Tafseer of The Light · An-Noor · 24:30
Tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what they do.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
Allah, exalted be His praise, says to His Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ: قُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ (Say to the believers) in Allah and in you, O Muḥammad, يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ — they are to restrain their gaze from looking at what they desire to see but which Allah has forbidden them to look at. وَيَحْفَظُوا فُرُوجَهُمْ (and guard their private parts) — so that no one for whom it is not permitted to see them may see them; by wearing clothing that conceals them from the eyes of onlookers. ذَلِكَ أَزْكَى لَهُمْ (that is purer for them) — restraining the gaze from what it is not permitted to look upon, and guarding the private part against exposure to the eyes of onlookers, is purer for them with Allah and better. إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ (Allah is indeed well-acquainted with what they do) — Allah has complete knowledge of what you, O people, do with what He commanded you regarding the restraining of your gaze from what He forbade you to look upon, and the guarding of your private parts from those whom He forbade you to show them to.
The exegetes have explained this verse in a like manner.
Mention of those who said this:
ʿAlī ibn Sahl al-Ramlī related to me, he said: Ḥajjāj related to us, he said: Abū Jaʿfar related to us, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ ibn Anas, on the authority of Abū l-ʿĀliya, concerning قُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا فُرُوجَهُمْ — he said: every private part whose guarding is commanded in the Qurʾān pertains to protection against fornication (zinā), except in the verse وَقُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ (and say to the believing women that they lower their gaze and guard their private parts), for by it is meant covering.
ʿAlī related to me, he said: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, he said: Muʿāwiyah related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning قُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا فُرُوجَهُمْ and وَقُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ — he said: they are to restrain their gaze from what Allah forbids.
Yūnus related to me, he said: Ibn Wahb informed us, he said: Ibn Zayd said concerning قُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ — restraining his gaze means: not looking at what is not permitted to him. If he sees something that is not permitted to him, he lowers his gaze from it and does not look at it. No one is able to restrain his gaze completely; hence Allah said: قُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ (with "min" — a part of their gaze).
