The Prohibition against Looking at What Is Prohibited

Tell the believing men that they should restrain their gaze (from looking at the women whom it is lawful for them to marry, and from others’ private parts). (an-Nur 24:30)

Surely the hearing, the sight, and the heart—each of these is subject to questioning about it (you are answerable, and will be called to account, for each of these on the Day of Judgment). (al-Isra 17:36)

Allah knows the treacheries of the eyes and all that the bosoms conceal. (al-Mumin 40:19)

Your Lord is ever on the watch (over human and tests him in the blessings with which He favors him). (al-Fajr 89:14)

779. Abu Hurayra, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Prescribed for the son of Adam is his portion of adultery which he must inevitably acquire. The adultery of the eyes is the glance. The adultery of the ears is listening. The adultery of the tongue is speech. The adultery of the hand is the grasp. The adultery of the foot is the step. The heart yearns and desires. The genitals either confirm this or deny it.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Qadar, 9; Sahih Muslim, Qadar, 20).
Annotation: The Qur’an warns believers against fornication with the command: “Do not draw near to any unlawful sexual intercourse; surely it is a shameful, indecent thing, and an evil way (leading to individual and social corruption)” (Isra 17:32). All types of fornication mentioned at the beginning are mostly realized without being planned. Human willpower is responsible for holding back the person from realizing anything that tempts the carnal soul. If individuals give their willpower its due, they continue walking on the path of faith, without being harmed by traps of lust, which is the weakest side of most people. If they can restrain themselves from putting the initial stimulus into actual practice, they can be blessed with a tremendous spiritual progress not to be gained by some through spiritual journeying for forty years on the Sufi path.

781. Umm Salama, may Allah be pleased with her, said, “I was with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, when Maymuna was with him. Ibn Umm Maktum came, and that was after we had been commanded to veil ourselves. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, ‘Veil yourselves from him.’ We said, ‘But Messenger of Allah, is he not blind and therefore not able to see us or recognize us?’ The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, ‘Are you two blind? Do you not see him?’” (Sunan Abu Dawud, Libas, 34; Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Adab, 29).

 

Nawawi, Imam. Riyad As-Salihin; The Gardens of the Righteous: A collection of authentic hadiths. Tughra Books Press, Inc. 2014