Looking at the Opposite Sex is Haram

A Saudi Islamic scholar named Haitham al-Haddad was invited to a TV show and he accepted the invitation on the conditions that no female panelist will be present at the discussion table. However, during the panel discussion, the host accused Mr. Haitham for treating women as inferior to men by denying their rights to sit together with male panelists and talk to them face to face. Note that, in Islam, men and women are not supposed to sit together and exchange glances (The Quran 24:30-31). If there is a female-only panel discussion, men panelists are not allowed to sit together with female panelists and talk to them face to face. This works both ways for both men and women. And it is not a discrimination against one gender or treating one gender as superior or inferior to the other. 

Moreover, the host of the show breached the condition of Mr. Haitham al-Haddad and put a female panelist at the desk selected from the audience to debate Mr. Haitham al-Haddad. That female panelist claimed Islamic Sharia is wrong about treating men and women “differently”. That female panelist and one Islamophobic male panelist claimed men and women should have the same rights and should be treated in the same way, NOT in different ways. Note that Islam gives men and women “different rights” in “different areas” of their lives based on the physical and psychological differences they have. In one area of life, women may have greater rights than men but lesser rights than men in another area.

Let me ask a question to those who believe men and women should be treated in the same way despite of the physical and psychological differences they have. Let’s say there is a fire in a high-rise building and an immediate evacuation is absolutely necessary to save the lives of occupants of the building. And let’s say fire fighters leaned a ladder against the building and asked the occupants of the building to climb the ladder down to the ground. How many of you think children and women will be the first ones to be selected to climb down the ladder to the ground? And why do you think the reason why children and ladies are the first ones to climb down the ladder? Because children and women are both physically and psychologically more vulnerable than men.

Supplements:

Gospel: ·  Prophet Jesus says: You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' Matthew 5:27 ·  But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 5:28 ·  If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. Matthew 5:29 ·  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to depart into hell. Matthew 5:30

The Quran: قُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ  Say to believing men to turn a blind eye of their sight of the opposite sex. (The Quran 24:30) Word for word meaning: قُل = say لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ = to the (male) believers يَغُضُّوا = turn away their eyes مِنْ = of/from أَبْصَارِهِمْ = sight وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ Say to believing women to turn a blind eye of their sight of the opposite sex. (The Quran 24:31) Word for word meaning: وَقُل = and say لِّلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ = to the (female) believers يَغْضُضْنَ = turn away their eyes مِنْ = of/from أَبْصَارِهِنَّ = sight

Sunnah: The Messenger of Allaah (Peace be upon Him) said: "O Ali, do not follow a glance with another, for you will be forgiven for the first, but not for the second." (Al-Tirmidhi, 2701) Narrated 'Abdullah bin Abbas --"Al-Fadl was riding behind Allah's Apostle and a woman from the tribe of Khath'am came and Al-Fadl started looking at her and she started looking at him. The Prophet turned Al-Fadl's face to the other side.” (Bukhari, Book 3, Volume 29, Hadith 79) I asked Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) about the sudden glance (that is cast) on the face (of a non-Mahram). He commanded me that I should turn away my eyes (Sunan of Abu Dawood, #4007)