He says in his letter: I read in the book *Al-Adhkar*, in the chapter on issues branching from the closing salam, that it is forbidden to kiss or embrace a young man or a handsome man or a beardless youth.
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The Shaykh : Welcome to you.
The questioner : Muhammad, this is a letter we received from the noble listener M.S.H. from Al-Farouq Secondary School in Riyadh. He says in his letter: I read in the book *Al-Adhkar*, in the chapter on issues branching from the closing salam, that it is forbidden to kiss or embrace a young man or a handsome man or a beardless youth. He mentioned that the correct school of thought in his view is the prohibition of looking at a beardless youth or a handsome man, even if it is without desire and one is safe from fitnah; it is forbidden like looking at a woman because it falls under the same meaning. What is your esteemed opinion on this statement? We hope you will support your answer with evidence?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets and the Messenger of the Lord of the worlds, and upon his family and his Companions, and those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment. What al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) stated in his book *Al-Adhkar* regarding the absolute prohibition of looking at young boys is what he chose to block the means to harm, because some people are low in their aspirations and desires, and they lower themselves to the point of looking at young boys as they look at women. This is a reality that exists, varying in frequency according to places and times. Since this matter is very serious, and the issue of being attached to young boys has severe consequences, including that it may lead to sodomy—may Allah protect us from it—which is the abominable sin whose punishment for one who commits it, even once, if he is an adult, sane, and not coerced, is execution in all cases, even if he is not married. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "If you find anyone doing the deed of the people of Lut, kill the active partner and the passive partner." Although some scholars have graded this hadith as weak, it is supported by the consensus of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) on killing the active and passive partners, even though they differed on the method of execution. It is also supported by the fact that this vile act is a deniable deed that Allah the Exalted described on the tongue of Lut (peace be upon him) with a description more emphatic than the description of unlawful sexual intercourse. Allah the Exalted said regarding unlawful sexual intercourse which is one of the abominable sins, but Lut said to his people and"al-"this indicates the magnitude of the one who is entered, that is, the one who is entered"al-"It is the heinous act, the abominable act that no Shari'ah and no sound nature approves of. For this reason, the stronger opinion, which was preferred by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and other meticulous scholars, is that the punishment for the crime of sodomy is execution in all cases, provided that the active party and the passive party are adults, of sound mind, and not coerced. Based on these consequences, the cause of which may be the act of looking, some scholars held the view that al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) held regarding the prohibition of looking at a young boy or a handsome youth, out of fear of falling into this great trial. However, this opinion is the weaker one unless it is established that looking is a means to it. If it is established that it is a means, and a person’s desire is aroused when he looks, then it is obligatory for him to refrain from looking and to lower his gaze.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : What indicates the weakness of this opinion and that it is not absolute is that there have been handsome young men among men since the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), such as al-Fadl ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), who was a handsome and good-looking young man. Yet the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not forbid looking at him. It is also supported by the fact that if looking at beardless youths and young men were forbidden as it is for women, then it would be obligatory for them to veil themselves as it is obligatory for women to veil themselves. No scholar has stated that it is obligatory for beardless youths to veil themselves and cover their faces in the markets and in the presence of non-mahrams. So this opinion is weak, and its evidence is what you have heard: that this has existed among people since the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) until our day, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not order them to refrain from looking or to lower their gaze from looking at these people.
Also, if looking at them were forbidden, it would be obligatory for them to veil themselves as women veil themselves.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : But if a person fears for himself, this is a specific case. We tell him: you yourself, do not look at beardless youths as long as you fear for yourself that your desire will be aroused by looking at them. Yes.
The questioner : Muhammad, this is a letter we received from the noble listener M.S.H. from Al-Farouq Secondary School in Riyadh. He says in his letter: I read in the book *Al-Adhkar*, in the chapter on issues branching from the closing salam, that it is forbidden to kiss or embrace a young man or a handsome man or a beardless youth. He mentioned that the correct school of thought in his view is the prohibition of looking at a beardless youth or a handsome man, even if it is without desire and one is safe from fitnah; it is forbidden like looking at a woman because it falls under the same meaning. What is your esteemed opinion on this statement? We hope you will support your answer with evidence?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets and the Messenger of the Lord of the worlds, and upon his family and his Companions, and those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment. What al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) stated in his book *Al-Adhkar* regarding the absolute prohibition of looking at young boys is what he chose to block the means to harm, because some people are low in their aspirations and desires, and they lower themselves to the point of looking at young boys as they look at women. This is a reality that exists, varying in frequency according to places and times. Since this matter is very serious, and the issue of being attached to young boys has severe consequences, including that it may lead to sodomy—may Allah protect us from it—which is the abominable sin whose punishment for one who commits it, even once, if he is an adult, sane, and not coerced, is execution in all cases, even if he is not married. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "If you find anyone doing the deed of the people of Lut, kill the active partner and the passive partner." Although some scholars have graded this hadith as weak, it is supported by the consensus of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) on killing the active and passive partners, even though they differed on the method of execution. It is also supported by the fact that this vile act is a deniable deed that Allah the Exalted described on the tongue of Lut (peace be upon him) with a description more emphatic than the description of unlawful sexual intercourse. Allah the Exalted said regarding unlawful sexual intercourse
And do not approach zina. Indeed, it is a shameful act.
ولا تقربوا الزنا إنه كان فاحشةDo you approach the shameful act?
أتأتون الفاحشةThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : What indicates the weakness of this opinion and that it is not absolute is that there have been handsome young men among men since the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), such as al-Fadl ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), who was a handsome and good-looking young man. Yet the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not forbid looking at him. It is also supported by the fact that if looking at beardless youths and young men were forbidden as it is for women, then it would be obligatory for them to veil themselves as it is obligatory for women to veil themselves. No scholar has stated that it is obligatory for beardless youths to veil themselves and cover their faces in the markets and in the presence of non-mahrams. So this opinion is weak, and its evidence is what you have heard: that this has existed among people since the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) until our day, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not order them to refrain from looking or to lower their gaze from looking at these people.
Also, if looking at them were forbidden, it would be obligatory for them to veil themselves as women veil themselves.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : But if a person fears for himself, this is a specific case. We tell him: you yourself, do not look at beardless youths as long as you fear for yourself that your desire will be aroused by looking at them. Yes.