Lower Your Gaze And Be Modest

People need to be reminded about the "Male Hijab".
Image, Picture, lower your gaze
Allah (God) created us with desires and urges, He also revealed to us sufficient and complete guidance to properly channel these desires. 

A Story Of A Muslim Brother and A Hospital Nurse
There was a companion of ours in Glasgow who became ill and was hospitalised. He was admitted for three days and on the fourth day the attendant nurse said, “Marry me”. 
He [the brother in Glasgow] asked, “Why? I am a Muslim, you and I cannot become companions.” 
She said, “I’ll become Muslim”. 
“What’s the reason?” it was asked. 

She said, “In all my time that I have served in hospitals, except you, I have never seen a man lower his gaze in front of a woman. In my life you are the first person who lowers his gaze when seeing a woman. I come, and you close your eyes. Such great modesty can be taught by none other than a true religion.” 
The protection of one’s gaze entered Islam in her. She testified to the Oneness of Allah and became a Muslim. They both got married. By now, the same woman was and is the means of bringing so many other girls / women into Islam.

Image, Picture, lower your gaze
To beautify your eyes, lower your gaze towards strange men/women; this will make your eyes pure 
and shiny. Abstain from looking at what is haram (forbidden), looking at what only is halal.

An Other Beautiful Story
Young man came to a Maulana (Scholar) and said:
"I am a young man with strong desires. I cannot help looking at women when I am in the bazaar (market). What do I do?"
The Maulana handed him a cup of milk that was full to the brim, and told him to deliver it to an address that would take the young man directly through the market.
He then instructed the young man that the milk should not spill, and the man said that it would not. 
The Maulana then summoned one of his students and told him to accompany the man through the market to the destination and to severely beat him if any milk were to spill.
This man successfully took the milk to the destination and returned to give the good news to the Maulana. 
The Maulana asked: "Tell me, how many sights and faces did you see in the market?"
The man replied incredulously:
"Maulana, I didn’t even realise what was going on around me. I was only fearful of the beating and disgrace that I would have to endure in public if a drop of milk were to spill." 
The Maulana smiled and said: 
"It is the same with a believer. The believer fears that Allah (God) may disgrace him in front of the entire creation on the Day of Judgement if his faith were to spill over from his heart by not lowering his gaze and  not guarding his modesty and chastity. "

Allah commands:
"Order the Muslim men to lower down their sights a little and to guard their private parts. This is cleaner for them, undoubtedly, Allah is Aware of their deeds."
"And order the Muslim women to lower down their sights a little and guard their chastity;" Surah An-Nur: Ayat 30-31
Allah connects the issue of lowering the gaze with the issue of protecting the private parts (guarding one's chastity) in above verses, and lowering the gaze is mentioned first, before protecting the private parts, because the eye influences the heart. 

The Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) further explained to us Allah’s command:
 Abu Hurayrah (May Allah Be Pleased With Him)) narrated that the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said,
"(the adultery of the eyes is looking (at [that] which is not allowed). Bukhari, Muslim

On the authority of Jurayr (May Allah Be Pleased With Him) who said, "I asked the Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him) about accidentally looking at something that is not allowed and he said, "Turn your eyes away." Muslim

Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him) commanded Hazrat Ali (May Allah Be Pleased With Him) "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.
Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him) said; "The glance is a poisoned arrow of Satan. Whoever lowers his gaze for Allah, He will bestow upon him a refreshing sweetness, which he will find in his heart on the day he meets Him." [Mishkat]

Image, Picture, lower your gaze
Guard your eyes. They are the direct pathway to the sacred land of the heart. 
O'Muslim Remember that the sweetness of Jannah is far sweeter than the sweetness of a lustful gaze. 
When we are passing by a non-mahram on the street, office or school, Satan is constantly tempting us to glare at her/him with evil thoughts. Looking at another man or woman in an indecent manner is following in Satan’s footsteps. It all begins with a lustful glance. Such a glance leads to lustful talk and flirting, then meeting and we are all aware of what comes next.
Lowering gaze has wide meaning as moving your gaze, controlling gaze, moving your head, turn away to other place or completely turn your body, relocating gaze to less concentrated ares of fitna (the trials and temptations). With practise, following these precautions and the remembrance of Allah during tempting situations; will prevent us from getting stuck by devilish arrows.

17 comments:

  1. this is a topic which shows that islam puts equal responsibility of purdah on both men n women, and nt jst women as is the norm in many "muslim" societies today.

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  2. There is another trend started or it might have been long before. I have noticed that some people get conscious about looks of other for example if a boy walking and a girl walks comes from an opposite the she looks towards him the first few thing would came in the boy's mind are. 'Who is she?, Is she's interested in me? And what did she saw in me? Same goes with the girls vice verse. Nowadays guys and girls both get concern about their marital life like what kind of person would be perfect for my life partner?

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  3. Very Nice post Asma, thank you for reminding us modesty is as important for men and women. Temptation is all around but if we keep these lines in mind, we are safe.
    Really like the first story. Thank you and stay blessed.

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  4. @Khurram Mobin: Hmmm right... :)

    @MarieHarmony: Stay Blessed... :)

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  5. I agree Asma..nicely written..modesty should always be observed..Marie is right temptations are everywhere most specially in this generation but it will always depend on one's own choice to fall into such temptation or not.

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  6. @Sie: Thanks for appreciation.... :)

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  7. Thanks you for reminding our deen,may we all follow good deeds,ameen.

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  8. Bohot khoob!
    Jazakallah once again.
    :)

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  9. beautiful message. lower your gaze and be modest. noted!

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  10. I was of the mindset that my looking at a girl without any intentions of lusts etc was enough as far as lowering my gaze. I also failed to realize that because I am not lowering my gaze, it affected others particularly my family. I mean if I have no intentions of being disobedient then what am I doing wrong. Until I started understanding that even a look without any lustful desires is a reason to have a negative affect on your heart. I started thinking that perhaps if I lower my gaze Allah will bless me in other ways that I wasn't aware of and that he may provide me more from his bounties in this dunya and the hereafter. This has become my incentive to lower my gaze. What's your?

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  11. @MGS: I lower my gaze because Allah has ordered me to do that and asked me to make it a rule of my life & I feel comfortable by lowering my gaze as it's a part of modesty ... :)

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  12. Females Can only remain modest by staying in their homes.. Males go out and earn with piety

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