Chastity & Lowering the Gaze

عَن عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بنِ مَسْعُودٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: كُنَّا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَ: «مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ البَاءَةَ فَلْيَتَزَوَّجْ، فَإِنَّهُ أَغَضُّ لِلْبَصَرِ، وَأَحْصَنُ لِلْفَرْجِ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَعَلَيْهِ بِالصَّوْمِ، فَإِنَّهُ لَهُ وِجَاءٌ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urged those who are able to have sexual intercourse and afford the expenses of marriage to marry, as it protects their sight from what is forbidden, keeps their private parts more chaste, and prevents them from falling into immorality. As for those who cannot afford the expenses of marriage yet can have sexual intercourse, they should observe fast, as it undermines the desire of the private parts and stops the evil of semen.

• Islam is keen on the causes of chastity and safety from immoralities.
• It urges those who cannot afford the expenses of marriage to observe fast, for it weakens sexual desire.
• Fasting is described as a restraint (Wijā’ in Arabic), for Wijā’ means cutting off the veins of the two testicles, which eliminates one's libido; likewise, fasting weakens sexual desire.

صحيح البخاري (3/ 26) (1905). صحيح مسلم (2/ 1018) (1400). الإلمام بشرح عمدة الأحكام للشيخ ،لإسماعيل الأنصاري (2/ 57). تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، لعبد الله البسام (ص565). خلاصة الكلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، لفيصل آل مبارك (ص281).

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «سَبْعَةٌ يُظِلُّهُمُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِي ظِلِّهِ يَوْمَ لاَ ظِلَّ إِلَّا ظِلُّهُ: إِمَامٌ عَدْلٌ، وَشَابٌّ نَشَأَ فِي عِبَادَةِ اللَّهِ، وَرَجُلٌ قَلْبُهُ مُعَلَّقٌ فِي المَسَاجِدِ، وَرَجُلاَنِ تَحَابَّا فِي اللَّهِ، اجْتَمَعَا عَلَيْهِ وَتَفَرَّقَا عَلَيْهِ، وَرَجُلٌ دَعَتْهُ امْرَأَةٌ ذَاتُ مَنْصِبٍ وَجَمَالٍ فَقَالَ: إِنِّي أَخَافُ اللَّهَ، وَرَجُلٌ تَصَدَّقَ بِصَدَقَةٍ فَأَخْفَاهَا حَتَّى لاَ تَعْلَمَ شِمَالُهُ مَا تُنْفِقُ يَمِينُهُ، وَرَجُلٌ ذَكَرَ اللَّهَ خَالِيًا، فَفَاضَتْ عَيْنَاهُ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave glad tidings to seven categories of the believers whom Allah Almighty will shade in the shade of His Throne on a Day when there will be no shade but His: First: A leader who is upright in himself and not a defiant sinner, and fair among his subjects and not oppressive. This includes the one holding the highest authority and extends to anyone in authority with any of the Muslims' affairs and acts justly in it. Second: A young person who grew up in the worship of Allah, dedicating his youth and energy to this cause until he passes away in that state. Third: A man whose heart is attached to the mosque. Even when he leaves, his great love for it brings him back. His frequent attendance at the mosque keeps his heart spiritually connected to it, even if he happens to be physically outside it for some reason. Fourth: Two men who sincerely loved each other for the sake of Allah, maintaining their religious affection without letting any worldly matter sever their relationship, whether they physically met or not, until death separated them. Fifth: A man who was invited by a woman of noble lineage, status, wealth, and beauty to commit immorality with her, but he refused and said to her: Indeed, I fear Allah. Sixth: A man who gave charity, whether small or large, sincerely without seeking to show off; rather, he hid it to the extent that his left hand did not know what his right hand gave. Seventh: A man who remembered Allah in his heart through reflection or with his tongue through Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) while in solitude, and his eyes shed tears out of fear and reverence for Allah Almighty.

