The Obligation to Guard One's Gaze When Leaving Home to Seek Sustenance

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – Sheikh Ibnu Athaillah As Sakandari, in his book At Tanwir, reminds Muslims to lower their gaze. He emphasizes that this is an obligation commanded by Allah.

“O you who believe, lower your gaze and guard your modesty. That is better for you,” he writes.

Allah says in Surah An Nur, verse 30:

Qul lil-mu’minîna yaghudldlû min abshârihim wa yaḫfadhû furûjahum, dzâlika azkâ lahum

Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their modesty. That is better for them.

A believer should know that sight is a blessing and a gift from Allah. Therefore, they should not deny this blessing and should not misuse it.

Remember the words of Allah in Surah Al Mumin, verse 19:

Ya’lamu khā`inatal-a’yuni wa mā tukhfiṣ-ṣudụr

He knows the deceit of the eyes and what the hearts conceal.

And the words of Allah in Surah Al Alaq, verse 14:

A lam ya‘lam bi’annallâha yarâ

Does he not know that Allah sees?

Sheikh Ibnu Athaillah explains that if one wants to see, they should remember that Allah sees all our actions. A believer should know that when they lower their gaze, Allah will open their inner eye in return.

Whoever narrows the scope of their vision (meaning limiting oneself from seeing forbidden or inappropriate things), Allah will broaden the scope of their vision to the unseen world (meaning the inner eye will open, allowing one to see the unseen with Allah’s permission because the heart has been revealed).

Some scholars say, “Whoever lowers their gaze from the things that Allah has forbidden, He will shine a light in their heart, and they will feel the pleasure of that light.”