Looking at that which is forbidden is one of the arrows of the Shaytaan, which leads a person to doom, even if he did not do it intentionally at first. Allah(SWT) says:
Allah commands to His believing servants to lower their gaze from looking at things that have been prohibited for them. They should look only at what is permissible for them to look at, and lower their gaze from forbidden things. If it so happens that a person's gaze unintentionally falls upon something forbidden, he should quickly look away. Jarir b. 'Abdullah reported: I asked Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) about the sudden glance (that is cast) on the face (of a non-Mahram). He commanded me that I should turn away my eyes.
حَدَّثَنِي قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ زُرَيْعٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ ابْنُ عُلَيَّةَ، كِلاَهُمَا عَنْ يُونُسَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا يُونُسُ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي زُرْعَةَ، عَنْ جَرِيرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ نَظَرِ الْفُجَاءَةِ فَأَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَصْرِفَ بَصَرِي .
Reference: Sahih Muslim 2159 a; Book 38, Hadith 59; Book 25, Hadith 5372
Abu Huraira(r.a) also reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Allah fixed the very portion of adultery (i.e., zina) which a man will indulge in. There would be no escape from it. The adultery of the eye is the lustful look and the adultery of the ears is listening to voluptuous (song or talk) and the adultery of the tongue is licentious speech and the adultery of the hand is the lustful grip (embrace) and the adultery of the feet is to walk (to the place) where he intends to commit adultery and the heart yearns and desires which he may or may not put into effect.
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو هِشَامٍ الْمَخْزُومِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا وُهَيْبٌ، حَدَّثَنَا سُهَيْلُ بْنُ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " كُتِبَ عَلَى ابْنِ آدَمَ نَصِيبُهُ مِنَ الزِّنَى مُدْرِكٌ ذَلِكَ لاَ مَحَالَةَ فَالْعَيْنَانِ زِنَاهُمَا النَّظَرُ وَالأُذُنَانِ زِنَاهُمَا الاِسْتِمَاعُ وَاللِّسَانُ زِنَاهُ الْكَلاَمُ وَالْيَدُ زِنَاهَا الْبَطْشُ وَالرِّجْلُ زِنَاهَا الْخُطَا وَالْقَلْبُ يَهْوَى وَيَتَمَنَّى وَيُصَدِّقُ ذَلِكَ الْفَرْجُ وَيُكَذِّبُهُ ".
Reference: Sahih Muslim 2658 a; Book 46, Hadith 33; Book 33, Hadith 6422
Narrated by Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Beware! Avoid sitting on he roads (ways)." The people said, "There is no way out of it as these are our sitting places where we have talks." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If you must sit there, then observe the rights of the way." They asked, "What are the rights of the way?" He said, "They are -
the lowering of your gazes (on seeing what is illegal to look at),
refraining from harming people,
returning greetings,
advocating good and
forbidding evil."
حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ فَضَالَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عُمَرَ، حَفْصُ بْنُ مَيْسَرَةَ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِيَّاكُمْ وَالْجُلُوسَ عَلَى الطُّرُقَاتِ ". فَقَالُوا مَا لَنَا بُدٌّ، إِنَّمَا هِيَ مَجَالِسُنَا نَتَحَدَّثُ فِيهَا. قَالَ " فَإِذَا أَبَيْتُمْ إِلاَّ الْمَجَالِسَ فَأَعْطُوا الطَّرِيقَ حَقَّهَا " قَالُوا وَمَا حَقُّ الطَّرِيقِ قَالَ " غَضُّ الْبَصَرِ، وَكَفُّ الأَذَى، وَرَدُّ السَّلاَمِ، وَأَمْرٌ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ، وَنَهْىٌ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ ".
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 2465, Book 46, Hadith 26, Vol. 3, Book 43, Hadith 645; Sahih Muslim 2121 a, Book 37, Hadith 173, Book 24, Hadith 5293
Since looking provokes the heart to evil, Allah commanded (the believers) to protect their private parts just as he commanded them to protect their gaze which can lead to that. So he said:
قُلْ لِّـلۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ يَغُـضُّوۡا مِنۡ اَبۡصَارِهِمۡ وَيَحۡفَظُوۡا فُرُوۡجَهُمۡ ؕ ذٰ لِكَ اَزۡكٰى لَهُمۡ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ خَبِيۡرٌۢ بِمَا يَصۡنَـعُوۡنَ
Tell believing men to lower their gaze and to be mindful of their chastity. This is most conducive to their purity. God is certainly aware of all that they do. (Surah 24:30)
Indeed Allah (SWT) knows the fraud of the eyes and all that the heart reveal and conceal.
Next is the command from Allah to the believing women, and jealousy on His part over the wives of His believing servants. It is also to distinguish the believing women from the women of the Jahiliyyah and the deeds of the pagan women.
