Keep your eyes to avoid disobedience
In Islam there is a type of disobedience called adultery of the eye (lahadhat). Lahadhat, the view of things, which leads to immorality. Lahadhat is not just seeing, but is followed by further views. The eyes are the source of itijah (orientation) of glory, as well as ambassadors of lust.
Lowering our gaze in the midst of the destruction that spreads around us is no easy feat. Faith then becomes a filter against what the eye sees.
What is Eye Zina?
In the Musnad of Ahmad, it is stated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: The sight is a poisoned arrow of the devil that comes to us. Whoever lowers his gaze from the beauty of a beautiful woman for the sake of Allah, in his heart Allah will inherit the sweetness of faith until the Day of Resurrection.
Seeing is the source of all calamities that befall humans. Seeing gives birth to daydream or delusion, and delusion breeds thought, thought gives birth to lust, and lust gives birth to desire, which will strengthen, then become strong and will happen while nothing is in the way. In this case there is wisdom that says.
Holding your gaze so that there is no adultery of the eye is lighter than having to endure the pain of (torment) afterwards. Islamic Sharia has regulated the law of view of the opposite sex who is not a mahram. In the Qur’an Surah An-Nuur verse 30.
Holding your gaze is the first step to protecting your genitals. This obligation is also mentioned at the beginning of the quote from the Qur’anic verse above. Ibn Qayyim al-Jauziy in the Garden of Lovers (Raudhah al-Muhibbin) revealed, the prohibition that applies to this verse is not absolute covering all viewing or viewing activities.
Views are allowed if there is a definite benefit. On the other hand, the view will be haram if it is feared that it will cause harm and not provide any benefit. Allah SWT does not command the believer to keep holding his gaze. On the contrary, He commands us to keep the genitals as an absolute obligation under any circumstances.
Ibn Qayyim explained, the first adultery in the hadith is the adultery of the eyes. From the adultery of the eyes, the adultery of the hands, feet, heart and genitals begins. The hadith also mentions the warning about the adultery of the tongue because of his words. Adultery includes the adultery of the mouth with a kiss. When the heart desires, the genitals become the executor of that desire. If the genitals justify it, adultery occurs. On the other hand, if the genitals deny it, adultery does not occur.
According to Ibn Qayyim, this hadith confirms that the eyes can also commit adultery and commit immorality through sight. This Hadith also expresses a rebuttal for people who completely allow the eye to see. Did not the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) never say to Ali RA, “O Ali, do not follow your gaze, because the first view is your share and the second view is no longer your share.”
The process of seeing to the heart is analogous to a rider whose horse turns out to be about to enter a narrow road. The road is not clear at the end. The rider had to pull the reins from the start to keep the horse from going any further. If he keeps walking, pull the reins even tighter. If necessary, yell at him to back off. If you manage to pull it back, the problems we face will be lighter.
On the other hand, if he allowed him to go further down that narrow path, matters would become much more difficult. Once we are aware of the problem, it is too late to pull the horse’s tail back. We’re going to have a hard time. That’s how Ibn Qayyim gave an example of how the heart can influence the view.
If you hold on to it from the start, the steps to complete it become easier. If it is repeated again, enjoying the image of the beauty that is seen and transferring it to an empty heart, of course love will be awakened. This view is repeated over and over again. He will be the water that waters the plants. The tree of love will thrive and damage the heart and distract the mind from what it should be.
Adultery of the eye is included in the Zina Al-Laman group, Zina Al-Laman is carried out by someone using the five senses.
Zina Al-Laman can be divided into four parts, namely:
- Zina ain, which is adultery committed by the eyes when someone looks at the opposite sex with feelings of pleasure or lust.
- Zina qalbi, which is adultery committed by the heart when thinking or imagining the opposite sex with feelings of pleasure and happiness.
- Speech (oral) adultery, which is adultery committed verbally when talking about the opposite sex followed by feelings of pleasure.
- Hand adultery (yadin), namely adultery committed by the hands. This type of adultery occurs when a person intentionally holds the opposite sex’s body parts followed by feelings of pleasure, happiness or full of lust.
Eyesight is the closest means to something that is forbidden. For this reason, the Shari’a also forbids it. The new Shari’a allows if views are needed. That is the law that applies to everything that results in haram.
However, an action is permissible if there is a clear and definite benefit. For example, prayer is forbidden at certain times so as not to raise similarities with the sun worshipers. The prohibition does not apply if there is a clear and definite benefit, such as making up qadha and praying the body. The Prophet SAW gave instructions that anyone who looks at another woman accidentally, should treat it by seeing his own wife. What is in his wife is the same as what is seen in other women.
