Is a person held accountable for his gaze if it falls upon the forbidden unintentionally, such as seeing a girl while walking in the street, or when dealing with a female employee out of necessity in an educational center?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
What is forbidden is the intentional casting of the gaze and sustaining it. As for an accidental, sudden glance without intention, there is no harm in it. However, one must avert the gaze immediately and not follow it with another look, for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "O Ali, do not follow a glance with another glance, for the first is yours, but the last is not yours." One must lower the gaze from women in all circumstances unless there is a legitimate, sound reason. The meaning of averting the gaze is to turn the face away or to lower the gaze downwards so that it does not fall upon the woman.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/139810
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 139810
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy