What is meant by 'Lower your gaze'?

 Allah the Most High, commands us in the Glorious Qur'an:

 "Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their private parts'' (Qur'an 24:30)
"Tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their private parts'' (Qur'an 24:31)

"Lowering the gaze" means:

Refraining from looking at people’s ‘awrah:

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (15/414): 

Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, has enjoined us in His Book to lower the gaze, which is of two types: refraining from looking at ‘awrahs and refraining from looking at the site of desire. 

1) The former refers to a man refraining from looking at the ‘awrah of another person. 

Awrah are the parts of the body that must not be exposed.

• The awrah of a woman in front of a non-mahram man is: According to some scholars, her entire body leaving her face and palms, and according to other scholars, the face must be covered, as well.

Imam al-Marghinani (Allah have mercy on him) states:
“It is impermissible for a man to look at the whole body of a non-Mahram woman (due to it being part of Awrah) except for her face and hands, for Allah Most High says: “Women must not display their beauty and ornaments except what appear thereof” (al-Nur, 31). Sayyiduna Ali and Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) interpreted this verse with the face and hands...(al-Hidaya, 4/458).

• The awrah of a man in front of a non-mahram woman and in front of other men is: His area between the navel and the knee, including the knees.  

The Prophet (s.a.w.) passed by Ma’mar when I was with him, and his thighs were uncovered. He said: “O Ma’mar, cover your thighs, for the thigh is ‘awrah.” (Reported by Ahmad)

The Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w.) said: “Do not show your thigh, and do not look at the thigh of anyone, living or dead.” (Abu Dawood and Ibn Maajah)

• The awrah of a woman in front of a fellow muslim woman is the same to that which is a man’s Awrah in front of other men, i.e. from the navel up to and including the knees.

“A woman may see of another (Muslim) woman that which is permitted for a man to see of another man, due to them being from the same sex, and the non-existence of desire (shahwa) between them normally…..Similarly, due to the need and requirement of them exposing amongst themselves”. (See: al-Marghinani, al-Hidaya, 4/461). 

•  The awrah of a non-muslim woman is the same that is in front of non-Mahram men, i.e. the whole body besides the hands and face.

The verse of Surah al-Nur quoted earlier details the list of people besides whom a woman is not allowed to expose her beauty. Such people (as explained earlier) are known to be her Mahrams (unmarriageable kin). Also, in that verse, Allah Almighty states: “their women” (al-Nur, 31) indicating that a woman must only expose herself to her woman and not others.

•  The ‘awrah of a woman in front of her mahrams such as her father, brother and nephew is her entire body except that which usually appears such as the face, hair, neck, forearms and feet.

Allah orders the muslim women "not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their (Muslim) women” [al-Noor 24:31] So Allaah has permitted a woman to show her adornment in front of her mahrams.
It says in Kashshaaf al-Qinaa:  A man may also look at the face, neck, hand, foot, head and calf of a woman who is his mahram. According to this report al-Qaadi said: It is permissible (to look at) that which ordinarily appears such as the head and hands up to the elbows. These mahrams differ in the degree of closeness and risk of fitnah (temptation). However, it should be remembered that if there is a fear of temptation (fitna), then it will be impermissible to expose these parts even in front of Mahrams.

 2) The second refers to looking at uncovered parts of a non-mahram which are not awrah but looking at it causes desire.

The Prophet (s.a.w.) said "The Zina (adultery) of the eye is the (lustful) look...''
[Bukhari and Muslim]

 Tips to help you lower your gaze:

1- Remember the reported texts about ordering to lower the gaze and forbidding it from seeking the prohibited. Allah Almighty has said:

{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 All-Aware of what they do.} [An-Noor 24:30]

And the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said:

“Allah has written for the son of Adam his share of adultery which he commits inevitably. The adultery of the eyes is the sight (to gaze at a forbidden thing), the adultery of the tongue is the talk, and the inner self wishes and desires and the private parts testify all this or deny it.” [Agreed upon]

He, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said:

“O Ali, do not give a second look, (because) while you are not to blame for the first, you have no right to the second.” [Reported by At-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawûd, and made good by At-Tirmidhi and Al-Albâni.]

What is meant by the first look is the one which is cast unintentionally.

2- Seek the help of Allah Almighty, and keeping on asking Him to protect you from this turmoil and to guard you against it. In a Divine Hadith, reported by Muslim:

“O, my servants. All of you are straying except for those I guide. So, seek my guidance and I will guide you.“

The Almighty has said:

{And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright.} [Al-Baqarah 2:186]

From the invocations of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is:

“O My Lord, give us a share of your fear (piety) that comes in between us and committing your disobediences.” [Reported and made good by At-Tirmidhi].

The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has guided one of his companions to say this invocation: “O My Lord I seek Your refuge from the evil of my hearing, from the evil of my sight, from the evil of my tongue, from the evil of my heart, and from the evil of my sperms” (meaning his private parts). [Reported and made good by At-Tirmidhi].

3- To know that you have no choice or option in this, no matter what the conditions and the circumstances are. Gaze must be lowered off the prohibited in all places, times, and circumstances. You should not give yourself the excuse of the corrupted reality; nor should you justify your steps by the existence of the affliction inducers. Allah Almighty has said:

{It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allâh and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allâh and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed into a plain error.} [Al-Ahzaab 33:36]

4- Remember that Allah is watching you, knows you; so that you may fear Him and feel ashamed before Him. Allah Almighty has said:

{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).} [Qaaf 50:16]

And He has also said: {Allâh knows the fraud of the eyes, and all that the breasts conceal.} [Ghafir 40:19]

The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said:

“I recommend you to be ashamed from Allah, as you feel ashamed from the righteous man in your people.” [Reported by Al-Hassan ibn Sufiân and Ahmed in Asceticism, made authentic by Al-Albâni]

So feel ashamed from Allah and do not make Him the easiest of your watchers.

5- Remember that your eyes bear witness against you. Allah Almighty has said:

{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.} [Fussilat 41:20]

In Sahih Muslim, from Anas, he said: “We were in the company of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah 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 slave of Allah 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 slave of Allah would say: I do not deem valid any witness against me but my own self, and He would say: Well, enough would be 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 limbs (hands, feet, eyes, ears…) to speak and they would speak of his deeds. Then the mouth would be made free to talk, he would say (to the hands and feet): Be away, let there be curse of Allah upon you. It was for your safety that I was contending.”

So recognize that your eye that you wanted to give pleasure out of the forbidden will bear witness against you on the Day of Resurrection. So, keep it off the prohibited.

6- Remember the angels that record your deeds. Allah Almighty has said:

{Not a word does he (or she) utter but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it)} [Qaaf 50:18]

And He has also said: {But verily, over you (are appointed angels in charge of mankind) to watch you, (10) Kirâman (Honourable) Kâtibîn writing down (your deeds), (11) They know all that you do}.

7- Remember the witness of the earth on which you commit sins. Allah Almighty has said:

{That Day it will declare its information (about all that happened over it of good or evil).} [Az-Zalzala 99:4]

The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has explained:

“its information means that it bears witness against every slave of Allah of what he had done on its surface, as it says: he did so and so on the day of so and so“. [Reported by At-Tirmidhi and he said that it is good and authentic].

8- Performing a lot of the optional worships. Performing more optional worships combined with obligatory ones is a reason for the protection of Allah to the senses of the slave, as in the Divine Hadith in which The Almighty has said:

“Whoever antagonize one of my Auliyâ’ (i.e. those who believe in the Oneness of Allâh and fear Allâh much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which he has forbidden), and love Allâh much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)); then I will declare war against him. My slave will not approach me by anything more favorable for me than that I have enjoined on him. And my slave keeps approaching me by optional worships till I love him. And if I love him I will be his hearing with which he hears, and his sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he fights, and his foot with which he walks. If he asks me I will give him and if he asks my refuge I will give him refuge.” [Reported by Al-Bukhâri]

