{"_id":"668da0be0b76658b4c233f64","title":"Is it sinful for a man to look at a non-Mahram woman without desire?","question":"I know that for a man, looking at women with desire (شهوة) is Haram and a sin no doubt. Is there a difference of opinion in the matter of sin for a man looking at a non-mahram woman without desire? I know that it's not a suitable act regardless and that lowering the gaze is our responsibility, but I wanted to know its implications especially when living in a land where we need to interact with women who do not cover themselves or even when consuming any sort of media like movies and shows for leisure. What are the scholarly opinions and what evidence are referred to for this matter?","answer":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"One of the core objectives of the Sacred Law is to safeguard the family institution. Consequently, marriage stands as the sole permissible means for two individuals to partake in intimate relations. In upholding this principle, Sharia' prohibits fornication and any behavior that may pave the way toward it. Among these actions is looking at the opposite gender with sexual desire. \\nAllah ﷻ says, \"},{\"attributes\":{\"bold\":true},\"insert\":\"\\\"Nor draw even near fornication.\\\"\"},{\"insert\":\" [\"},{\"attributes\":{\"link\":\"https://quran.com/en/al-isra/32\"},\"insert\":\"17:32\"},{\"insert\":\"]\\n\\nThe sacred law prohibits both men and women from gazing at the opposite gender's 'awrah with desire. The 'awrah is the part of the body that must be covered in public. For men, it's the area between the navel and the knee and for women, it's the entire body except face, hands, and feet according to some. Imam Abu Yusuf also included the forearms in specific situations, like when performing tasks that necessitate it such as cleaning and cooking.\\n\\nIn the absence of desire, many scholars permit looking at what isn't considered 'awrah, while others still deem it impermissible unless there's a need, like business transactions, educational purposes, or marriage proposals. When interacting with women who don't cover their bodies, it's permissible to look at their faces and hands while avoiding intentionally gazing at the rest of their bodies. This aligns with the perspective of some scholars regarding our mother Aisha's observation of the Abyssinians' performance. They explained that she was focused on their performance, not deliberately viewing their bodies.\\n\\nIn discussions concerning images, certain scholars draw distinctions between viewing a physical body and an image, asserting that observing an image is permissible if unaccompanied by desire. Consequently, in the realm of media, it's crucial to avoid inappropriate images that objectify women's bodies, including all visual content like anime and AI-generated material. Notably, scholars emphasized that even gazing at an inanimate object with sexual desire is prohibited, though it's uncertain if they were aware of paraphilia at that time. Regarding non-sexual and non-objectifying images, one must abstain from intentionally fixating on the body and ensure the absence of any desire.\\n\"}]}","tags":[{"_id":"668d9ff70b76658b4c232a7b","tag":"Worship: Sins","count":100},{"_id":"668d9ff10b76658b4c2329d2","tag":"Relationships: Opposite Gender","count":80},{"_id":"668d9fe00b76658b4c2327b5","tag":"Men: Modesty","count":37}],"createdOn":"2024-07-09T20:42:38.071Z"}