Is it permissible for a man to look at a woman out of need?
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The Shaykh : Yes, but the Sunnah indicates that a man does not look at a woman except for a need, not for a dire necessity, but for a need. They gave as an example of this the groom looking at his fiancée, the witness looking at the woman he is testifying about, and the trader as well. The trader, the shopkeeper, the jurists said it is permissible if a person wants to know the identity of the one he is dealing with, he can say, "Uncover your face so I can see you," for he fears she may come to him a second time and say, "I am so-and-so."
The questioner : Her face, or otherwise...
The Shaykh : No, her face, and they justified this with a sound justification, meaning it is not clear in the Shari'ah that everything forbidden for other than itself is permissible for a need, and what is forbidden in itself is not permissible except for a dire necessity. The prohibition of looking at a woman's face is forbidden not in itself, but for other than itself, out of fear that it will lead to fornication. For this reason, He said:[An-Nur 24:30]
The questioner : On this basis, if we find women uncovering themselves inside... we do not censure them.
The Shaykh : No, no, we are recounting the words of the jurists. As for in practice, it cannot be maintained now, because every person would say, "If you buy from him for one riyal, he says, 'I swear by Allah, I am afraid you will lie to me the second time, give me your face.'" No, he... I always repeat this to you: not everything that is permissible in theory is permissible to apply in practice. And this is the policy of 'Umar: Is it not permissible for a man to sell his mother of his child?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : In the beginning, then when 'Umar saw that people were being lax in this and separating the mother from her child, he prohibited it, meaning he prohibited its application. Likewise, regarding the divorce of three: if a man divorces his wife three times, he is not to take her back, so he prohibited taking her back. Yes, Yahya?
The student : May Allah reward you. Regarding the lines, Shaykh, and the printing of books, are these...
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : Her face, or otherwise...
The Shaykh : No, her face, and they justified this with a sound justification, meaning it is not clear in the Shari'ah that everything forbidden for other than itself is permissible for a need, and what is forbidden in itself is not permissible except for a dire necessity. The prohibition of looking at a woman's face is forbidden not in itself, but for other than itself, out of fear that it will lead to fornication. For this reason, He said:
to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts
يغضّوا من أبصارهم ويحفظوا فروجهمThe questioner : On this basis, if we find women uncovering themselves inside... we do not censure them.
The Shaykh : No, no, we are recounting the words of the jurists. As for in practice, it cannot be maintained now, because every person would say, "If you buy from him for one riyal, he says, 'I swear by Allah, I am afraid you will lie to me the second time, give me your face.'" No, he... I always repeat this to you: not everything that is permissible in theory is permissible to apply in practice. And this is the policy of 'Umar: Is it not permissible for a man to sell his mother of his child?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : In the beginning, then when 'Umar saw that people were being lax in this and separating the mother from her child, he prohibited it, meaning he prohibited its application. Likewise, regarding the divorce of three: if a man divorces his wife three times, he is not to take her back, so he prohibited taking her back. Yes, Yahya?
The student : May Allah reward you. Regarding the lines, Shaykh, and the printing of books, are these...
The Shaykh : What?