” I said, “What if one of us is among his people?” He replied, “If you can avoid letting anyone see it, then let no one see it.” I said, “What if one of us is alone?” He replied, “Allah is more deserving of your modesty than people are.”

It is permissible to uncover one’s nakedness to the extent necessary, as when relieving oneself. Likewise, when a man bathes alone—where he has something to screen him from view—he may bathe naked, as Moses and Job did, and as reported concerning the Prophet’s bathing, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, on the day of the Conquest and in Maymūnah’s hadith.

As for the second kind of looking—such as looking at a non-mahram woman’s concealed adornment—it is more serious than the first, just as wine is more serious than carrion, blood, and pork. Its drinker is subject to the prescribed punishment, whereas someone who consumes those prohibited foods while regarding them as lawful is subject to discretionary punishment. This is because people do not crave these prohibited foods as they crave wine. Likewise, looking at a man’s nakedness is not desired as looking at women and the like is desired.

Looking lustfully at a beardless youth also falls into this category. The scholars unanimously agree that this is forbidden, just as they unanimously agree that it is forbidden to look lustfully at a non-mahram woman or at women whom one is permanently forbidden to marry.

The Creator, glorified is He, is to be glorified upon seeing all His creatures. The creation of a beardless youth is no more wondrous in terms of His power than the creation of a bearded man; nor is the creation of women any more wondrous in