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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Holy Quran Text. Translation & Commentary(the Example Commentary in Brief)(volume Four) No Gloating With Lust VERSE NO.30ِ31 OCCASION OF THE REVELATION A young believer met with a beautiful young woman in his way. He gazed at her beauties and adornments, and even when she passed by he followed her with his gaze upon her, until he intoxicated, hit his face to a projection of the wall, so that a lot of blood was shed out of his forehead.

The prophet saw him and asked what had happened to him? The young man narrated the event with truth. Then the prophet was inspired with the above revelation:ِ ``Say to the believing men to make short of their looks and guard their sexual organs.... and say to the believing woman to make short of their looks and guard their sexual organs.'' The Arabic, ``YAGHOZZU'' comes from the root word, ``GHAZZ'' which means to reduce or to make something shorter.

Therefore the verse does not imply that believers should close their eyes and do not look at a thing at all. It rather wants them to cut their looks short in certain cases. On the other, hand the verse does not clearly say, what is that on which we have to shorten our looks. If we take it for general; it will be anything unlawful for look, and if we consider it in special sense, it is gloating with lust that is to be made short, as in this occasion of revelation we came to know.

Of course, the latter view is more apt here, because the whole passage is about attractions and beauties of the fair sex; and concealing their charms and adornments.

So we may take it to say; ``Do not stare earnestly and from lust, upon the beauties and adornments of a women that may bewitch you.'' [ 346 ] As to the clause, ``guard your sexual organs'' (FARJ), only in the above verses, (NO.30 and 31) it is commented to mean both sexes should not look at each other's sexual organs, which is cleaner for sex affairs.