Marriage Section · 44 – Avoiding Looking at Women
Cerir, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated:
I asked the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, about momentary glances at women who are not mahrams (marriageable relatives).
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Turn your gaze away.”
From Ibn al-Buraida, may Allah be pleased with him, who narrated from his father:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him): “O Ali, do not follow a gaze with a gaze. The first look is permissible for you if it is unintentional. But subsequent looks are forbidden to you.” [146]
**Explanation:**
The first look is permissible because it is unintentional, so there is no sin upon you in it. Subsequent looks are forbidden because they are intentional and with desire.
According to a narration from Ibn Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “A woman should not expose her skin to another woman. For the woman describes (to her husband) the body of that woman [referring to its warmth and softness], and it is as if he were looking at her.”
Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw a woman and then entered upon Zaynab bint Jahsh, and fulfilled his desire with her. Afterwards, he came out to his companions and said, “Indeed, a woman appears in the guise of Satan. So if any one of you finds something of that (in himself), let him go to his wife and engage in intimacy with her, for that will diminish what is within him regarding women.” [148]
It is narrated from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: I have not seen anything resembling minor sins more than in the hadith related by Abu Huraira: “Indeed, Allah has decreed for Adam’s son his share of sin. There is no doubt that it will overtake him. The sin of the eyes is to look [at what is forbidden], the sin of the tongue is to speak [what is forbidden], the soul desires [that which is forbidden], and the private parts confirm [these desires] and deny [them].”
On the authority of Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him), it is narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said: "Every son of Adam has a share of sin."
The narrator, Abu Salih, after relating the matter mentioned in the preceding hadith, related: “Hands commit zina (sinful sexual relations), their sin is grasping; feet commit zina, their sin is walking; the mouth commits zina, its sin is kissing.”
It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, after explaining a prior matter, said: "The sin of the ear is listening."