Repeatedly looking at a woman is prohibited

3-5-2011 | IslamWeb

Question:

When I check my email while working, sometimes pictures of women appear. What is the Sharee‘ah (Islamic law) ruling on looking at these pictures?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

 

A Muslim is required to lower his gaze when a picture of a woman or any prohibited thing appears before him in order to avoid temptation. Jareer narrated that he asked the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, about the sudden glance (that is cast) on the face (of a non-Mahram i.e., marriageable woman) and he ordered him to turn his eyes away. [Muslim]

Taking a second look at these pictures or searching for them deliberately is prohibited.

Allaah Knows best.