The Disease Of The Eye – Part 1
Shah Hakeem Muhammed Akthar Saheb Rahmatullahi Alaihi mentions 14 harms of casting evil glances,
Harm No.1
Casting evil glances is forbidden by the clear and explicit command of the Quraan. Allah Ta’laa says :
قُلْ لِّـلۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ يَغُـضُّوۡا مِنۡ اَبۡصَارِهِمۡ وَيَحۡفَظُوۡا فُرُوۡجَهُمۡ
“O Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), tell the believing men that they must lower their gazes and protect their private parts” (Surah Nur; Verse 30; Juz 18)
وَقُلْ لِّـلۡمُؤۡمِنٰتِ يَغۡضُضۡنَ مِنۡ اَبۡصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحۡفَظۡنَ فُرُوۡجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبۡدِيۡنَ زِيۡنَتَهُنَّ
“And say to the believing women that they must lower their gazes and guard their private parts and must not expose their adornment” (Surah Nur; Verse 31 ; Juz 18)
Therefore, he (or she) casts evil glances opposing the clear and explicit command of the Qur’an, and one who opposes the clear and explicit command of Qur’an is guilty of committing a Haraam act. Thus, to save oneself from this sin, it is sufficient to meditate upon the fact that the one who casts evil glances is opposing a commandment of the Qur’an. In other words, he is disobeying Allah Ta’laa.
Harm No.2
The one who casts evil glances is breaching the trust of Allah Ta’laa.
Allah Ta’laa says:
“He knows the deception of the eyes and that which the hearts conceal.” (Surah Mu’min; Verse 18. Juz 24)
Allah Ta’laa uses the word Khiyanah, which means to commit mistrust. This indicates that we are not the owners of our eyes rather we have been entrusted with them. This is the reason why suicide is forbidden, because we are not the owners of our bodies. Allah Ta’laa has entrusted us with our bodies. Since they are a trust from Allah Ta’laa, to use it against His displeasure, to harm it or to put an end to it is forbidden. If we were owners of our bodies then perhaps we would have the right to use them the way we desire.
By not giving us the choice and freedom to utilize our bodies the way we desire, is the proof that this is a trust from Allah Ta’laa. To embezzle this trust of Allah Ta’laa is a great crime.
The one who casts evil glances is breaching and embezzling the trust of the sight which Allah Ta’laa has granted him. The breacher of this trust cannot become the friend of Allah Ta’laa. How beautifully the poet has said:
نظر کے چور کے سر پر نہیں ہے تاج ولایت جو متقی نہیں ہوتا اسے ولی نہیں کھتے
The “thief of sight” can never have the crown of friendship placed upon his head,
He who is not a muttaqi, is not a wali
Harm No.3
Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) curses the one who casts evil glances. Rasullullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) says in a Hadith mentioned in Mishkaat Sharif:
“May the curse of Allah be upon the one who casts evil glances and the one who presents him/herself to be looked at.”
If casting evil glances was a minor sin then Rasulullah Sallalahu Alaihi Wa Sallam being a mercy to mankind would not have cursed its perpetrator. The curse of Nabi Sallalahu Alaihi Wa Sallam is a clear proof that this is a very despicable crime. The meaning of curse is to become distant from the mercy of Allah Ta’laa. Imam Raghib Isfahani (Rahmatullahi Alaihi) mentions in Mufradaatul Quraan that the definition of لعنة (curse) is:
البعد عن الرحمة
“To become distant from the mercy“
Thus, he who has become distant from the mercy of Allah Ta’laa cannot gain salvation from the evils of his Nafs. Only he who is under the shade of Allah’s mercy can attain salvation from the evils of the Nafs.
Allah Ta’laa says:
“The Nafs abundantly commands evil” (Surah Yusuf; Verse 53, Juz 13)
So how is it possible to be saved from the evils of Nafs? Qur’an further says:
“Except by the mercy of my Sustainer“
From this, we understand that the only way to be saved from the evils of the Nafs is to come under the shade of Allah’s mercy. Allah Ta’laa who is the Creator of this Nafs Himself has proclaimed that those who are in His mercy will be saved. Therefore, the one who has come under the shade of,الا ما رحم ربي
, his Nafs did not remain امارة بالسوء (excessively commanding evil) rather became امارة بالخير (abundantly commanding good), This is why after the command of guarding the eyes, Allah Ta’laa mentions,
“Guard the private parts“
Because through the blessings of fulfilling the divine of command of Allah Ta’laa and saving oneself from the curse of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam one comes under the shade of Allah’s mercy. Now his private parts will be safeguarded .
From this, we conclude that the reward of guarding the eyes is that the private parts become safeguarded. On the contrary, if a person doe not guard his eyes then he cannot guard his private parts either and curses which descends upon him is a separate punishment on its own.
To be continued inshaa-Allah….
