Watch out for the Arrow!
Oh, what a beautiful day: Twenty-two degrees Celsius; a clear sky; the sun passionately declaring its warmth to the land below. I put on my cap and decide to go out for a walk.
Moments later, I come across two scantily dressed girls, “enjoying” the wonderful weather. Nervously, I look down towards the cement sidewalk and walk past them. I look up, only to encounter a couple, rollerblading towards me in the most fashionable, spandex exercise gear. I fidget with my cap using it to shield myself from obscenity and continue walking. With my head down and cap covering my view, it was bound to happen some time: I walk into a lamppost and hit my head!
As I lay on the sidewalk recovering from the accident, I hear a male voice asking me, “Are you alright?”
As I open my eyes to figure out what is going on, I see a bare-chested man, jogging in position, offering his hand to help me get up.
Subhan-Allah, what a day! I get up, run home, go to my room, and close my door. How am I expected to survive in such a filthy environment? Am I supposed to isolate myself from the society to escape such temptations?
No. Obviously, with every trial and difficulty Allah always provides us practical defensive tools. Keep in mind, though, that the command to control our eyes is not just a ‘fatwa’ of some ‘conservative’ scholar ‘from the East’. It is explicitly expressed in the words of Allah and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
What’s wrong with a Lustful Gaze?
Many of us who are used to watching Sinbad or Temptation Island, or are addicted to Bollywood movies, or enjoy the company of people of opposite gender, may wonder what’s wrong with lustfully staring at the attractive features of the opposite gender? Perhaps one saying of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) sums it all:
Therefore, a secret lustful look at a person of opposite gender has been compared by the Prophet (pbuh) to an arrow from Shaytan that:
1. poisons our hearts
2. ruins our intentions
3. gives rise to false hopes and desires
4. distorts our perception of ‘reality’
5. deprives us from enjoying and concentrating in Prayers
6. gives rise to constant feeling of guilt and depression
7. sometimes leads to sleepless nights
8. renders our heart weak for continuous Shaytanic attacks
9. promotes hypocrisy
10. weakens our memory
11. eventually leads to Zina (adultery)
12. above all, diminishes our love for and fear of Allah. Allah commands us:
In the verse following this one, Allah commands “the believing women” in the similar manner.
Moments later, I come across two scantily dressed girls, “enjoying” the wonderful weather. Nervously, I look down towards the cement sidewalk and walk past them. I look up, only to encounter a couple, rollerblading towards me in the most fashionable, spandex exercise gear. I fidget with my cap using it to shield myself from obscenity and continue walking. With my head down and cap covering my view, it was bound to happen some time: I walk into a lamppost and hit my head!
As I lay on the sidewalk recovering from the accident, I hear a male voice asking me, “Are you alright?”
As I open my eyes to figure out what is going on, I see a bare-chested man, jogging in position, offering his hand to help me get up.
Subhan-Allah, what a day! I get up, run home, go to my room, and close my door. How am I expected to survive in such a filthy environment? Am I supposed to isolate myself from the society to escape such temptations?
No. Obviously, with every trial and difficulty Allah always provides us practical defensive tools. Keep in mind, though, that the command to control our eyes is not just a ‘fatwa’ of some ‘conservative’ scholar ‘from the East’. It is explicitly expressed in the words of Allah and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
What’s wrong with a Lustful Gaze?
Many of us who are used to watching Sinbad or Temptation Island, or are addicted to Bollywood movies, or enjoy the company of people of opposite gender, may wonder what’s wrong with lustfully staring at the attractive features of the opposite gender? Perhaps one saying of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) sums it all:
“The furtive glance is one of the poisoned arrows of Shaytan, on him be God’s curse. Whoever forsakes it for the fear of Allah, will receive from Him (Great and Gracious is He) a faith, the sweetness of which he will find within his heart.” (al-Haakim.)
Therefore, a secret lustful look at a person of opposite gender has been compared by the Prophet (pbuh) to an arrow from Shaytan that:
1. poisons our hearts
2. ruins our intentions
3. gives rise to false hopes and desires
4. distorts our perception of ‘reality’
5. deprives us from enjoying and concentrating in Prayers
6. gives rise to constant feeling of guilt and depression
7. sometimes leads to sleepless nights
8. renders our heart weak for continuous Shaytanic attacks
9. promotes hypocrisy
10. weakens our memory
11. eventually leads to Zina (adultery)
12. above all, diminishes our love for and fear of Allah. Allah commands us:
“Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their private parts; that will make for greater purity for them...” [24:30]
In the verse following this one, Allah commands “the believing women” in the similar manner.
posted by Abu at
7:33:00 pm
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