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Love and the Eyes A believer may come to know the reality of another person either through his or her face, or through his or her words. God says: And if We wish, We could show them to you, then you would recognise them by their mark. And you will certainly recognise them by [their] tone of speech, and God knows your deeds. (Muhammad, 47:30) And the Messenger of God (s.a.w.) said: โBeware the insight of the believer, for he [or she] sees by the light of God.โ [148] This is generally the case with the believers, but there is something specialโa great mysteryโabout a personโs eyes which may: (1) express love; or (2) engender love in the beholder himself or herself [149] , or (3) engender love in the one who looks into their eyes. In other words, love may: (1) be seen by others in a personโs eyes; (2) โenterโ a person through his or her eyes into his or her soul and heart as they look at someone else, or (3) cause another person to love them as a result of a meeting of the eyesโof โeye-contactโ. God alludes to all of this with His words: He knows the treachery of the eyes and what the breasts hide. (Ghafir, 40:19) Thus the eyes betray love in the soul and heart, and make it plain to see; and the eyes can also cause love to grow, when there is prolonged eye-contact. This allows us to understand the two Hadiths: Ibn Masโud and Hudhayfah both reported that the Messenger of God (s.a.w.) said: โThe glance of the eye is a poison dart fired by Iblis [the Devil]; whosoever leaves it through fear of Me, I shall replace it for him with a faith whose sweetness he shall experience in his heart.โ [150] And โAli bin Abi Talib (a.s.) reported that the Messenger of God (s.a.w.) said: โO โAli, do not follow one glance with another, for you are permitted the first one but not the second.โ [151] Conversely, when Mughirah ibn Shuโbah wanted to ask for a womanโs hand in marriage, the Messenger of God (s.a.w.) said to him: โLook upon her, for it is more likely that you will bond with each other.โ [152] This explains the importance of lowering oneโs gaze [153] , which God commands the believers to do, with His words: Tell believing men to lower their gaze and to guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Truly God is Aware of what they do. / And tell believing women to lower their gaze and to guard their private parts, and not to display their adornment except for what is apparent, and let them draw their veils over their bosoms and not reveal their adornment, except to their husbands or their fathers, or their husbandsโ fathers, or their sons, or their husbandsโ sons, or their brothers, or their brothersโ sons, or their sistersโ sons, or their women, or what their right hands own, or such men who are dependant, not possessing any sexual desire, or children who are not yet aware of womenโs private parts. And do not let them thump with their feet to make known their hidden ornaments. And rally to God in repentance, O believers, so that you might be successful. (Al-Nur, 24:30-31) Similarly, God warns His Messenger (s.a.w.) as follows: And do not extend your glance toward what We have given to some pairs among them to enjoy, [as] the flower of the life of this world that We may try them thereby.
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