We learned this week the principle of الجزا من جنس العمل (Al-jazaa’u min jins al-`amal) and the example of which can be seen in the action and reward for lowering the gaze. Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned when a person lowers his gaze, he is obeying Allah, by doing so Allah will reward him with a reward similar in nature. Indeed RasulAllah salAllahu `alayhi wa sallam, “whosoever leaves something for the sake of Allaah, then Allaah will replace it with something better than it.” [1]( من ترك شيئاً لله عوضه الله خيراً منه)
So among the rewards for lowering the gaze are: Allah will illuminate his heart, give him clear perception and penetrating insight. This means the person will have an increased vision of the heart, and he will have a greater  البصيرة baseerah or الÙراسة firasah.
I wanted to read more on what Ibn al-Qayyim rahimahullah had to say about lowering the gaze. Ibn al-Qayyim was gifted with his nice and concise explanations that not only make sense but also reach the heart. In al-Muntaqaa min Ighaathatul Lufhaan fee Masaayid ash-Shaytaan‘[2] he explains the principle of Al-jazaa’u min jins al-`amal when applied to the act and reward for lowering the gaze as follows:
The reason behind this is that the reward is of the same type as the action. So whosoever lowers his gaze from the unlawful for the sake of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, He will replace it with something better than it of the same type. So just as the servant restrained the light of his eye from falling upon the unlawful, Allaah blesses the light of his sight and heart thereby making him perceive what he would not have seen and understood had he not lowered his gaze.
And he, rahimahullah, also said: “…when the sight is prevented from looking and investigating the heart finds relief from having to go through the arduous task of (vainly) seeking and desiring…”
To put this into practice and gain the amazing reward for it, one can remind themselves to lower their gaze from the haram. In addition to lowering the gaze from the opposite gender, one should try to apply it in more circumstances. Such as, when entering someone else’s house, when seeing the glitter and glamour of this world, also when seeing someone of the same gender dressed revealingly, etc. Insha’Allah.
May Allah assist us all in purification and spiritual growth. May we be included amongst the believing men and woman who obey the command of Allah to lower the gaze as occurs in Surat an-Nur (ayahs 30 and 31).
(Ù‚ÙÙ„ لّÙلْمÙؤْمÙÙ†Ùينَ يَغÙضّÙوا Ù…Ùنْ أَبْصَارÙÙ‡Ùمْ ) and (ÙˆÙŽÙ‚ÙÙ„ لّÙلْمÙؤْمÙنَات٠يَغْضÙضْنَ Ù…Ùنْ أَبْصَارÙÙ‡Ùنَّ)
A.S
Muharram 8, 1428
Bismillah
as-salamu`alaykum wa-rahmatullahi wa-barakatuh my precious
I love your blog - every word is like a jewel for me -
please keep updating it. Its filled with benefit and wisdom. I love it.
May Allah love you and elevate your ranks my sweetie
=)
wa-salam
Thank you for sharing!
More:
The Sickness and the Cure (ad-Daa wad-Dawaa)
By the teacher of Ibn Katheer, Imaam Ibnul-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah
Excerpt from the Book
Chapter: ‘The Doors to Sin’, Section, ‘The Look’:
The look is the main source of problems which afflict mankind, because the look creates a suggestion, then that suggestion becomes an idea, then that idea arouses the desires, then the desires evolve into a resolve, then the resolve strengthens until the act finally occurs; unless there is something that hinders it. This is why it is said, “The patience of trying to restrain the glances is much easier than the patience of trying to restrain what comes after that.â€
From the bitter aftertaste of failing to lower the gaze is that it burns the heart and makes it anguish; because the ‘abd sees someone whom he cannot have, nor can he control himself, and one of the most tormenting kinds of punishment is to see something that you want (but cannot have), and it is difficult to do without it. What is truely amazing is that the glance of the one who looks is an arrow that does reach its target until it penetrates the heart of the one who looks himself. I wrote a verse in this regard :
O you the one who makes great effort to shoot his arrow,
You are the one injured by your (own) shot, and it does not reach its target,
The impetus behind your glances seeks a cure,
So restrain your messenger and destruction will not come to you.
What is even more amazing than this is that the unrestrained look injures the heart severely, so one injury follows the other. However, the pain of the injury does not prevent it from repeating the action…
Jazakillahu khayran Umm Abdallah for that beautiful addition this post.
You have a beautiful blog mashAllah please keep it up!