Protecting the sight is a command that is stated in both The Noble Quran and also the Hadith. This article is an explanation of the verse of the Quran that commands the belivers to protect the eyes from unlawful gaze. Added to that importance and benefits of protecting the eye all based on the light of the divine scriptures.

 

 

 

The article is broken down into the following sections:

 

• Section 1: Protecting The Sight
• Section 2: Guarding The Modesty
• Section 3: Incident of Ghazwān رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ
• Section 4: Command to cover the Awrah
• Section 5: 10 Benefits of Lowering the Gaze
• Section 6: A Hadīth to reflect on!

 

Section 1: Protecting The Sight

 

 

قُل لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِینَ یَغُضُّوا۟ مِنۡ أَبۡصَـٰرِهِمۡ وَیَحۡفَظُوا۟ فُرُوجَهُمۡۚ ذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ أَزۡكَىٰ لَهُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِیرُۢ بِمَا یَصۡنَعُونَ

 

Translation: [O Prophet] say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; this will make far greater purity for them. Surely Allah is all aware of what you do’. [24:30]

 

 

 

Imam Ibn Kathir [774 HJ] comments on this verse: ‘This is a command from Allah to his believing servants, that they guard their gaze from those things that are prohibited. If it occurs that the gaze falls on something that is prohibited accidentally, then turn your gaze immediately. A hadith in Sahih Muslim concurs with this: 

 

وعن جرير رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ سألت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن نظر الفجأة فقال‏:‏ ‏ “‏اصرف بصرك‏”‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه مسلم‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

 

Jarir bin ‘Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) said:

I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.

 

 

Another hadith in Sahih Bukhari explains: 

 

 

 عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏”‏ إِيَّاكُمْ وَالْجُلُوسَ عَلَى الطُّرُقَاتِ ‏”‏‏.‏ فَقَالُوا مَا لَنَا بُدٌّ، إِنَّمَا هِيَ مَجَالِسُنَا نَتَحَدَّثُ فِيهَا‏.‏ قَالَ ‏”‏ فَإِذَا أَبَيْتُمْ إِلاَّ الْمَجَالِسَ فَأَعْطُوا الطَّرِيقَ حَقَّهَا ‏”‏ قَالُوا وَمَا حَقُّ الطَّرِيقِ قَالَ ‏”‏ غَضُّ الْبَصَرِ، وَكَفُّ الأَذَى، وَرَدُّ السَّلاَمِ، وَأَمْرٌ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ، وَنَهْىٌ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ ‏”‏‏.‏

 

 

Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri [Allah bless him]:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Beware! Avoid sitting on the roads (ways).” The people said, “There is no way out of it as these are our sitting places where we have talks.” The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “If you must sit there, then observe the rights of the way.” They asked, “What are the rights of the way?” He said, “They are the lowering of your gazes (on seeing what is illegal to look at), refraining from harming people, returning greetings, advocating good and forbidding evil.”

 

[Sahih Bukhari: 2465]

 

 

 

Section 2: Guarding the modesty

 

 

[The next command in the Noble Quran is to guard they modesty]

 

A hadith in Sahih Bukhari mentions the virtue of guarding the modesty: 

 

 

عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ السَّاعِدِيِّ، قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم “مَنْ تَوَكَّلَ لِي مَا بَيْنَ رِجْلَيْهِ وَمَا بَيْنَ لَحْيَيْهِ، تَوَكَّلْتُ لَهُ بِالْجَنَّةِ ‏”

 

Narrated Sahl bin Sa`d [Allah bless him]:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Whoever guarantees me (the chastity of) what is between his legs (i.e. his private parts), and what is between his jaws (i.e., his tongue), I guarantee him Paradise.” 

[Sahih Bukhari: 6807]

 

 

 

Ogling leads to the corruption of the heart, as mentioned by the pious predecessors: ‘Ogling is a poisonous arrow to the heart’. This is why Allah commanded to guard the modesty just like he commanded to guard the gaze, as it is medium towards that. 

 

[End quote of Ibn Kathir]  

 

Imam Qurtubi [671 AH] explains under this verse that, the heart is based upon the senses, such as the sight. So therefore it was necessary for the servant to be warned regarding this matter. 

 

 

Section 3: Incident of Ghazwān رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ

 

It is narrated that once Ghazwan and Abu Musa Ashari’ [Allah bless them] were on an expedition, and a slave girl became exposed and Ghazwan [Allah bless him] gazed towards her. He raised his hands and slapped his eyes until it became red. He then exclaimed, ‘Indeed you [eyes] tend to do that which harms and not benefit. Thereafter, Abu Musa Ashari [Allah bless him] met him and Ghazwan asked him [what shall he do]. Abu Musa Ashari [Allah bless him] said: ‘Your eyes have oppressed you, seek the forgiveness of Allah and repent. The first glance is forgiven and not after that.’ It is mentioned that Ghazwan [Allah bless him] controlled himself and never laughed throughout his life, until he departed from this world رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ.’  

 

Imam Qurtubi [Allah bless him] further explains that the reason why the particle مِنۡ [meaning, some of the gaze] is used for the gaze and not the modesty is because some of the gaze is uncontrollable hence forgiven, whereas the modesty [private parts] can be controlled, hence a person will be taken to task [mukallaf]. 

 

[End quote of Qurtubi]

 

Section 4: Command to cover the Awrah

 

Imam Tabari [310 AH] mentions from Abu Aliyah [Allah bless them]: ‘Every verse in the Quran with regards to the modesty [private parts] is in relation to protecting oneself from committing adultery. Except this verse, this verse is in relation to covering oneself [Awrah].  

