The Gaze, Privacy and Intermingling
Religious Opinions (Fatawa)
Regarding the Gaze, Privacy and Intermingling
All praise be to Allah
alone, and peace and blessings of Allah be upon His Messenger, his
family and companions.
This is a collection of
religious opinions (Fatawas) of some senior scholars regarding
important issues, which many women need. They revolve around the
gaze, the privacy, and intermingling that have overspread many
Muslim countries. We ask Allah to protect our young men and women
of all evil for He is All-Hearer, Ever Near (to all things by his
knowledge) and Responsive.
The ruling on
looking at the face of the sister in law
Q: Some advocates of
modernization may give permission to look at the face of the sister
in law; they infer to some of the evidence. Your eminence, how far
is this valid? And what is your response to this claim and how to
deter such doings?
A: The wife of the brother is
like any other foreign woman. It is not permissible for a man to
look at the face of the wife of his brother. The same applies to
the wives of his uncles, maternal uncles, and so on. It is not
allowed to sit alone with any of these wives as with any other
foreign woman to him, nor is it permitted for anyone of these women
to unveil her face to her husband's brother, his uncle or his
maternal uncle; it is neither allowed that he travels with her
alone. This ruling springs from the general rule included in the
words of Allah Almighty: {And when you ask (his wives) for anything
you want, ask them from behind a screen: that is purer for your
hearts and for their hearts.} [Surat Al-Ahzâb 33:53],
Transliteration:
waitha saaltumoohunna mataAAan
faisaloohunna min warai hijabin thalikum atharu liquloobikum
waquloobihinna,
This rule is generally applied
to all Muslim wives and not restricted to the wives of the Prophet,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. It also comes from the
words of Allah Almighty: {Tell the believing men to lower their
gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private
parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.). That is purer for them.
Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what they do. (30) And tell the
believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden
things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts,
etc.) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is
apparent (like palms of hands or one eye or both eyes for necessity
to see the way, or outer dress like veil, gloves, head-cover,
apron, etc.), and to draw their veils all over Juyubihinna (i.e.
their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms, etc.) and not to reveal
their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their
husband's fathers, their sons, their husband's sons, their brothers
or their brother's sons, or their sister's sons, or their (Muslim)
women (i.e. their sisters in Islam), or the (female) slaves whom
their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigour, or
small children who have no sense of the shame of sex. And let them
not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their
adornment. And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O
believers, that you may be successful} [Surat An-Nûr
24:30-31]
Transliteration:
Qul lilmumineena yaghuddoo min
absarihum wayahfathoo furoojahum thalika azka lahum inna Allaha
khabeerun bima yasnaAAoona (30) Waqul lilmuminati yaghdudna min
absarihinna wayahfathna furoojahunna wala yubdeena zeenatahunna
illa ma thahara minha walyadribna bikhumurihinna AAala juyoobihinna
wala yubdeena zeenatahunna illa libuAAoolatihinna aw abaihinna aw
abai buAAoolatihinna aw abnaihinna aw abnai buAAoolatihinna aw
ikhwanihinna aw banee ikhwanihinna aw banee akhawatihinna aw
nisaihinna aw ma malakat aymanuhunna awi alttabiAAeena ghayri olee
alirbati mina alrrijali awi alttifli allatheena lam yathharoo AAala
AAawrati alnnisai wala yadribna biarjulihinna liyuAAlama ma
yukhfeena min zeenatihinna watooboo ila Allahi jameeAAan ayyuha
almuminoona laAAallakum tuflihoona
His words, Glorified and
Exalted: {O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the
women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their
bodies (i.e. screen themselves completely except the eyes or one
eye to see the way). That will be better, that they should be known
(as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed.} [Surat
Al-Ahzâb 33:59]
Transliteration:
Ya ayyuha alnnabiyyu qul
liazwajika wabanatika wanisai almumineena yudneena AAalayhinna min
jalabeebihinna thalika adna an yuAArafna fala yuthayna
And the Hadith of the Prophet,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him: "No woman should travel
except with a mahram (a man to whom she is forbidden to marry)",
[Agreed upon],
and the words of the Prophet,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him: "No man is privately
alone with a woman; but their third is Satan" [Reported by
At-Tirmidhi and authenticated by Al-Albani];
As unveiling the woman's face
to her husband's brother or others and giving them the chance to
look at her face evokes the causes of temptation and falling into
what Allah has prohibited.
