Provisions of looking at a woman

PROVISIONS OF LOOKING AT A WOMAN

❶When a woman looks at another woman, is the same as when a man looks at another man.

It is allowed, unless one of them looks at the private part of the another one (it is prohibited).

●It was narrated from Abi-Saᶦid AL-Khudri that the Messenger of Allah said, “A man must not look at a man’s private parts, and a woman must not look at a woman’s private parts.” [Muslim].

❷A man’s look at a strange woman is not allowed except looking at her face and hands.

If looking at her face and hands leads him to do something unlawful, it is prohibited.

●Ibn Buraidah narrated from his father that the Prophet said, “O Ali! Do not follow a look with a look, the first is for you, but the next is not for you (you have no right to the next).” [Abu-Daoud].

●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah that the Prophet said, “Every eye will be weeping on the Day of Judgment, except an eye that has not stared at unlawful things, an eye that has stayed awake in the way of Allah, and an eye that has wept from the fear of Allah.”

God says ﴾Tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts﴿Chapter of Light. And says ﴾And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their head covers over their chests﴿ Chapter of Light.

He also says ﴾Indeed, the hearing, the sight, and the heart- about all those [one] will be questioned﴿ Chapter of the Night Journey.

❸A man’s look at his wife is allowed and permissible. A woman’s look at her husband is also allowed and permissible. If one of them died, he/or she would be considered as an unmaritable relation (Mahram) for the another one.

❹A man’s look at his unmaritable relations is permissible, except looking at private parts.

❺A man’s look at a woman for marriage is permissible, indeed, it is a Sunnah as mentioned before in the Prophetic traditions.
 In this case, he is allowed to see only her face and hands. If it is not possible to see her, he can send a woman to see her and then she describes her to him.

❻A man’s look at a woman in order to treat her is permissible on condition that he is looking only at her body sites to be treated and in presence of her husband, or an unmaritable relation, or a trusted woman.

 It is permissible for a woman to treat a man in presence of others. But, it is more proper that a woman treats women, and a man treats men.
 A Muslim physician is preferable to a non-Muslim one, also a Muslim female physician is preferable to a non-Muslim one.

❼A man’s look at a woman for witness and transactions is permissible (to her face only), and on condition that there is no trial.

●It was narrated from Usamah ibn Zayd that the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “I have not left behind me a more harmful trial for men than women.” [Muslim].

●It was narrated from Abi-Saᶦid AL-Khudri that the Prophet said, “This world is sweet and green, and Allah makes you generations succeeding one another therein in order to see how you act. So, beware of (the temptations of) this world and beware of (the temptations of) women. Verily, the first trial for the people of Israᶦil was caused by women.” [The Two Scholars].

*It is a Sunnah that men shake hands with each other, and women shake hands with each other, but it is prohibited for a man to shake his hand with a woman.

*Hugging and kissing between men or between women is disliked, except for the one who is coming from travel or coming after moving away for a long time.

●ᶦAishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: If the Messenger of Allah accepted the believing women’s oath of allegiance (for Islam) and they agreed and confessed that with their tongues, he would say to them, “You may go, for you have given your pledge.” By Allah, the hand of the Messenger of Allah never touched the hand of a woman, but he only used to take their pledge orally. [AL-Bukhari].

●Anas ibn Malik reported: A man asked, “O Messenger of Allah! When a man meets a brother or a friend, should he bow to him?” He said, “No.” The man asked, “Should he embrace him and kiss him?” He said, “No.” He said, “Should he take his hand and shake it?” He said: “Yes.” [AL-Tirmidhi].