• The merit of the seven mentioned categories and encouraging to follow their example.
• Ibn Hajar said about his statement "in His Shade": It is said that it means: the shade of His Throne as indicated by the Hadīth of Salmān that was narrated by Sa‘īd ibn Mansūr with a good Isnād: "There are seven whom Allah will shade in the shade of His Throne".
• Ibn Hajar said: The best explanation of the just person is that he is the one who follows the command of Allah by placing everything in its proper place, without excess or negligence. He is mentioned first due to the general benefit that comes from him.
• The merit of waiting for prayer after prayer.
• An-Nawawi said: It encourages loving one another for the sake of Allah and highlights its great merit.
• Status and beauty are specifically mentioned due to people's strong desire for them, their eagerness to attain them, and their difficulty in obtaining them.
• The best way to give charity is to do it secretly, as it is further from showing off. However, it is also permissible to give charity and Zakah publicly if it is free from ostentation, with the intention of encouraging others to spend, setting an example for others, and manifesting the rituals of Islam.
• These seven persons attained that bliss only by their sincerity to Allah Almighty and by opposing their whims.
• His statement: "There are seven whom Allah will shade": the limitation to this number is not intended. In fact, there are other categories not mentioned in the Hadīth whom Allah will shade in the shade of His Throne.
• Ibn Hajar said: The mention of men in this Hadīth does not imply exclusivity; rather, women share the same reward as men in the deeds mentioned, unless the reference to the just Imam means supreme leadership; otherwise, a woman may also be included when she has children and treats them justly. As for the trait of adherence to the mosque, it is not applicable to women in the same way, because a woman's prayer at her home is better than in the mosque. Beyond that, women can share in the virtues, even in the case of the man who was invited by the woman. It is conceivable that a woman could be invited by a handsome king, for example, and she refrains out of fear of Allah Almighty despite her needs.

صحيح البخاري (2/ 111) (1423). صحيح مسلم (2/ 715) (1031). إرشاد الساري لشرح صحيح البخاري (3/ 24).

عن سهل بن سعد رضي الله عنه عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: «مَنْ يَضْمَنْ لِي مَا بَيْنَ لَحْيَيْهِ وَمَا بَيْنَ رِجْلَيْهِ أَضْمَنْ لَهُ الْجَنَّةَ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us about two things, which if a Muslim observes, he will enter Paradise. First: protecting the tongue from saying things that displease Allah Almighty. Second: preserving the private parts from obscenity. This is because these two organs are often used in the perpetration of sins.

• Protecting one's tongue and private parts is a means of entering Paradise.
• He singled out the tongue and the private parts because they are the greatest sources of trials for people in this world and in the Hereafter.

صحيح البخاري (8/ 100) (6474). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، تأليف سليم الهلالي (3/ 9). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، تأليف د. مصطفى الخِن وغيره (2/ 1035). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (18/ 85). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (6/ 117). إرشاد الساري لشرح صحيح البخاري، للقسطلاني (9/ 272).

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: «كُتب على ابن آدم نَصِيبُه من الزِنا مُدْرِكُ ذلك لا مَحَالة: العينان زِناهما النَظر، والأُذنان زِناهما الاستماع، واللسان زِناه الكلام، واليَدُ زِناها البَطْش، والرِّجل زِناها الخُطَا، والقلب يَهْوَى ويتمنى، ويُصَدِّق ذلك الفَرْج أو يُكذِّبُه».

Except for those whom Allah has protected, everyone ends up fornicating. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned examples of fornication. The eyes fornicate, i.e. when a man looks at a woman, even if not lustfully, who is not from his Mahrams, this is one kind of fornication. The ears fornicate by listening to and enjoying the voice of a woman. The hands fornicate by touching. The feet fornicate by going to a place of immorality, or following a woman that one unlawfully desires. The heart fornicates by being inclined to women. The genitals prove that when they commit real fornication. If they do not fornicate, then this will be disapproval of other organs’ fornication. From this, men should learn to be cautious not to get attached to women, listen to their voice, see them, touch them, pursue them, nor think of their seduction. These are types of fornication which every chaste and sensible man would resist.

نزهة المتقين، تأليف: مصطفى الخن، الناشر: مؤسسة الرسالة، الطبعة الأولى: 1397 هـ الطبعة الرابعة عشر 1407 هـ. كنوز رياض الصالحين، تأليف: حمد بن ناصر العمار ، الناشر: دار كنوز أشبيليا، الطبعة الأولى: 1430 هـ. بهجة الناظرين، تأليف: سليم بن عيد الهلالي، الناشر: دار ابن الجوزي ، سنة النشر: 1418 هـ- 1997م. صحيح مسلم، تأليف: مسلم بن الحجاج النيسابوري، تحقيق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي الناشر: دار إحياء التراث العربي – بيروت. رياض الصالحين، تأليف: محيي الدين يحيى بن شرف النووي ، تحقيق: د. ماهر بن ياسين الفحل ، الطبعة: الأولى، 1428 هـ. صحيح البخاري، تأليف: محمد بن إسماعيل البخاري، تحقيق: محمد زهير الناصر، الناشر: دار طوق النجاة الطبعة: الأولى، 1422هـ. شرح رياض الصالحين، تأليف: محمد بن صالح العثيمين، الناشر: دار الوطن للنشر، 1426 هـ.