By Allah, these matters are
the wise reason behind the obligation of the Hijâb, and the
prohibition of looking at, and being alone with, a foreign woman,
because the face is where the beauty of a woman is revealed. I ask
Allah to guide us.
Sheikh Ibn
Bâz
The ruling on
looking at women
Q: Is it permissible for a man
to look at a foreign woman more than the accidental glance. If it
is not permissible, is it allowable for male students to attend a
lecture delivered by an unveiled woman, who wears a tight dress,
under the pretext of learning?
A: It is not permissible to
look at her more than an accidental glance, unless it is necessary,
as in the case of rescuing her from drowning, from fire or wreckage
or similar cases; or in the case of medical examination or treating
a disease, when there is no female physician
available.
(The Standing
Committee)
Q: What is the ruling of a man
looking at a foreign woman and a woman looking at a foreign man
while watching TV?
A: This is not permitted,
because in most of the shows on TV women are dressing up and
revealing some of their unallowable-to-show body parts, while men
would be an example of adornment and beauty. And this is often a
source of sedition and corruption.
(The Standing
Committee)
The ruling on
looking at pictures of women in magazines
Q: What is the ruling of
looking at pictures of women in newspapers, magazines and
others?
A: It is not permitted for a
Muslim to look at the faces of women, nor to anything from their
unallowable-to-show body parts, neither in magazines nor elsewhere,
because that causes affliction. He should lower his gaze from this
in pursuant to the general Islamic laws and evidence that forbid
doing such an act, and for fear of sedition. He should also lower
his gaze from them in the streets and elsewhere. We beseech Allah
to guide us.
Sheikh Ibn
Bâz
These TV
series are forbidden to be watched
Q: What is the ruling
regarding listening to music and songs? What is the ruling in
regard to TV series in which women reveal unallowable-to-show body
parts?
A: This is prohibited and
should be banned, because this prevents (mankind) from the Path of
Allah, and causes ailments of the heart as well as the risk of
falling into what Allah Glorified and Exalted, has prohibited of
Al-Fawâhish (great evil sins, every kind of unlawful sexual
intercourse). Allah Almighty has said: {And of mankind is he who
purchases idle talks (i.e. music, singing, etc.) to mislead (men)
from the Path of Allah without knowledge, and takes it (the Path of
Allah, the Verses of the Quran) by way of mockery. For such there
will be a humiliating torment (in the Hell-fire). (6) And when Our
Verses (of the Quran) are recited to such a one, he turns away in
pride, as if he heard them not, as if there were deafness in his
ear. So announce to him a painful torment.} [Surat Luqmân
31:6-7]
Transliteration:
Wamina alnnasi man yashtaree
lahwa alhadeethi liyudilla AAan sabeeli Allahi bighayri AAilmin
wayattakhithaha huzuwan olaika lahum AAathabun muheenun (6) Waitha
tutla AAalayhi ayatuna walla mustakbiran kaan lam yasmaAAha kaanna
fee othunayhi waqran fabashshirhu biAAathabin aleemin
These two noble verses
indicate that hearing musical instruments and singing is one of the
causes of straying and perversion, mocking the verses of Allah and
turning away in pride from hearing them.
Allah has threatened whosoever
does such acts with degrading punishment and painful torment. The
majority of scholars have interpreted 'idle talks' in the verse as
singing, musical instruments, and every voice that prevents
(mankind) from the Path of Allah. In Sahîh al-Bukhâri, may Allah
have mercy on him, he narrated that the Prophet, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, has said: "From among my followers
there will be some people who will consider illegal sexual
intercourse, the wearing of silk, the drinking of alcoholic drinks
and the use of musical instruments, as lawful."
