who said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "O young people! Whoever among you is able to marry, should marry, because it restrains eyes (from casting evil glances) as fasting will diminish his sexual power." [11]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to seek refuge with Allah from the evil of eyes which leads to every evil. Al Bukhari reported in Al Adab Al Mufrad from the Hadith of Shakal ibn Humayd (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said:"O Messenger of Allah, teach me a supplication from which I may benefit. He said: Say: Allahumma `Afini min sharri sam'i, wa basari, wa lisani, wa qalbi, wa min sharri mani (O Allah, protect me from the evil of my hearing, my seeing, my tongue and my heart, and from the evil of my sperm.) - Meaning sexual organ."[12]

As for his saying: "and my sight" so as not to look at prohibited scenes. This Hadiths teaches us how to resort to Allah (may He be Exalted) and ask Him to make your hearing, sight, tongue, the heart, and sperm sound because these senses were created for obeying their lords.[13]

May Allah send His Peace and Blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and all his Companions!