regarding what is forbidden in itself and what is forbidden for the sake of something else?
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The student: ...
The Shaykh : Fear of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation)
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No, rather this is the point, meaning this is the reason, to block the means to harm. Yes, that is it.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : That is it, and therefore it is permissible in some cases when the public benefit is greater.
The student: It is not consistent.
The Shaykh : Rather, it is consistent. Everything that is forbidden as a means to harm is made permissible by public benefit, not by dire necessity. This is because what is forbidden in itself is not made permissible except by dire necessity, whereas what is forbidden as a means to harm is made permissible by public benefit and pressing need. For example, the prohibition of riba al-fadl (usury of excess in a like-for-like exchange) is forbidden as a means to harm, and it is made permissible by pressing need, such as the issue of al-'araya (a forward sale of produce). This issue of looking is forbidden as a means to harm, as the scholars said. Therefore, it is made permissible by public benefit and pressing need, such as a doctor looking at a female patient, a suitor looking at the woman he intends to marry, a witness looking at the person about whom he testifies, and a business partner looking at the person he deals with. Even a business partner is allowed to look at the person he deals with, such as a woman who is accustomed to buying and selling in a shop; she may uncover her face, because if I am uncertain, I might look at her face a second time. The scholars agree on the permissibility of this issue because this is not from the category of being forbidden in itself; it is forbidden as a means to harm. As for mahram (a relative one may not marry), why is it permissible for a woman to uncover herself for her mahram? Because this means to harm is almost non-existent. Therefore, if it were the case, and may Allah protect us, that a mahram is driven by lust and looks at his mahram as a non-mahram looks at women, he must be prevented from them. Do not be surprised if one of the men looks at his mahram as a non-mahram looks at women; do not be surprised of that. I was asked these days about a man who has a young sister from his father, who is seven years old. The woman says, "I do not know if she is truthful or not?" And may Allah protect us, her brother from her father took her to his house and committed zina (unlawful sexual intercourse) with her, and may Allah protect us. Some people are like this; they lust after their mother and do not care. The result is that the prohibition of looking is originally not a prohibition in itself, because what is forbidden is zina and lewdness. Yes, but the prohibition of approaching zina is so that we do not have a means to it. Thus, the prohibition of looking is for this reason, and it is from the category of being forbidden as a means to harm.
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan. It has been mentioned that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) prohibited
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Fear of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation)
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No, rather this is the point, meaning this is the reason, to block the means to harm. Yes, that is it.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : That is it, and therefore it is permissible in some cases when the public benefit is greater.
The student: It is not consistent.
The Shaykh : Rather, it is consistent. Everything that is forbidden as a means to harm is made permissible by public benefit, not by dire necessity. This is because what is forbidden in itself is not made permissible except by dire necessity, whereas what is forbidden as a means to harm is made permissible by public benefit and pressing need. For example, the prohibition of riba al-fadl (usury of excess in a like-for-like exchange) is forbidden as a means to harm, and it is made permissible by pressing need, such as the issue of al-'araya (a forward sale of produce). This issue of looking is forbidden as a means to harm, as the scholars said. Therefore, it is made permissible by public benefit and pressing need, such as a doctor looking at a female patient, a suitor looking at the woman he intends to marry, a witness looking at the person about whom he testifies, and a business partner looking at the person he deals with. Even a business partner is allowed to look at the person he deals with, such as a woman who is accustomed to buying and selling in a shop; she may uncover her face, because if I am uncertain, I might look at her face a second time. The scholars agree on the permissibility of this issue because this is not from the category of being forbidden in itself; it is forbidden as a means to harm. As for mahram (a relative one may not marry), why is it permissible for a woman to uncover herself for her mahram? Because this means to harm is almost non-existent. Therefore, if it were the case, and may Allah protect us, that a mahram is driven by lust and looks at his mahram as a non-mahram looks at women, he must be prevented from them. Do not be surprised if one of the men looks at his mahram as a non-mahram looks at women; do not be surprised of that. I was asked these days about a man who has a young sister from his father, who is seven years old. The woman says, "I do not know if she is truthful or not?" And may Allah protect us, her brother from her father took her to his house and committed zina (unlawful sexual intercourse) with her, and may Allah protect us. Some people are like this; they lust after their mother and do not care. The result is that the prohibition of looking is originally not a prohibition in itself, because what is forbidden is zina and lewdness. Yes, but the prohibition of approaching zina is so that we do not have a means to it. Thus, the prohibition of looking is for this reason, and it is from the category of being forbidden as a means to harm.
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan. It has been mentioned that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) prohibited
The student: ...