Sexual intercourse is
forbidden when in adultery, silk clothes are forbidden for Muslim
men, alcoholic drinks are everything that intoxicate the body and
mind and are forbidden for men and women alike, musical instruments
include any instrument that produces music such as the lute, the
drums, the mandolin and the like; the player is the one playing
them and the one singing to their music.
It is obligatory on every
Muslim male and female to avoid these evils and to beware of them,
as well as to avoid watching TV series that include scenes of women
revealing unallowable-to-show body parts because they involve great
danger as they may lead to the ailment of their heart and the
demise of their zeal of whoever watches them; this may lead to
falling into what Allah has prohibited, whether the viewer is a man
or a woman. I beseech Allah to guide all of us to His satisfaction
and hold us safe from the causes of His wrath.
Sheikh Ibn
Bâz
The Reason why
it is prohibited to shake hands with foreign women
Q: Why does Islam forbid
shaking hands with the women who are being permitted to get married
to? Does shaking hands without lust nullify ablution?
A: Islam has forbidden that.
It is a source of great sedition to touch a woman foreign to the
person. It is legislated to forbid anything that may lead to
temptation. Therefore, the legislator ordered Muslims to lower
their gaze to ward off this evil. Touching a woman does not nullify
ablution, even if there is a lustrous desire; unless there is
pre-seminal fluid or spermatic fluid. In the later case, he must
take a purifying bath, and he should perform ablution if it is just
pre-seminal fluid with washing his male organ and
testicles.
Sheikh Ibn
'Uthaymîn
The ruling on
shaking the hands of the wife of the husband's brother
Q: Is it permissible for the
husband's brothers to shake hands with their brother's wife without
sitting alone with her but in the presence of sisters and parents,
which often happens?
It is not permissible to a
husband's brothers, maternal and paternal uncles or cousins to
shake hands with the wives of their brothers or the wives of their
maternal or paternal uncles as they are like all other foreign
women for them. The brother is not non-marriageable (a mahram) for
his brother's wife, likewise, the uncle is not a mahram for his
nephew's wife, as well as maternal uncle is not a mahram for the
wife of his sister's son. The same applies to cousins; they are not
barred to marry their cousins' wives. The Prophet, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, has said: "I do not shake hands
with women." [Authenticated by Al-Albani]
Aisha, may Allah be pleased
with her, said: "by Allah, the hand of the Messenger of Allah,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has never touched the
hand of a woman, and when he accepted their pledge, he accepted it
verbally." [Reported by Al-Bukhari]
This is because shaking hands
with foreign women might be a means of temptation, just like
looking at them or even worse. However, as for non-marriageable
women, such as a sister, parental or maternal aunts, and the son's
wife or the father's wife there is no sin in shaking hands with
them. May Allah help us to prosper.
Sheikh Ibn
Bâz
The ruling on
shaking hands with foreign women from behind a screen
Q: Is it permissible to shake
hands with a foreign woman if she puts a screen (gloves and the
like) on her hands with giving us evidence to that, may Allah
reward you? Is the rule applied to old women the same as that
applied to younger ones?
A: It is not permissible to
shake hands with foreign women who are not mahram, either directly
or with a screen, because of the temptation arising out of that.
Allah Almighty has said: {And come not near to the unlawful sexual
intercourse. Verily, it is a Fahishah [i.e. anything that
transgresses its limits (a great sin)], and an evil way (that leads
one to Hell unless Allah forgives him).} [Surat Al-Isrâ'
17:32]
Transliteration:
Wala taqraboo alzzina innahu
kana fahishatan wasaa sabeelan
This verse indicates that we
must leave everything leading to adultery, whether it is the
complete fulfilled intercourse, which is the greatest, or
otherwise. There is no doubt that touching the hand of a foreign
woman may provoke desire. In addition there are many Hadiths that
threaten those who shake hands with a marriageable woman, making no
difference between the young and the old, because as it is said
each type of women has its appeal. Meanwhile it is difficult to
differentiate between young and old women as someone may see a
woman as an old maid, while another may consider her as a young
lass.
