What is the ruling on looking at the 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) and touching it with a barrier?
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The questioner : He says: I read in a book titled *Forbidden Matters That People Have Disregarded* by the honorable Shaykh Muhammad Salih al-Munajjid, which was verified by the distinguished Shaykh 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Baz. It states in it: "Every 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) is not permissible to look at, and it is not permissible to touch it, even if it is behind a barrier." And in school, I studied fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), and it states in it: "It is permissible to touch the 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) on the condition that it is behind a barrier." So which do I believe, the book or the school?
The Shaykh : There is no contradiction between them, may Allah reward you. The one you read in the book, the school book, means one's own 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered). That is, if a person touches his own 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) with a barrier, his wudu' (the ablution for prayer) is not invalidated.
As for the first one, if a person looks at what is in the book of al-Munajjid, if a person looks at the 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) of another person, this is not permissible. It is not permissible to look at the 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) of another person except in one case only, which is the husband with his wife. It is permissible for her to look at the 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) of her husband, and it is permissible for her husband to look at her 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered). It is permissible for him to touch her 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered), and it is permissible for her to touch his 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered), based on the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Mu'minun 23:5-7] And in the hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and although there is weakness in it: Do you understand the difference now?
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : So the two statements do not contradict each other.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good
The Shaykh : You have five questions remaining, if Allah wills, if Allah wills after the prayer. Since you are not from the local area, after the prayer, if Allah wills, we will answer them. And here this meeting ends. We ask Allah the Exalted to make it beneficial and to reward you with abundant reward. And be assured of good, forSahih Muslim 2699a and we all wish to reach Paradise by any path. And this is the one who takes the physical or spiritual path to seek knowledge, for Allah will make easy for him thereby a path to Paradise. And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and his Companions and those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment.
The Shaykh : There is no contradiction between them, may Allah reward you. The one you read in the book, the school book, means one's own 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered). That is, if a person touches his own 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) with a barrier, his wudu' (the ablution for prayer) is not invalidated.
As for the first one, if a person looks at what is in the book of al-Munajjid, if a person looks at the 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) of another person, this is not permissible. It is not permissible to look at the 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) of another person except in one case only, which is the husband with his wife. It is permissible for her to look at the 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) of her husband, and it is permissible for her husband to look at her 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered). It is permissible for him to touch her 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered), and it is permissible for her to touch his 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered), based on the saying of Allah the Exalted:
(5) And they who guard their private parts (6) Except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they will not be blamed - (7) But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors -
والذين هم لفروجهم حافظون إلا على أزواجهم أو ما ملكت أيمانهم فإنهم غير ملومين فمن ابتغى وراء ذلك فأولئك هم العادونGuard your 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) except from your wife or what your right hand possesses.
احفظ عورتك إلا من زوجك أو ما ملكت يمينكThe questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : So the two statements do not contradict each other.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good
The Shaykh : You have five questions remaining, if Allah wills, if Allah wills after the prayer. Since you are not from the local area, after the prayer, if Allah wills, we will answer them. And here this meeting ends. We ask Allah the Exalted to make it beneficial and to reward you with abundant reward. And be assured of good, for