a man from fixing his gaze on beardless youths, and they questioned the religious integrity of anyone who did so. Many scholars held that a woman may not look at non-mahram men at all, whether with desire or without it.

Shaykh al-Islām said:

As for light, knowledge and wisdom, these are indicated by Allah’s words in the account of Joseph:

“When he reached maturity, We granted him wisdom and knowledge. Thus do We reward those who do good.”

These are granted to everyone who does good. In this surah, He mentioned the Verse of Light after the commands to lower the gaze, guard one’s chastity and repent of the lapses in these matters that the son of Adam inevitably commits.

Abū ‘Abd al-Rahmān al-Sulamī said:

I heard Abū al-Husayn al-Warrāq say: “Whoever lowers his gaze from something forbidden, Allah thereby grants him wisdom upon his tongue, by which he finds guidance and guides others to the path of His pleasure.”

This is because the recompense corresponds to the deed. If a person refrains for Allah’s sake from looking at something he loves, Allah compensates him with something he loves even more. If looking by the light of the eye is objectionable, or is directed at something objectionable, and he refrains from it for Allah’s sake, Allah grants him light in his heart and insight by which he perceives the truth.

Shāh al-Kirmānī said:

“Whoever lowers his gaze from forbidden things, cultivates his inner self through constant awareness that Allah is watching and his outward conduct through following the Sunnah, accustoms himself to eating what is lawful, and restrains himself from desires—his discernment will never fail him.”

When a man’s knowledge becomes sound, so that he recognizes the truth, acts upon it and follows it, he becomes pure, God-fearing and deserving of Paradise.