Chapter Ten
Rulings that Preserve a Woman’s Dignity and Safeguard Her Chastity
A Woman, like a Man, Is Commanded to Lower Her Gaze and Guard Her Private Parts
- A woman is no different from a man in this regard: she is enjoined to avert her gaze and protect her modesty. Allah the Exalted says,
“Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their private parts; that is purer for them—for Allah is fully aware of all they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their private parts…” (An-Noor 24:30-31).(1)
Our teacher, Shaykh Muḥammad al-Amīn al-Shinqīṭī, writes in his Tafsīr Adwā’ al-Bayān: “Allah, magnificent and exalted, has commanded believing men and believing women alike to lower their gaze and safeguard their private parts. Guarding the private parts includes protecting them from zinā (fornication), liwāṭ (sodomy), and musāḥaqah (lesbian acts), as well as preventing any exposure or uncovering before others….” He adds: “Allah, Most High, has promised forgiveness and a mighty reward to every man and woman who obeys this command, together with the other qualities mentioned in Sūrah al-Aḥzāb, in His statement: ‘Indeed, the Muslim men and the Muslim women…’ (Al-Aḥzāb 33:35) up to His words:”