Ibn Rajab wrote in “Gâmea El-’Ulûm Wal-Hikam (the Collection of Knowledge and wisdom): this means that who works hard in approaching Allah with obligatory and then optional acts of worships, Allah makes him nearer, and promotes him from the rank of believing to the rank of Al-Ihsân (i.e. to be patient in performing your duties to Allah, totally for Allah’s sake and in accordance with the Sunnah (legal ways) of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in a perfect manner). So, he worships Allah feeling His presence and monitoring as if he sees Allah watching him; which fills his heart with the knowledge of Allah, His love, glory, fear, reverence and joviality and longing for Him till the knowledge in his heart turns into seeing with the eye of insight. When the heart is full with the glory of Allah, this heart deletes everything else, and the slave of Allah has no will or desire but what his Lord wants. By then, he only speaks of His remembrance, and moves with His orders. If he speaks; he speaks with Allah. If he hears; he hears with Him, if he sees; he sees with Him, and if he ravages; he ravages with Him.“

9- Remember the benefits and the fruits of lowering the gaze. Ibn Al-Qayyim mentioned a number of benefits in Al-Jawâb Al-Kâfi (the Sufficient Answer). Here are some of them in brief:

· It is submission to the orders of Allah almighty, which is the ultimate happiness for the slave of Allah in this life and the Hereafter.

· It prevents the impact of the poisoned arrow (the gaze) – which could destroy him – to his heart.

· It leaves joviality with Allah in the heart, and ties it; as letting it go distracts the heart.

· It blocks the Devil’s entrance to the heart. The Devil enters with sight faster than air in a space.

· There is a path between the eye and the heart, which makes one reformed by the reform of the other and destroyed by the destruction of the other.

· It opens the ways of knowledge and facilitates its means, because of the light of the heart. If the heart is illuminated the facts of knowledge are uncovered to him and he moves from one to another. Whoever raises his gaze, his heart grieves and darkens, and the gate and paths of knowledge are blocked before him.

· It relieves the pain of regret from the heart. He who raises his gaze, his regret lasts. The most noxious thing to the heart is raising the gaze, as man desires what he sees; which he cannot be patient about getting it nor can he obtain it, and this is the ultimate pain.

· It implants joy, happiness and ease, more than the joy and happiness of gazing, in his heart. This is due to his overcoming his enemy by disobeying his own lusts and wishes, and when he stops his desires for Allah – including the desires of the wrong-ordering soul- Allah will compensate him with a more perfect joy.

· It frees the heart from the captivity of lustrous desire. The prisoner is captured by his desire, as it was told: he is a prisoner; however he seems to the eyes as if he were free.

· It frees the heart from the intoxication of lust and the slumber of heedlessness. Raising the gaze leads to the heedlessness from Allah and the Hereafter, it leads to the intoxication of ardent passion which is more intoxicating than liquor.

· It leads to safety from Al-Fâhishah (evil, great sin, every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse, adultery, sodomy) because gazing is the way to it.

· It leads to the safety from punishment in the hereafter as a consequence of prohibited gazing. As was mentioned before, the adultery of the eyes is gazing (to prohibited things).

10- Striving with one’s soul and making it accustomed to lowering the gaze, doing this with patience, and staying off despair. Allah Almighty has said:

{As for those who strive hard in Us (Our Cause), We will surely guide them to Our Paths (i.e. Allâh’s religion – Islâmic Monotheism)} [Al-Ankaboot 29:69]

The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said:

“Whoever bears patience, Allah will bestow patience upon him.” [Reported by Al-Bukhâri, under a section named: Patience on Allah's Prohibited Things]
»ومن يتصبر يصبره الله«رواه البخاري

Another Hadith reported and authenticated by Al-Albani that the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said: “victory comes from patience.“

If your soul gets used to lowering the gaze, it becomes easier for it; man is overcome by habit and is tamed by persistence.

11- Trying some physical means, such as:

• Avoiding places where the affliction of gazing is feared, if it is not indispensable; even if you lose some benefits that are not comparable to the benefits of safety from the affliction of gazing. For example, if there is a place located between your house and your place of work or school, in which you fear affliction, leave it and take another route even if it is longer so that your heart may be safe from the sedition. Also, stop watching series and movies for entertainment and spending leisure time, and do not find excuses for getting near the places of sedition on the pretext of keeping up with news and being informed of the facts. Information is the head of the nail, as mentioned by one of our Sheikhs – May Allah protect him. Also, beware of traveling to infidel countries or places of depravity so that you will not expose yourself to affliction.

