Lowering your gaze Benefits in Lowering the Gaze by Ibn Qayyim (May Allah have mercy on him) Ibn Qayyim (May Allah have mercy on him) said in Al-Jawab Al-Kaafi (125): 1. It is obedience to the command of Allaah, which brings happiness to man in this world and in the next. There is nothing more beneficial to a person in this world and in the next than obeying the commands of his Lord, may He be blessed and exalted, and those who are happy in this world and the next can only attain that happiness by obeying His commands, and those who are doomed in this world and in the next are only doomed because they ignore His commands. 2. It prevents the poisoned arrows (of the shaytaan), which may lead to his doom, from reaching his heart. 3 . It creates a heart that is devoted to and focused on Allaah. Letting the gaze wander distracts the heart and keeps it far from Allaah. There is nothing more harmful to a person than letting his gaze wander, as it creates alienation between a person and his Lord. 4 . It strengthens the heart and brings it peace, just as letting the gaze wander weakens it and makes it sad. 5. It brings light to the heart, just as letting the gaze wander brings darkness to it. 6 . It generates true insight which can distinguish between truth and falsehood, sincerity and lies. 7 . It creates a heart that is steadfast, brave and strong. Allaah will give him both insight and power and strength, as it says in the report: “The one who goes against his whims and desires, the shaytaan flees from his shadow.” 8 . It blocks the shaytaan from a means of entering his heart. 9. It distracts one from thinking of what is in one’s best interests, so his affairs become neglected and he follows his whims and desires and neglects to remember his Lord. 10 . Between the eyes and the heart there is a connection which means that the one is affected by the other, and if one of them becomes good, the other will also become good, and if one becomes corrupt the other will become corrupt. If the heart becomes corrupt the gaze will become corrupt, and if the gaze become corrupt the heart will become corrupt, and similarly if one is sound the other will also be sound
Posted on: Wed, 14 Aug 2013 19:22:07 +0000