What Is the Punishment for Zina of the Eyes? Find Out Here!
Hi, dear readers! Are you looking for an explanation of the punishment for Zina of the eyes? If your answer is "Yes," congratulations! You are reading the right article. Why? Because that’s exactly why I wrote this article. In fact, there are some important aspects of Zina of the eyes that I will explain here. As Muslims, it is essential for us to understand this topic. So, be sure to read it to the end.
Specifically, I will discuss some key points about the punishment for Zina of the eyes in this article. These important points are as follows:
What is Zina of the Eyes?
The first thing I want to explain regarding the punishment for Zina of the eyes is, "What is Zina of the eyes?". It's crucial for you to understand this before reading any further. Why? Because this is the most basic concept you need to grasp. Once you understand this, you will find it easier to engage with the other discussions about it.
"Zina of the eyes" is a term that consists of two words: Zina and eyes. In general, we can understand Zina as a sin. Thus, Zina of the eyes refers to a sin committed through the eyes.
For example, if someone sees something enticing, such as "inappropriate films" (I won't elaborate on what those are, as I assume you already understand), or anything else that can raise one's libido and is forbidden in Islam, then they have committed Zina of the eyes.
In simple terms, Zina of the eyes is a sin committed with the eyes, meaning seeing something that is prohibited in Islam.
This is a brief explanation of "What is Zina of the eyes?" As Muslims, we must recognize its significance.
Punishment for Zina of the Eyes and Its Meaning
The important points about the punishment for Zina of the eyes that I will explain now consist of two key aspects:
- The meaning of punishment for Zina of the eyes.
- The punishments for Zina of the eyes.
The explanation is as follows:
Meaning of Punishment for Zina of the Eyes
One crucial aspect we must understand is that a person who commits Zina of the eyes will face punishment. This means there are negative consequences that will befall someone who engages in this act. There is indeed a punishment for Zina of the eyes.
However, we cannot always understand the meaning of punishment solely in terms of physical torture. While physical punishment is a common form of consequence, punishment can also manifest as an uneasy soul—one that is constantly restless, always tempted to commit mistakes or other sins. This second form of punishment can actually be more dangerous.
Personally, when I read Islamic texts about Zina of the eyes, I found that the punishment is often described as an unsettled soul. I will explain this further shortly.
So, specifically, I want to emphasize that the punishment for Zina of the eyes refers to the negative consequences experienced by someone who has sinned with their eyes.
This is a brief explanation of the meaning of punishment for Zina of the eyes. As Muslims, we must recognize this.
Five Punishments for Zina of the Eyes
Now, I will explain the punishments for Zina of the eyes, or the negative consequences faced by someone who has sinned with their eyes. Before I proceed, I want to clarify that I won’t go into exhaustive detail. Instead, I will outline five common punishments that a person may encounter after committing this sin.
The five punishments for Zina of the eyes are as follows:
Restlessness of the Soul
The Zina of the eyes causes the soul of the person who has committed it to be restless. Why? Because they have seen something that is forbidden in Islam. It is important to remember that sin can lead to an unsettled soul.
Disruption of Concentration
The Zina of the eyes can disturb the concentration of the individual. Why? Because the forbidden things they have seen will affect their memory, leading them to recall those images, possibly even during moments requiring full concentration, such as prayer.
Encouragement of Other Sins
The Zina of the eyes can motivate the person to engage in additional negative actions, similar to watching inappropriate films.
Decreased Self-Esteem
The Zina of the eyes can diminish a person's self-esteem, or even erase it entirely.
Torment in the Afterlife
Those who have committed Zina of the eyes will face torment in Hell if they do not receive Allah’s forgiveness.
This is a brief overview of the five punishments for Zina of the eyes. As Muslims, we must understand this.
Does Allah Forgive Zina of the Eyes?
The important question about the punishment for Zina of the eyes that I will explain now is, "Does Allah forgive Zina of the eyes?" I want you to understand this so that you know what to do if you have committed Zina of the eyes.
If you have read several articles I have published about Zina and forgiveness, you already know the answer to that question: Allah will forgive Zina of the eyes if the person who committed it sincerely repents. In some of these articles, I have provided many arguments supporting this.
For example, we find explanations in the Quran and Hadith that affirm Allah's forgiveness for Zina of the eyes when the individual repents, as illustrated by the following verses:
فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا
So, I said (to them), "Ask your Lord for forgiveness (reading Istighfar); verily He is the Most Forgiving." (Noah, 10)
ثُمَّ أَفِيضُوا مِنۡ حَيۡثُ أَفَاضَ ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرُوا ٱللَّهَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٞ رَّحِيمٞ
Then hasten on from the place from which the people hasten on and ask for the forgiveness of Allah; surely Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
رَوَى الْبَيْهَقِيُّ وَالْأَصْبَهَانِيُّ وَابْنُ أَبِيْ الدُّنْيَا عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ وَلَا أُمَّةٍ اِسْتَغْفَرَ اللهَ فِيْ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ سَبْعِيْنَ مَرَّةً لَمْ يُكْتَبْ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِيْنَ , وَمَنْ اِسْتَغْفَرَ اللهَ فِيْ كُلِّ اللَّيْلَةِ سَبْعِيْنَ مَرَّةً لَمْ يُكْتَبْ مِنَ الْغَافِلِيْنَ
Al-Baihaqi, al-Ashbahani, and Ibn Abi ad-Dunya narrated from Anas that the Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad) sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "There is no servant or people who ask forgiveness from Allah (reciting Istighfar) every day up to seventy times, unless they will not be recorded as liars. And whoever asks forgiveness from Allah (reciting Istighfar) every night up to seventy times will not be recorded as someone who has forgotten."