• Stay away from irrelevant curious looks, by looking where you walk and stop turning around: right and left or behind. If one is curious he will certainly find something prohibited to gaze at, if he is accustomed not to get curious then he gets safe.

• Also, if one needs a certain magazine, he should not go to stores where anything and everything is being shown. Instead he should go to specialized stores, or –if necessary- ask the storekeeper and does not look for what he needs by himself so as not to expose himself to looking at prohibited pictures.

• And, if one sees the shadow of a woman or what seems like that he fears of temptation; he should turn his gaze away from it and does not stare in order not to fall into sedition.

12- Marriage is one of the best medicines in healing this disease. The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said:

“O young men, those among you who can support a wife should marry, for it restrains eyes from casting (evil glances) and protects the private parts from adultery; but those who cannot should keep on fasting for it is a means of controlling sexual desire.” [Agreed upon]

Marriage has many benefits

• It is submitting to the decree. In submission there is happiness in this worldly life and in the Hereafter.
• It restrains the eyes from casting (evil glances) and protects the private parts from adultery, as mentioned in the previous Hadith.
• It supplements one half of the religion, as the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said: “when the slave of Allah marries, half of his religion is supplemented; so let him fear Allah in the remaining half.” [Reported by Al-Baihaqi from the Hadith of Anas, and considered good by Al-Albâni].
»إذا تزوج العبد ؛ فقد استكمل نصف الدين ، فليتق الله في النصف الباقي« رواه البيهقي وحسنه الألباني
• It is repose and stability, as Allah Almighty has said: {And among His Signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy.} [Ar-Room 30:21]

This repose and stability helps one to perform his acts of worship and practice his worldly and religious activities with comfort and dedication, so that he performs better and more than others (unmarried persons).

13- To remember that every bounty from Allah must be praised by what is due thanks. The bounty of sight is praised by using one’s eyes in what is legitimate and to keep it off the prohibited. If one lets it in the prohibited, then one did not give the praise for this bounty and denied it.

14- Increasing remembering Allah. It is a protection and shield from the Devil. In the Hadith narrated by Al-Hârith Al-Ash’ari:

“And I command you to remember Allah, for it is like a man whom the enemy has followed consistently till he has come to a fortress where he has protected himself from them. This is the condition of the slave of Allah; he only protects himself from the Devil by remembering Allah.” [Reported by At-Tirmidhi, and said: it is good and authentic].

So, keep remembering Allah’s praises all the time. Persist on the praises of day and evening, and all the praises related to certain times and places. Do it more in times of affliction to drive the devil away and protect yourself against him. Also, the soul gets busy with remembrance so it does not raise the gaze. On the same line, remembering Allah reminds the slave of Allah of His Lord and he becomes ashamed and afraid of his Lord to cast the gaze.

15- To help lower the gaze, one must know that persisting on gazing will keep him off his legitimate wives. The Devil adorns the prohibited and arouses one’s dislike for the legitimate, and changes the image in the eyes of the viewer to make it look better.

16- Remember the Hûr (fair females) with wide, lovely eyes (as wives for the pious), to help you become patient in not asking for the prohibited; to get their reunion. The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said:

“if a woman from paradise appeared to the people of the earth, she would fill the space between Heaven and the earth with light and pleasant scent and her head cover is better than the world and whatever is in it.” [Reported by Al-Bukhâri]

Abu Huraira narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said:

“Every man in paradise will have two wives of the Hûr (fair females) with wide, lovely eyes; the marrow of the bones of the wives’ legs will be seen through the flesh out of excessive beauty.” [Reported by Ahmed, and its origin is in the two Sahih books]

So, he who is patient not to cast his gazie will be compensated by Allah with much better than what he has turned his gaze from. Also, the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said:

“Whosoever gives up something for the sake of Allah, but that He will compensate him with that which is better than it“. [Reported by Ahmed, and the transmission is authenticated by Al-Albâni]
»إنك لن تدع شيئا لله عز وجل إلا بدلك الله به ما هو خير لك منه« رواه أحمد وصحح سنده الألباني

We ask Allah Almighty to make us see the right as it is, and guide us to follow it; and make us see the evil as it is, and guide us to stay away from it; and to guide us to the Right Path for He is the Most Generous. And peace and blessings of Allah be upon His Prophet, his family and companions.