Are We Forbidden to Look at Others Sinning?
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
Are Muslims forbidden to look at someone who is sinning?
For example, if they see someone disobeying Allah by not praying. What if they see someone in a video sin? Would watching that also be considered sinful? Would I get the same sin as them?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate
I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.
It is forbidden to look at someone sinning. One has to immediately turn away after the first look, move out, switch off, etc. However, one will not get the same sin as the sinner.
Do Not Take a Second Glance at a Woman
Burayda (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Do not follow one glance at a woman with another. Verily, you are excused for the first but not the second.” [Tirmidhi]
If one is using a mobile, watching TV, and one knows that there is the likelihood of having impermissible content or knows of the presence of forbidden content beforehand, then one has to be careful ahead.
I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. You will receive guidance and direction in sha Allah.
Related
- Is Watching Impermissible Video Helping Someone Sin? – SeekersGuidance
- Reader on Exposing and Disclosing Past Sins – SeekersGuidance
- Purification of the Heart for Youth: Diseases of the Heart and Their Cure – YouTube
- The Path of Muhammad: Birgivi’s Manual of Taqwa Explained – YouTube
- Purification of the Heart: Signs, Symptoms, and Cures of the Spiritual Diseases of the Heart: Hamza Yusuf (Book)
- Prayer of Repentance: Salat al-Tawba – SeekersGuidance
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Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for several years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to children and adults onsite and online extensively in the UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His interest is a love of books and gardening.