Sheikh Ibn
'Uthaymîn
It is
permissible for a man to kiss his daughter
Q: Is it permissible for a man
to kiss his daughter when she has grown up over the age of puberty,
whether married or unmarried, and whether the kissing is on the
cheek or mouth, or the like? And if she kisses him on the same
places, what is the ruling?
A: There is no sin with a man
kissing his daughter, old or little, provided that it is done
without lust. However, this should be on her cheek in case she is a
young woman, as it was proven that Abu Bakr As-Siddîq, may Allah be
pleased with him, had kissed his daughter Aisha, may Allah be
pleased with her, on her cheek.
Because kissing on the mouth
may lead to moving sexual desire; so to leave it is better and
safer. Likewise, a girl may kiss her father on his nose or head,
without lust. But kissing with lust is forbidden for everyone in
order to prevent sedition and to avoid al-Fahishah (illegal sexual
intercourse).
Sheikh Ibn
Bâz
Sitting Alone
with a foreign woman is prohibited
Q. Some people are tolerant in
speaking with foreign women; for example, a man may come to the
house of his friend and does not find him. The wife speaks with
this man, her husband's friend, opens the sitting room for him and
makes coffee and tea for him, is this permissible? Taking into
consideration that there is nobody in the house, only the
wife?
A: A woman should not allow a
foreign man into the house of her husband in his absence, even if
he is the friend of her husband, and even if he is honest and
reliable. This constitutes privacy with a foreign woman, which is
mentioned in the Hadith: "No man is privately alone with a woman;
but their third is Satan." [Reported by At-Tirmidhi and
authenticated by Al-Albani];
It is also forbidden for a man
to ask the wife of his friend to let him in the house and to
entertain him even if he is confident of his honesty and religion
for fear that Satan should whisper to him and interfere between
them. The husband should warn his wife not to allow any foreign men
into the house even if they are his relatives, because the Prophet,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said: "Beware of
entering upon the ladies." A man said: "O Allah's Apostle! What
about Al-Hamu (the in-laws of the wife (the brothers of her husband
or his nephews etc.))?" The Prophet replied: The in-laws of the
wife are death itself". [Agreed upon]
If the brother in-law, who is
considered the husband's brother, or his relative, are not allowed
to enter so other persons would be better prevented.
Sheikh Ibn
Jibrîn
The ruling
regarding sexual relations before marriage
Q: What is the ruling
regarding intimate relation before marriage?
A: The inquirer says: before
marriage, if he meant before marriage consummation and after the
marriage contract has been concluded there is no sin on that,
because by contract the woman has become his wife though the
marriage ceremony has not yet been done. But if the inquirer means
before concluding the marriage contract, during the betrothal
period, or even before that, it is forbidden and is not permissible
for a man to be intimate with a woman who is a stranger to him,
whether by words, looks or by being privately alone with her,
except with the presence of a mahram. It has been proven that the
Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said: "No
man is to be privately alone with a woman except with the presence
of a mahram, and no woman should travel except with a mahram."
[Reported by Muslim]
The conclusion is that if this
intimate relationship is after concluding the marriage contract
there is no sin in that, and if that it is before the contract and
after the engagement and acceptance, it is forbidden; as the man in
this case is forbidden for the woman, because she is a stranger to
him, until they conclude the marriage contract.
Sheikh Ibn
Bâz
No woman
should travel except with a mahram
Q: What is the ruling on
bringing a maidservant without a mahram? Is it forbidden that the
maidservant should come from her own country without a mahram or to
live in the house in which she serves alone without a
mahram?
A: Women should not travel
without a mahram, whether servants or others because the Prophet,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said: "No woman
should travel except with a mahram." [Agreed upon]
As for her presence in the
house, it does not necessitate the existence of a mahram. However,
no man foreign to her, should be alone with her because the
Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said: "No
man should sit alone with a woman except with a mahram," [Agreed
upon],
And he, peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him, has also said: "No man is privately alone with a
woman; but their third is Satan." [Narrated by Imam Ahmad, with
authentic chain of transmissions attributed to Ibn 'Umar, may Allah
be pleased with him.]
