by listening: a person listens to a woman’s speech and savors it; that is the adultery of the ear. Likewise, the hand commits its adultery through striking or grasping—that is, any action of the hand such as touching and the like. The foot commits its adultery by taking steps: when a person walks to a place of immorality, or hears a woman’s voice and walks toward it, or sees a woman and goes after her, this too is a form of adultery. As for the heart, its adultery lies in yearning and leaning toward the matter—in other words, becoming attached to women; that is the adultery of the heart. The private parts then either confirm all of this or deny it: if a person actually fornicates—Allah’s refuge is sought—he has ratified the adultery of the other limbs; but if he protects himself and remains chaste, he has repudiated the adultery of those limbs.

This makes clear the danger of becoming attached to women—whether to their voices, their appearance, touching them, walking toward them, or harboring desire for them. All of that is among the various kinds of adultery, and Allah’s protection is sought. Therefore, the intelligent, chaste person must be on guard lest any of his limbs become entangled in such matters. If he senses this within himself, he must withdraw, for Satan courses through the son of Adam like blood, and the gaze is a poisoned arrow from the arrows of Satan. A man may look at a woman and feel no attachment the first time, yet at the second or third look his heart clings to her—Allah’s refuge is sought—until he becomes love-sick, remembering her whenever he stands or sits, sleeps or wakes. From this arise evil and temptation. We ask Allah for well-being, and Allah alone grants success.