Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ) has blessed us with a blessing that we usually forget to be grateful for. That is of our eyes. Through our eyes we have been given the blessing of seeing the amazing creation of Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ) and man-made development. This is truly an incredible blessing.
Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ) mentions at several points in time in the Qur’an and here in this verse:
قُلْ هُوَ الَّذِي أَنشَأَكُمْ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالْأَبْصَارَ وَالْأَفْئِدَةَ ۖ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَشْكُرُونَ
“Say, “It is He who has produced you and made for you hearing and vision and hearts; little are you grateful.”
[Al-Mulk: 23]
As the world has advanced and technology is being developed our gaze has become harder to control. We have everything available at our fingertips through our phones, computers, tablets and television. Most importantly, we have access to the Internet; The gateway to social media and vast networks is easily made available to us. Images and videos are popping up in the blink of an eye and we have no control over what we are seeing. This has become a source of distraction, negativity and fitnah (test) for most of our children, youth as well as the adults.
We all have been caught up in this world of fitnah yet we forget the commandments of our Lord. Have you ever asked yourself what are you looking at? What are you watching? What are you reading?
We usually forgot to ask ourselves these questions and consider it “okay,” since we are in a world of moderation and where western culture has become common. We have become desensitized to sin. Yet Islam and Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ)’s commands remain the same they were 1400 years ago. In the Qur’an in Surah An Nur Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ) commands both believing men and women to lower their gaze.
We notice that a characteristic of the believing men and women is that:
They lower their gaze in public whether they are on the road or when they are in the mall. They lower their gaze when they are in their cars. Also, the believing Non Mahram men and Non Mahram women are commanded to lower their gaze as they interact. This includes being on technology and the internet. This implies staying away from what may lead them to fitnah. Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ) commands us that we should not go near fornication or adultery. To protect ourselves from staying away
From this it is our duty we take control of our gaze as the eyes are the window to the soul. When we look at something or someone our body usually responds with a desire, attraction, and emotions which causes us to further “stare” making it harder for us to look away. As we look away a picture has been clicked in our mind in which it occupies our thoughts and becomes a means of distraction. Once we start staring, Shaitan has already trapped us in his distractions and we have failed to obey Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ). Eventually this leads us into more sin and misguides our heart.
In one narration we learn that Abu Huraira (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“…. the adultery of the eyes is the sight (looking at that which is forbidden)…”
From this we learn that looking at something or someone which is not allowed is considered adultery of the eyes in which we will be questioned and punished for. There are many benefits of lowering the gaze in this world and the hereafter.
We learn from another narration that Mu’awiyah ibn Haydah reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
“Three eyes will not see the Hellfire: an eye standing guard in the way of Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ), an eye weeping from fear of Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ), and an eye lowering its gaze.”
(Al-Mu’jam al-Kabīr 16375)
Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ) commands us:
قُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا فُرُوجَهُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَزْكَىٰ لَهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ ﴿٣٠﴾ وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا ۖ وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّ ۖ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَائِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَائِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي أَخَوَاتِهِنَّ أَوْ نِسَائِهِنَّ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُنَّ أَوِ التَّابِعِينَ غَيْرِ أُولِي الْإِرْبَةِ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ أَوِ الطِّفْلِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يَظْهَرُوا عَلَىٰ عَوْرَاتِ النِّسَاءِ ۖ وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّ ۚ وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّـهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٣١ ﴾ ۔
“Tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what they do. And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.”
[An-Nur: 30-31]
Also in the Qur’an it is mentioned:
لَا تَقْرَبُوا الزِّنَىٰ ۖ إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَاحِشَةً وَسَاءَ سَبِيلًا ﴿٣٢﴾ ۔
“And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse. Indeed, it is ever an immorality and is evil as a way.”
[Al-Isra :32]
SubhanAllah, our sight that we control today will benefit us in the hereafter. Lowering our gaze will be a means of protection from the hellfire in the hereafter. There are many benefits we gain in this world by controlling our gaze and lowering it which includes gaining contentment, preventing the evil whispers of Shaitan, preventing distractions from Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ), it makes us obedient to Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ) by obeying His command, creates a guidance light for the heart and makes our heart steadfast. When we are able to do this, only then do we experience the sweetness of faith in which it helps us in protecting ourselves and others from fitnah and it protects our thoughts, home and peace.
Many more benefits are included in lowering of the gaze. In conclusion, I would like to remind my believing sisters and brothers that in this world of tests and trials, this life is a test and we are tested every moment of our lives. Either we pass that test or we fail. Passing leads to eternal success which is Jannah and failing in this world means failing in the hereafter which is a great loss.
Let us always remember that we are the children of Adam and we are sinners and forgetters and that we remind one another of good and stop one another from evil. Let’s make a change today!
Changing today would mean changing our generations ahead which is a great success. Let’s motivate one another and stop spreading vulgar images and videos and promoting sin. Let’s instead promote good and use our technology and social media in a beneficial way in which we teach one another how to use it beneficially. Let’s lower our gaze when we are in public and alone out of fear of Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ) and obedience to our Lord. Today’s struggle means eternal ease in the hereafter. I pray that Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ) protects us all from the evil we see and that he makes it easier for us to control our sight and lower our gaze. (Ameen).