Sheikh Ibn
Bâz
The ruling on
a woman's stay in a country other than hers without a
mahram
Q: My question is about a
woman's work and residence without a mahram in other than her own
country. Taking into consideration that I am currently working in
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in a place, where all employees are
women. I live in the work dormitory, where all the residents are
women and thanks Allah there are no intermingling or anything that
causes the wrath of Allah Glorified and Exalted, whether at work or
in the living quarters. I have tried to bring my brother to be my
legitimate mahram, but I was not successful. So, what is the ruling
regarding my current situation and my staying here without a
mahram, taking into consideration that I have firstly asked a lot
for the guidance of Allah Glorified and Exalted before coming here,
and I have felt that Allah has facilitated many things for me.
Secondly: the situation in my country, where intermingling and poor
ethics in workplaces do not encourage a devout Muslim to continue
in it. In the light of what I have mentioned to you, what is your
opinion?
A: We ask Allah to give us and
you prosperity. There is nothing wrong in what you have done, as
there is no harm or sin in the residence of a woman in a country
without a mahram, especially if she works with other women in a
place where no men are allowed, or sleep in a dormitory for women.
There is no sin in all that. What is forbidden is to travel alone.
So you should not travel except with a mahram, and you should not
come to the Kingdom except with a mahram. If you have come from
your country without a mahram you have to repent to Allah and seek
His forgiveness, and not to return to doing this again. If you want
to travel then you have to find a mahram. Or you have to be patient
till you find one. As it is narrated that the Prophet, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, has said: "No woman should travel
except with a mahram." [Agreed upon]
If it is possible to find a
mahram from among your relatives, or a husband, then your husband
will be your mahram. The matter is in the hands of Allah. You have
to do your best to find a mahram when you travel. As for your
staying and working among women, it is permitted and there is no
sin in that. All praise be to Allah.
There is no doubt that a
woman's travel alone without a mahram is risky and dangerous and it
has sedition within it; therefore I advise our Muslim sisters to
beware of that, and to only travel in the accompany of a mahram. I
also advise them to be cautious of intermingling and working with
men, or of being alone with them. All of this must be restricted in
hospitals and in other workplaces. My advice to all is that they
should not bring women for work except with a mahram, and that
women should not travel except with a mahram, and to avoid working
with men. A woman should not be alone with men who are strangers to
her, as this would be a way to sedition. The Prophet, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, has prevented and forbidden that;
he has said: "No man is privately alone with a woman; but their
third is Satan." [Reported by At-Tirmidhi and authenticated by
Al-Albani];
The conclusion is that a woman
and her guardians should ensure the safety of their honour and be
away from the causes of sedition. As for work, there is no sin if a
woman works among other women in permissible occupations that do
not endanger her religion and does not cause temptation for
men.
Sheikh Ibn
Bâz
The ruling on
entering markets that have mixed male and female
shoppers
Q. Is it permissible for a
Muslim male to enter a market while he knows that in the market
there are women who are dressed bur appear to be naked as well as
intermingling unacceptable to Allah Glorified and
Exalted?
A: Such a market should only
be entered by those who are enjoining Al-Ma'rûf (i.e. Islâmic
Monotheism and all that Islâm orders one to do) and forbidding
Al-Munkar (polytheism and disbelief and all that Islâm has
forbidden), or for dire needs with lowering the gaze and being
cautious against the causes of sedition for the safety of honour
and religion, and keeping away from the ways of evil. However,
market inspectors and any authorized persons should enter such
markets to forbid what is happening there of the evil acts. Allah
Almighty has said: {The believers, men and women, are Auliya'
(helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another, they
enjoin (on the people) Al-Ma'ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all
that Islam orders one to do), and forbid (people) from Al-Munkar
(i.e. polytheism and disbelief of all kinds, and all that Islam has
forbidden);} [Surat At-Taubah 9:71]
Transliteration:
Waalmuminoona waalmuminatu
baAAduhum awliyao baAAdin yamuroona bialmaAAroofi wayanhawna AAani
almunkari
The Almighty has also said:
{Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that
is good (Islam), enjoining Al-Ma'ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and
all that Islam orders one to do) and forbidding Al-Munkar
(polytheism and disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden). And it
is they who are the successful.} [Surat Aal-i-Imraan 3:104]. The
verses in this meaning are abundant.
