I’m a 22yr old B.TECH male student from INDIA. In my college there are girls as well as boys. There are male teachers as well as female teachers . Almost all female teachers and girls wear dresses revealing their awrath. My question is: “Should I lower my gaze if a young (or old) female teacher is teaching me…. or when a girl wants to ask me a doubt…. or when i’m doing a project with these girls… or when my interviewer for a job is a lady… ..or when my shop keeper is a lady… …. and so on…..? One of my CHRISTIAN FRIEND even told me that i was over doing this….but i dont care what he says…but i want to know… ….What is the limit of gazing at them? Please clarify my doubts with quotation from quran & life of prophet & his companions..” JAZAAKALLAHU KHAIRAN
In the name of Allāh, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalāmu ῾alaykum wa Rahmatullāhi Wabarakātuh
Allah, the Almighty, commands the Believers to lower their gaze. He says:
قُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا فُرُوجَهُمْ ذَلِكَ أَزْكَى لَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ (30)
“Tell the believing men to lower their gaze, and protect their private parts. That is purer for them. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what they do.” (Quran 24:30)
Jareer bin Abdullah (Radiyallaahu anhu) said: I asked Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) about unintentional glance (at non-related women). Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) commanded me to turn away my eyes. (Mishkaat pg. 268; Qadeemi)
Buraidah (Radiyallaahu anhu) says that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said to Ali (Radiyallaahu anhu): O Ali! Do not follow the first (unintentional) glance with a second glance. Because for you is (forgiven the sin of) the first glance and not the second. (Mishkaat pg. 269; Qadeemi)
Abu Umamah (Radiyallaahu anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: No Muslim (unintentionally) sees the beauty of a woman the first time then lowers his gaze except that Allah will bless him with such worship that he will find its sweetness. (Mishkaat pg. 270; Qadeemi)
The fuqahaa state that it is not permissible to look at any part of a ghair mahram female, whether she is a Muslim or a disbeliever. In the case of an old woman, however, it is permissible to look at her face and palms only if the person is certain not to desire her, otherwise it will be haraam to do so.
في الدر المختار: ( و ) ينظر ( من الأجنبية ) ولو كافرة مجتبى ( إلى وجهها وكفيها فقط ) للضرورة … (وبعد أسطر ) … ( فإن خاف الشهوة ) أو شك ( امتنع نظره إلى وجهها ) فحل النظر مقيد بعدم الشهوة وإلا فحرام وهذا في زمانهم ، وأما في زماننا فمنع من الشابة قهستاني وغيره ؛ وقال ابن عابدين رحمه الله: ( قوله مقيد بعدم الشهوة ) قال في التتارخانية ، وفي شرح الكرخي النظر إلى وجه الأجنبية الحرة ليس بحرام ، ولكنه يكره لغير حاجة ا هـ وظاهره الكراهة ولو بلا شهوة ( قوله وإلا فحرام ) أي إن كان عن شهوة حرم ( قوله وأما في زماننا فمنع من الشابة ) لا لأنه عورة بل لخوف الفتنة كما قدمه في شروط الصلاة ( رد المحتار: ج 9 ص 610 ط دار المعرفة )
We suggest that you enrol in a boys-only college.
And Allāh Ta῾āla Knows Best
Wassalāmu ῾alaykum
Ml. Faizal Riza
Correspondence Iftā Student, Australia
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Dārul Iftā, Madrasah In῾āmiyyah