HOW TO LOWER YOUR GAZE PROPERLY - Animated Islamic Video

Summary

This transcript discusses the importance of maintaining a modest gaze in Islam, emphasizing that it's not just about avoiding looking at women but also about being mindful of where and how one looks. The speaker highlights the Prophet Muhammad's example of walking with purpose and suggests that controlling one's gaze is directly linked to controlling one's actions, especially in avoiding sinful behavior. The discussion also touches on the psychological impact of visual stimuli and urges believers to be cautious about what they watch, both in public and on their devices.

Takeaways

• 👀 Keeping a soft and calm look is emphasized; avoid staring intently.
• 🙏 The guidance is not just about looking at women but about controlling the way one looks at things in general.
• 🚶 The Prophet's example of walking with purpose and focus is highlighted as a model to follow.
• 🌍 Believers should be aware of the evil and bad things around them, and not just look around aimlessly.
• 🔍 Lowering one's gaze means having a focused look rather than staring, which helps avoid inappropriate sights.
• ⚖️ It's not wrong to find someone attractive, but it's wrong to keep staring at them.
• ❌ Men are told to lower their gaze and guard their privates, which means avoiding zina (fornication).
• 🔗 Controlling what you see is directly tied to controlling your actions, particularly in avoiding zina.
• 📚 Studies in psychology support the idea that images can influence behavior, especially sexually charged ones.
• 📱 Believers should be mindful of what they expose their eyes to, whether in physical settings or on their phones and media.

Q & A

What does the speaker mean by 'keep a soft eye'?

The speaker advises having a calm and non-staring look, which means not fixating or staring intently, but maintaining a relaxed gaze.

Is the instruction to lower one's gaze only about avoiding looking at women?

No, the instruction encompasses the general way of looking at things, advising to hold back from staring and to have a focused, purposeful gaze.

What is the significance of walking with purpose according to the speaker?

Walking with purpose means having a clear direction and goal, avoiding unnecessary distractions and potential exposure to inappropriate sights.

Why is it important for believers to control what they look at?

Believers are encouraged to control their gaze to avoid exposure to evil or inappropriate content, which can influence their behavior and actions.

How does lowering one's gaze relate to guarding one's privates?

Lowering one's gaze helps in controlling desires and avoiding inappropriate thoughts or actions, which in turn aids in guarding one's privates and avoiding acts like zina (adultery).

What psychological connection is mentioned between images and behavior?

The speaker mentions that images, especially sexually charged ones, can directly influence behavior, a concept supported by psychological studies.

What example does the speaker give about the consequences of not controlling one's gaze?

The speaker illustrates how initial casual glances can lead to more interactions, such as small talk and social media messaging, which can eventually lead to inappropriate behavior.

What might be a reason for feeling spiritually dead or paralyzed according to the speaker?

The speaker suggests that what one allows themselves to see can impact their spiritual state, implying that watching inappropriate content can lead to spiritual numbness.

How does seeing something differ from eating or smelling something in terms of consequences?

While eating or smelling something has immediate physical consequences that are felt, seeing something might not have an immediate felt consequence but can still cause internal, often unnoticed, damage.

What types of visual content does the speaker warn against?

The speaker warns against watching inappropriate or sexually charged content on phones, movies, or any other media, as well as being mindful of what one sees in physical environments like malls or campuses.

Outlines

00:00

👀 Importance of a Calm Gaze

The speaker emphasizes maintaining a calm and soft gaze, rather than staring intently. This advice extends beyond just looking at women, advocating for a composed way of viewing the world. The discussion highlights the importance of intentionality and purposefulness in one's gaze to avoid inadvertently engaging with inappropriate content.

🔄 Connection Between Gaze and Behavior

The speaker explains the link between controlling one's gaze and controlling one's actions, particularly in relation to avoiding zina (adultery). They reference psychological studies that show how visual stimuli can lead to certain behaviors, stressing the importance of vigilance in what one allows themselves to see.

💬 Consequences of Uncontrolled Gazing

This part illustrates how seemingly innocent actions, like making small talk or sending a message on social media, can escalate into more significant interactions. The speaker warns against underestimating the consequences of casual visual interactions, suggesting that such behaviors can lead to spiritual and emotional detachment.

🌐 The Broader Impact of Visual Consumption

The discussion shifts to the broader implications of what we consume visually, not just in physical settings like malls or campuses, but also through digital media on phones and computers. The speaker underscores the often overlooked internal consequences of what we see, suggesting that visual consumption has profound effects on one's spiritual and mental state.

Keywords

💡Lowering the gaze

This concept refers to the Islamic teaching of modesty in looking at others. The speaker explains that this isn't just about avoiding looking at women, but about being mindful of where one looks in general. It emphasizes a focused and respectful way of seeing the world without letting the eyes wander aimlessly, which can lead to inappropriate thoughts or actions.

💡Soft eye

A 'soft eye' means having a gentle and calm look rather than staring intensely. This relates to the broader theme of modesty and restraint in behavior. The speaker uses this term to describe a way of looking that is non-intrusive and respectful, aligning with the teaching of lowering the gaze.

💡Control

Control, in this context, refers to the discipline over one's eyes and thoughts. The speaker stresses that controlling what one sees is crucial to controlling one's actions. This concept is linked to avoiding zina (fornication) by first managing visual stimuli and thus preventing inappropriate behavior.