Transliteration:
Waltakun minkum ommatun
yadAAoona ila alkhayri wayamuroona bialmaAAroofi wayanhawna AAani
almunkari waolaika humu almuflihoona
The Prophet, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, has also said: "If people see evil
and do not try to change it, they would be soon overtaken by the
punishment of Allah." [Reported by Ahmad and some of the Hadith
scholars, with authentic chain of transmission attributed to Abu
Bakr As-Siddîq, may Allah be pleased with him]
In another Hadith the Prophet,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said: "He who amongst
you sees something abominable should modify it with the help of his
hand; and if he has not strength enough to do it, then he should do
it with his tongue, and if he has not strength enough to do it,
(even) then he should (abhor it) from his heart, and that is the
least of faith." [Reported by Imam Muslim in his Sahîh]
The Hadiths in this sense are
many. I beseech Allah to guide us.
Sheikh Ibn
Bâz
The ruling on
a woman working in an intermingling workplace
Q. Is it permissible for a
woman to work in a mixed environment with men, taking into
consideration that there are other women in the same
workplace?
A: I think that it is not
permissible to mix between men and women in government and private
sector departments, or in government or private schools.
Intermingling between them in such workplaces causes many evils,
the least of which is the disappearance of shyness and veneration.
If men and women intermingle, men will not have the veneration
required from women towards them neither women will become shy of
men. This (I mean intermingling between men and women) is in
contradiction to what Islamic law requires, and is contrary to the
behavior of the ancestors. Do you not know that the Prophet, peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him, has assigned a special place
for women when they went out for the Eid prayer, where they do not
intermingle with men! It is mentioned in the authentic Hadith that
the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, after having
delivered his sermon to the men, has come down and went to the
women and preached and reminded them.
This indicates that they did
not hear the Prophet's sermon, or if they heard they did not
comprehend what they had heard. Do you not know that the Prophet,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said: "The best rows
for men are the first rows, and the worst ones are the last ones,
and the best rows for women are the last ones and the worst ones
for them are the first ones." [Reported by Muslim]
And this is only because of
their closeness to the rows of men, so the first rows of women are
the worst, and vice versa, the farthest the rows of women from
those of men the best. If that is in common acts of worship, then
what about intermingling in non-acts of worship activities? It is
well known that the human being in the case of performing acts of
worship is as far as they could be from the sexual instinct, then
how about if intermingling is without performing acts of
worship?
"Satan circulates in the body
of Adam's offspring as his blood circulates in it" [Reported by
Al-Bukhari],
So it is not unlikely that
there might occur a great sedition and evil from this
intermingling. I call upon our brothers to keep away from
intermingling, and let them know that it is the most harmful thing
that would happen to men. The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him, has said: "After me I have not left any affliction
more harmful to men than women." [Agreed upon]
All praise be to Allah,
because we Muslims have a unique feature, which distinguishes us
from others. We must thank Allah Almighty, in particular, that He
has bestowed this feature upon us. We have to know that we pursue
the law of Allah the All-Wise, Who knows what is reforming His
servants and lands. We should know that if people deviate from the
path of Allah Glorified and Exalted and His laws, then they are
astray and their conditions are turning to corruption. This is why
we hear that other countries whose women intermingle with men are
trying as hard as they can to get rid of this habit, but how could
they receive (Faith and the acceptance of their repentance by
Allâh) from a place so far off (i.e. to return to the worldly life
again). We ask Allah Almighty to protect our country and the Muslim
world from all evils and from the harms of sedition.
Sheikh Ibn
Bâz
Ibn Khuzayma
House
Translated by
Wathakker.net website
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