PROTECT YOUR EYES!

[young@muslim]

As temperatures soar and sweat pours down our faces this summer, it is essential to remember this: protect your eyes, and I am not talking about wearing sunglasses.
IÂ’m talking about lowering our gazes.

In our culture today, as the temperature increases, so does the amount of exposed skin on peopleÂ’s bodies. Although this is very distressing and disturbing, it has become a fact of life. In fact, those of us, especially our sisters wearing Hijab, who cover to guard our modesty are seen as strange! Yet, covering, not exposing the skin, is an advice currently being given by the United States Department of Health And Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They have sponsored a campaign called "Choose Your Cover", encouraging people to protect themselves from skin cancer.

One of the recommended methods is wearing clothing that covers skin and protects against the sun's UV rays. The campaignÂ’s section on clothing notes that "a long-sleeved shirt and long pants with a thick weave provide the best protection."

And lest we forget, before global warming and skin cancer warnings were ever issued, most of the Muslim and non-Muslim men and women living in the scorching deserts or cities and villages of Africa and Asia, which experience tremendous heat in the summers [if not most of the year] did NOT emerge from their homes virtually naked.

In fact, they covered themselves more to protect themselves from the sun.

SOME ADVICE FROM THE QURAN AND SUNNAH

It is in this instance, surrounded by half-naked people, that we must have the courage to follow the command of Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and lower our gazes.

Allah says: "Do not go near fornication and adultery, it is an abomination and an evil way." (Quran 17:32).

This sin is so hateful in the sight of Our Lord, that He commanded us to not even go near it. Despite what anyone may say, looking upon that which one is not supposed to is going near adultery. For an illicit affair begins with a lustful glance.