will become preoccupied with it. This will lead to whispers and distracting thoughts, and ultimately, your heart will become heedless of goodness and remain absorbed in them.^[1]

Remember, just as Allah Almighty has commanded the avoidance of improper glances in the Holy Quran, numerous hadith also instruct Muslim men to lower their gazes and refrain from looking at what Allah has made unlawful.

 Let us listen to three sayings of The Holy Prophetصَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم  regarding this matter.

Three Blessed Hadith Regarding Lowering the Gaze

1. The Prophet said: ‘Avoid sitting in the pathways.’ The noble Companions رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهُم responded: ‘O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, we have no alternative but to sit in the pathways; we sit there to converse.’ He instructed: ‘If you have no choice but to sit in the pathways, then you must fulfil the rights of the pathway.’ The noble Companions رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهُم asked: ‘What are the rights of the pathway?’ He answered: ‘To lower the gaze, remove harmful objects, respond to the greeting of salām, enjoin good, and forbid evil.’^[2]
2. He stated: ‘You must certainly lower your gazes, protect your private parts, and keep your faces straight, or else Allah will disfigure your faces.’^[3]
3. He stated: ‘Do not follow one glance with another (meaning, if your gaze falls upon a non-mahram unintentionally, you should