Looking at forbidden things is a major evil of the present era.
✍🏻 Muhammad Aadil Arariawi
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Respected Readers! Islam has taught man to purify not only his outward appearance but also his inner self. Some sins appear minor but gradually hollow out the heart and faith. Looking at forbidden things is one of these dangerous sins, and avoiding it has been necessary in every era, especially in today's turbulent times. The following article aims to draw attention to this important issue. Looking at forbidden things is a very big and dangerous disease, and it is a disease that is difficult to get rid of once it is contracted. If a person commits adultery, there should be some reasons for adultery, for example, strength in the body is needed. But this looking at forbidden things is such a sin that, according to Hakeem-ul-Ummat Hazrat Thanwi (may Allah have mercy on him), looking at forbidden things is such a disease that even with feet dangling in the grave, when a person is old, it still doesn't go away. Old people are also acting as 'Bhanpu' (gazers), meaning they have no shame or decency left. They don't even consider it a sin. The ugliness and repulsiveness of this sin have left their hearts. They are sitting somewhere, and mothers and daughters are passing by, and they don't hesitate to look. And this sin is such that a person can do it secretly without anyone knowing. According to Hazrat Hakeem-ul-Ummat (may Allah have mercy on him), the Maulvi Sahib remains the Maulvi Sahib, the Qari Sahib remains the Qari Sahib. The point is that generally, it is not known when this sin is committed. You secretly look at someone, and no one will know. See, it is easy to give up lying, easy to give up stealing, but to leave beautiful women, not to look at them, is a very difficult stage. Therefore, whoever acts with great courage and avoids them, then, God willing, his reward will also be very great. Hazrat Hakeem Shah Akhtar Sahib (may Allah have mercy on him) says, "Tell me, if a laborer has worked for an hour, you have paid him his wages. But if a king also comes and works for an hour, will the king's wages be more than the laborer's or not?" Similarly, if you have performed voluntary worship, for example, recitation, etc., then your body has earned wages. And if you have protected your gaze, then your heart has earned wages. And since the heart is the king of the whole body, tell me, will the heart's wages be more or not? So, the sorrow that comes from protecting the gaze and staying away from beautiful women is felt by the heart, and the heart is the king. And the king is earning wages and bearing sorrow in the way of Allah. This sorrow is not seen by the world. They see the voluntary prayers, but those who bear sorrow on their hearts, who break the great desires of their hearts, their heart's matters are not known to the world, only Allah knows. Therefore, Allah gives him a very great reward for the king's actions and bestows upon him the sweetness of faith and gives him his heartfelt pain. And, God willing, this heartfelt pain will manifest itself. Those who shed the blood of their desires and bear sorrow, a day will come when Allah will spread the fragrance of their pain of love. Due to looking at forbidden things, the light of the face is extinguished. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) even says: لَتَغْضُنَ أَبْصَارَكُمْ وَلَتَحْفَظْنَّ فُرُوجَكُمْ أَوْ لَيَكْسِفَنَ اللهُ وُجُوهَكُمْ ( الترغيب ۲۵/۳) Lower your gaze and protect your private parts, otherwise Allah will extinguish the light of your faces. 'Kusoof' means solar eclipse. So, just as when the sun is eclipsed, its light is extinguished, similarly, a person who is involved in looking at forbidden things, no matter how beautiful he may be, his face has no radiance. Today, with great regret, we have to say that the sin of looking at forbidden things has become so common that there is no end to it. And the trouble is that the civilization of the present era, the general shamelessness, obscenity, nudity, and women going out of their homes, as a result, according to Maulana Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani (may his blessings continue), it is difficult to find refuge for the eyes. That is, when a person goes out, it has become difficult to protect the eyes. But in any case, whoever wants to attain the pleasure of Allah, wants to instill the love of Allah in his heart, wants to reform his heart, and wants to establish a relationship with Allah in his heart, then he will have to avoid looking at forbidden things.
May Allah Almighty guide us all and protect us all completely. Amen, O Lord of the worlds.