 

[End quote of Tabari]

 

 

Section 5: 10 Benefits of Lowering the gaze

 

 

 

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyah [751 AH] mentions 10 benefits of lowering the gaze:

 

1. Following the commands of Allah which is the pinnacle of happiness and goodness in this life and the hereafter. In fact there is nothing more beneficial for a servant of Allah in this life and the hereafter than complying with his commands. 

 

1. It prevents the effects of the poisonous arrow – that which can destroy him – from reaching the heart.

 

1. It makes a person closer to Allah, and unlawful gaze distances a person from Allah. There is nothing more harmful to the heart than an unlawful gaze, for it inherits loneliness between a servant and his lord

 

1. It strengthens the heart and makes it a means of happiness, just like an unlawful gaze makes the heart weak and a means of sadness. 

 

1. It places divine light in the heart, just like an unlawful gaze covers it with darkness. This is why Almighty Allah mentions the verse of divine light [Nur] after the command of lowering the gaze. The verse of divine light is: 

 

 

 ٱللَّهُ نُورُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ مَثَلُ نُورِهِۦ كَمِشْكَوٰةٍۢ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ ۖ 

 

Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. His light is like a niche in which there is a lamp [24:35]

 

 

‘His light’ refers to the divine light in a believer’s heart, which follows his commands and abstains from his prohibitions. When the heart is ignited it accepts abundance of goodness from every direction, just like when the heart is covered by darkness it accepts clouds of afflictions and evil from every direction.  

 

Then you follow whatever you wish from innovation, misguidance, following unlawful desires, avoiding guidance, turning away from the means of goodness, occupying oneself with means of misery. 

 

1.  It becomes a means of a person gaining true foresight [Firasa], which becomes a means of distinguishing between the truth and falsehood, truth and lies. al-Kirmani [Allah bless him] says: ‘Whoever lives his life following the Sunnah, and contemplates on the greatness of Allah, lowers his gaze from Haram, restrains himself from doubtful matters, eats from Halal sustenance, then his foresight will not err.’ al-Kirmani [Allah bless him] was one who’s foresight did not err.  

 

Allah rewards his servants – upon his actions – based on the same action. Whoever leaves for anything for Allah, Allah will replace it with something better. So if someone lowers his gaze from what is prohibited, Allah will replace it by placing in him the light of foresight, compensating for turning his gaze for Allah [this is an example of Allah rewarding a similar action with a similar reward. Another example mentioned in Hadith, that if a person refrains from wearing silk in this world, Allah will allow him to wear silk in the afterlife]. Along with that, Allah will open the doors of knowledge and faith, true foresight. 

 

1. Creates steadfastness, bravery and strength in the heart. Allah combined for him the power of victory and establishing proofs [Hujah], as it is mentioned in an Athar [saying of sahaba on their successors]: ‘The one who goes against his desires, the devil runs from his shadow [i.e – far away].’  

 

Undoubtedly Allah has linked honour to his obedience, and linked humiliation to his disobedience. Like Allah says: 

 

وَلِلَّهِ ٱلْعِزَّةُ وَلِرَسُولِهِۦ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ٨

 

But all honour and power belongs to Allah, His Messenger, and the believers. [63:8]

 

 

So whomsoever desires honour, then he should seek it via the obedience of Allah

 

1. It prevents the devil from entering the heart. For indeed a forbidden gaze allows the devil to penetrate into the heart faster than air into an empty space. 
2. Due to a forbidden gaze, the heart becomes empty and becomes preoccupied with it. This then becomes the means of him following his desires and becoming negligent of the remembrance of Allah. 

 

 

Allah states: 

 

وَلَا تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُۥ عَن ذِكْرِنَا وَٱتَّبَعَ هَوَىٰهُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُهُۥ فُرُطًۭا ٢٨

 

And do not obey those whose hearts We have made heedless of Our remembrance, who follow ˹only˺ their desires and whose state is ˹total˺ loss. [18:28]

 

1. Between the eyes and the heart is a path, by which one affects the other. So if the heart is corrupt, the eyes are corrupt and if the eyes are corrupt then the heart is corrupt. So it becomes like a garbage dump, which is the place of filth and impurities. Therefore, it is not suitable for [such a heart] to have recognition of Allah, his love and turning towards him. 

 

Allah states: 

 

أَتَسْتَبْدِلُونَ ٱلَّذِى هُوَ أَدْنَىٰ بِٱلَّذِى هُوَ خَيْرٌ 

 

Do you exchange what is better for what is worse? [2:61]

 

[This verse is regarding the Bani-Israel asking Musa – Allah bless him – for food from this world in exchange of food from paradise] 

 

 

So what can be said for the one who exchanges the love of Allah, his friendship, owner of his command for that which there is no goodness, no success, no happiness, no eternal bliss and no safety from the hell-fire.  

[End quote of ibn Qayim] 

 

 

Section 6: A Hadith to reflect on!

 

 

To conclude, reflect on the following hadith: 

 

 

أَلاَ وَإِنَّ فِي الْجَسَدِ مُضْغَةً إِذَا صَلَحَتْ صَلَحَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ، وَإِذَا فَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ‏.‏ أَلاَ وَهِيَ الْقَلْبُ ‏”

 

 

 Beware! There is a piece of flesh in the body. If it becomes good (reformed) the whole body becomes good but if it gets spoiled the whole body gets spoiled and that is the heart.

[Sahih Bukhari: 52]