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : إِنَّ اللهَ يَقْبَلُ تَوْبَةَ الْعَبْدِ مَا لَمْ يُغَرْغِرْ . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ
From Abdullah bin Umar, the Prophet (Muhammad) sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "Verily Allah accepts the repentance of a servant as long as he has not experienced naza' (the soul reaching the throat when a person is about to die)." This hadith was narrated by at-Tirmidhi.
This is a brief explanation of "Does Allah forgive Zina of the eyes?" As Muslims, we must understand this.
How to Repent for Zina of the Eyes?
The important question about the punishment for Zina of the eyes that I will explain now is, "How should one repent for Zina of the eyes?" I want you to understand this so that you know what to do if you have committed Zina of the eyes, and because repenting for Zina of the eyes can be done in some very easy ways.
By the way, do you know why repenting for Zina of the eyes can be so simple?
If you don't know, you should understand that Zina of the eyes is considered a minor sin in Islam. That's why repenting for this sin is easier than repenting for Zina that involves sexual intercourse. The difference is akin to removing small sins versus removing major sins.
In general, there are two very easy ways to repent for Zina of the eyes:
Reading Istighfar
We can conclude that reading Istighfar is one way to repent for Zina of the eyes, as explained in several verses of the Quran and in the hadiths I quoted earlier.
In those verses and hadiths about repentance, it is made clear that Allah is the Most Forgiving. He will forgive all sins if the person who committed them sincerely asks for His forgiveness.
Wudu
Performing wudu is one of the easiest ways to remove minor sins, including Zina of the eyes. We can find this explanation in the two hadiths below:
The First Hadith on Wudu Erasing Sins Due to Zina of the Eyes
The first hadith regarding wudu and its ability to remove sins due to Zina of the eyes is as follows:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ
From Abu Hurairah radiyallahu anhu, the Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad) sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
إِذَا تَوَضَّأَ الْعَبْدُ الْمُسْلِمُ أَوْ الْمُؤْمِنُ فَغَسَلَ وَجْهَهُ خَرَجَ مِنْ وَجْهِهِ كُلُّ خَطِيئَةٍ نَظَرَ إِلَيْهَا بِعَيْنَيْهِ مَعَ الْمَاءِ أَوْ مَعَ آخِرِ قَطْرِ الْمَاءِ
"If a servant who is a Muslim or a believer performs wudu and washes his face, all the sins that he has committed with his eyes will come out along with the last drop of water."
فَإِذَا غَسَلَ يَدَيْهِ خَرَجَ مِنْ يَدَيْهِ كُلُّ خَطِيئَةٍ كَانَ بَطَشَتْهَا يَدَاهُ مَعَ الْمَاءِ أَوْ مَعَ آخِرِ قَطْرِ الْمَاءِ
"If he washes his hands, then all the sins his hands have committed will come out with the last drop of water."
فَإِذَا غَسَلَ رِجْلَيْهِ خَرَجَتْ كُلُّ خَطِيئَةٍ مَشَتْهَا رِجْلَاهُ مَعَ الْمَاءِ أَوْ مَعَ آخِرِ قَطْرِ الْمَاءِ حَتَّى يَخْرُجَ نَقِيًّا مِنْ الذُّنُوبِ
"If he washes his feet, then all the sins from his footsteps will come out, until he emerges clean from sins."
The Second Hadith on Wudu Erasing Sins Due to Zina of the Eyes
The second hadith regarding wudu and its ability to remove sins due to Zina of the eyes is as follows:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ
From Abu Hurairah radiyallahu anhu, the Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad) sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
أَلَا أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى مَا يَمْحُو اللَّهُ بِهِ الْخَطَايَا وَيَرْفَعُ بِهِ الدَّرَجَاتِ
"Would you like me to show you something by which Allah removes faults and elevates degrees?"
قَالُوا : بَلَى يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ
They replied, "Of course, O Messenger of Allah."
قَالَ : إِسْبَاغُ الْوُضُوءِ عَلَى الْمَكَارِهِ وَكَثْرَةُ الْخُطَا إِلَى الْمَسَاجِدِ وَانْتِظَارُ الصَّلَاةِ بَعْدَ الصَّلَاةِ فَذَلِكُمْ الرِّبَاطُ
He said, "Performing wudu thoroughly at times when it is difficult (such as in very cold conditions), frequently walking to the mosque, and waiting for the next prayer after the previous one—these are forms of ribat."
Ribat refers to a concept related to Jihad (struggling in the way of Allah).
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding the punishment for Zina of the eyes is essential for Muslims striving to maintain their spiritual integrity. This sin, stemming from the act of looking at forbidden sights, carries significant consequences, both in this life and the hereafter. As highlighted, these consequences include restlessness of the soul, disruption of concentration, and potential encouragement of further sins. However, there is hope for redemption through sincere repentance and seeking Allah's forgiveness. Simple acts such as reciting Istighfar and performing wudu can help cleanse the soul of these minor sins. Recognizing the gravity of Zina of the eyes encourages believers to be vigilant in their actions and thoughts, fostering a deeper commitment to their faith. By understanding these teachings, we can better navigate our daily lives and draw closer to Allah's mercy. May this knowledge serve as a guide for all seeking to uphold their moral and spiritual values. Ameen.
I think that's enough for this article. May it be useful. Ameen.
See you again in the next article.
Many thanks to the author.