💡Zina

Zina refers to illicit sexual relations in Islamic teachings. The speaker connects this with the necessity of guarding one's gaze, as uncontrolled looking can lead to temptations and actions that are considered sinful. This highlights the importance of visual discipline in maintaining moral conduct.

💡Psychology

Psychology here is mentioned to support the idea that visual stimuli can influence behavior. The speaker refers to psychological studies that show how images, particularly those of a sexual nature, can lead to certain behaviors. This scientific perspective reinforces the religious teaching on controlling one's gaze.

💡Behavior

Behavior is discussed in the context of how one's actions can be influenced by what they see. The speaker explains that visual stimuli can lead to specific behaviors, especially related to sexual attraction, making it important to be mindful of where and what one looks at.

💡Iman

Iman refers to faith or belief in Islam. The speaker uses this term to describe how a person of strong faith conducts themselves with purpose and direction, avoiding unnecessary distractions. This reflects the idea that faith guides behavior, including how one uses their sight.

💡Social settings

Social settings are environments where people interact with each other. The speaker discusses how the teachings on lowering the gaze apply particularly in social settings to maintain modesty and respect. This is crucial in avoiding inappropriate interactions and maintaining a respectful atmosphere.

💡Consequences

Consequences refer to the effects of one's actions. The speaker highlights that while the immediate effects of what one sees might not be apparent, there are deeper consequences on one's spiritual and moral state. This underscores the importance of being cautious about visual intake.

💡Visual stimuli

Visual stimuli are things one sees that can influence thoughts and behaviors. The speaker emphasizes the impact of visual stimuli, particularly sexually charged images, on behavior. This reinforces the need for mindfulness and control over what one looks at to maintain moral conduct.

Highlights

The importance of maintaining a soft and calm gaze.

Lowering one's gaze means not staring intently, not avoiding all eye contact.

Prophet's example of walking with purpose and avoiding distractions.

Being conscious of the surroundings and avoiding unnecessary glances.

It's not wrong to find someone beautiful, but wrong to keep staring.

Maintaining a focused look in social settings to avoid temptation.

Lowering the gaze as a means to control one's actions.

Connection between controlling one's gaze and avoiding sinful actions.

Studies show that images can lead to certain behaviors, especially sexually charged ones.

Guarding the eyes to prevent behaviors that can lead to sin.

Avoiding seemingly innocent interactions that can lead to deeper, unintended connections.

Reflecting on the spiritual impact of what one allows themselves to see.

The unnoticed internal consequences of what we visually consume.

Awareness of visual exposure in everyday environments and digital media.

Impact of visual content on one's spiritual and mental state.

Transcripts

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and it's soft so keep a soft eye

in other words don't like stare like

that

have a calm look anyway now are

women mentioned no

so what is allah talking about allah is

not just talking about looking at women

he's talking about

the way you look the way you look at

stuff

and hold back one of the other meanings

of they say

to keep it low to put something down and

to fall short of meaning to not quite

stare

the prophet saws example of walking with

purpose walking straight you know their

tourists are like

people of iman they just they have

somewhere to go they're just going there

because you don't know what you might

look at

you know you know our kids say just

looking

just looking a believer becomes more

conscious of the fact that there's a lot

of evil out there there's a lot of bad

things around us

so you're not just going to look around

anywhere you're just going to have a

focused

look and lowering your you know lowering

your your glance

isn't the same as this

because you're going to run into people

it just means at an angle

at a certain angle where you know where

you're going but you're not necessarily

like

you know and and so the ayat are about

social settings

you know it's not wrong for you to find

a girl beautiful

but it's wrong for you to keep staring

that's wrong

put your eyes down just lower yours just

you know keep take it easy and there's

that's in in the word

take it don't get too worked up allah

saying just fall short of the full view

you realize somebody's there but you're

not staring at them either

okay this is what the men are told to do

yahood

and then the very next thing that's tied

to that is

a home and they should guard their

privates in other words they shouldn't

commit commit the act of zina

they should guard their privates what is

the connection the connection is if you

can't control what you see

you won't be able to control what you do

they're directly tied to each other

i mean there are psychology studies on

this now that are up to wazoo

why are you know how how images directly

lead to behaviors

you know especially sexually charged

images

images of attraction you know how they

can lead to behaviors and that's there's

it's not a mystery to anybody who knows

even basic psychology

you know well yeah they better watch it

allah didn't say watch your eyes because

after eyes you're gonna go make some

small talk and accidentally bump into

somebody

watch your eyes because you're going to

go over and just say assalamualaikum are

you

are you from dallas

i think i know your brother oh yeah we

went to the same school

yeah i remember you nice talking to you

no no no and then then then you just

kind of

see her on facebook and send a message

hey how's your brother you don't really

mean how's your brother

but you send it to her anyway how's your

brother and she says he's fine

and how are you allah is not going to

spell all of that

out for you how come i don't cry when i

make dua

how come i'm spiritually dead or

paralyzed

why is that well maybe the answer is in

your eyes

maybe it's what you allow yourself to

see see when you eat something there are

physical consequences

right when you smell something you can

immediately smell if it's good or bad

when you see something you don't feel

the consequences inside of you

you know you just see it and you don't

think there's any damage

this yeah it's very telling about the

kinds of things you will allow

yourselves to watch

not not just even physically when you're

walking down the mall

you know in the store or when you're on

campus or when you're

you know in the elevator or wherever but

also when you're what you're watching on

your phones

which what kind of moves you're watching

what are your what are you allowing your

eyes to be exposed to

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