وَقُلْ لِّـلۡمُؤۡمِنٰتِ يَغۡضُضۡنَ مِنۡ اَبۡصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحۡفَظۡنَ فُرُوۡجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبۡدِيۡنَ زِيۡنَتَهُنَّ اِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنۡهَا وَلۡيَـضۡرِبۡنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلٰى جُيُوۡبِهِنَّ- وَلَا يُبۡدِيۡنَ زِيۡنَتَهُنَّ اِلَّا لِبُعُوۡلَتِهِنَّ اَوۡ اٰبَآئِهِنَّ اَوۡ اٰبَآءِ بُعُوۡلَتِهِنَّ اَوۡ اَبۡنَآئِهِنَّ اَوۡ اَبۡنَآءِ بُعُوۡلَتِهِنَّ اَوۡ اِخۡوَانِهِنَّ اَوۡ بَنِىۡۤ اِخۡوَانِهِنَّ اَوۡ بَنِىۡۤ اَخَوٰتِهِنَّ اَوۡ نِسَآئِهِنَّ اَوۡ مَا مَلَـكَتۡ اَيۡمَانُهُنَّ اَوِ التّٰبِعِيۡنَ غَيۡرِ اُولِى الۡاِرۡبَةِ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ اَوِ الطِّفۡلِ الَّذِيۡنَ لَمۡ يَظۡهَرُوۡا عَلٰى عَوۡرٰتِ النِّسَآءِ- وَلَا يَضۡرِبۡنَ بِاَرۡجُلِهِنَّ لِيُـعۡلَمَ مَا يُخۡفِيۡنَ مِنۡ زِيۡنَتِهِنَّ ؕ وَتُوۡبُوۡۤا اِلَى اللّٰهِ جَمِيۡعًا اَيُّهَ الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُوۡنَ
And tell believing women to lower their gaze and to be mindful of their chastity, and not to display their charms except what may ordinarily appear thereof. Let them draw their head-coverings over their bosoms and not display their charms to any but their husbands, or their fathers, or their husbands’ fathers, or their sons, or their husbands’ sons, or their brothers, or their brothers’ sons, or their sisters’ sons, or their womenfolk, or those whom they rightfully possess, or such male attendants as are free of physical desire, or children that are as yet unaware of women’s nakedness. Let them not swing their legs in walking so as to draw attention to thei hidden charms. Believers, turn to God in repentance, so that you may achieve success. (Surah 24:31)
'Aishah (May Allah bestow His Mercy on the early emigrant women) narrated: When Allah revealed: "... and to draw their veils all over their Juyubihinna (i.e., their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms)..." (V.24:31) they tore their Murat (woolen dresses or waist-binding clothes or aprons etc.) and covered their heads and faces with those torn Muruts.
وَقَالَ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ شَبِيبٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، عَنْ يُونُسَ، قَالَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ قَالَتْ يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ نِسَاءَ الْمُهَاجِرَاتِ الأُوَلَ، لَمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ {وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَى جُيُوبِهِنَّ} شَقَّقْنَ مُرُوطَهُنَّ فَاخْتَمَرْنَ بِها.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 4758; Book 65, Hadith 280; Vol. 1, Book 60, Hadith 281
We often look at other, non-Muslim communities and find that their social traditions are closer to the values and manners Islam wants us to adopt. Sometimes we admire these, but at other times we may even ridicule them, without even trying to look into what Islam wants us to do.
Dawud said, "Be like a merciful father towards the orphan. Know that you will reap as you sow. How ugly poverty is after wealth! More than that: how ugly is misguidance after guidance! When you make a promise to your friend, fulfill your promise. If you do not, it will bring about enmity between you and him. Seek refuge in Allah from a companion who, when you mention something to him, does not help you and who does not remind you when you forget." (Grade: Sahih)
حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ أَبْزَى قَالَ: قَالَ دَاوُدُ: كُنَّ لِلْيَتِيمِ كَالأَبِ الرَّحِيمِ، وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّكَ كَمَا تَزْرَعُ كَذَلِكَ تَحْصُدُ، مَا أَقْبَحَ الْفَقْرَ بَعْدَ الْغِنَى، وَأَكْثَرُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، أَوْ أَقْبَحُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، الضَّلاَلَةُ بَعْدَ الْهُدَى، وَإِذَا وَعَدْتَ صَاحِبَكَ فَأَنْجِزْ لَهُ مَا وَعَدْتَهُ، فَإِنْ لاَ تَفْعَلْ يُورِثُ بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ عَدَاوَةٌ، وَتَعَوَّذْ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ صَاحِبٍ إِنْ ذَكَرْتَ لَمْ يُعِنْكَ، وَإِنْ نَسِيتَ لَمْ يُذَكِّرْكَ.
Reference: Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 138; Book 7, Hadith 10; Book 7, Hadith 138
Rest Allah knows best. Indeed, Allah knows what we conceal and what we reveal.
Note: If you like to read more detailed tafseer of Surah 24:31, please visit the following link:
Source: Quran, Sunnah, In the shade of the Quran & Tafseer Ibn Kathir.