order him to do so, for “right” (maʿrūf) comprises everything the Sacred Law commands and everything people customarily acknowledge and approve so long as it is not forbidden.
- Forbidding what is wrong—if, while you are sitting in the roadway, you see a woman with her face uncovered, you must put a stop to that wrongdoing. Or you notice someone being negligent: the congregational prayer is being held, yet he is not praying, whereas you have already prayed; you tell him to join the congregation, and so on. In short, you enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong.
These, then, are the five duties incumbent upon those who sit along the thoroughfares. The next hadith conveys the same meaning as this one, and the point we wish to cite here is his words, “Lower the gaze.” Allah is the One who grants success.
1625 – Jarīr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) about the sudden glance, and he replied, “Turn your gaze away.” Related by Muslim.
1626 – Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: I was with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and Maymūnah was also with him, when Ibn Umm Maktūm approached. This was after we had been commanded to observe the veil. The Prophet said, “Observe the veil in front of him.” We said, “Messenger of Allah, is he not blind? He neither sees us nor recognizes us.” The Prophet replied, “Are the two of you blind as well? Do you not see him?” It was narrated.