Today we will share with you a story of a person with strong desires to look at people in the market. We too may be like this person. Many of us have lots of desires to look at other men/women in the market. And when we start looking , the evil desires also come up in the heart. And they surface soon and cause us to commit shameless sins. We must lower our gaze as guided in the Holy Qur'an. Dear brothers and sisters, Ramadan is just less than a week away so start lowering your gaze from now itself. Remember, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala is watching you all the time, so fear Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and do not become a prey to Shaitaan.
Let us read a short story which will In sha Allah help us to lower our gaze.
A Young man came to a Maulana and said, “I am a young man with strong desires. I cannot help looking at people 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 bazaar (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 bazaar 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 bazaar?” The man replied incredulously, “Maulana, I didn’t even realize 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 may disgrace him in front of the entire creation on the Day of Judgment if his faith were to spill over from his heart.”
Such people save themselves from sin because they constantly remain focused and are prepared for the Day of Judgment.
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Hijaab for men
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Islam has a system of hijaab. The Glorious Qur’an first mentions hijaab for the men and then for the women. Hijaab for the men is mentioned in the following verse:
"Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do."
[Al-Qur’an 24:30]
The moment a man looks at a woman and if any brazen or unashamed thought comes to his mind, he should lower his gaze.
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Hijaab for women
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Hijaab for women is mentioned in the following verse:
"And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons...."
[Al-Qur’an 24:31]
The extent of hijaab for a woman is that her complete body should be covered. The only part that can be seen, are the face and the hands up to the wrists. If they wish to cover, they can even cover these parts of the body. However some Islamic scholars insist that even the face should be covered.
With Best Wishes
