ভূমিকা

That is purer for them, verily Allah is All-Aware of what they do." Occasion of Revelation: In Kafi book there is a narration by Imam Baqir (a.s.) about the occasion of revelation of this noble verse. A young man of The Helpers met a woman on his way while her veil was put behind her ears (naturally some part of her neck and breast was visible).

The woman's face attracted the young man and he gazed at her and when the woman passed by him he was still looking at her while she was going her own way. Then he entered a narrow alley, and still he was looking behind himself, when suddenly his face hit against the wall and the sharp point of a bone, or a piece of glass, that existed in the wall cut his face!

Then the woman went away when the young man came to his senses and saw that blood was pouring forth from his face and his clothes and chest were stained with blood. He became very displeased. He said to himself: "I take oath by Allah that I will go to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and retell him this event." When the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) saw him, he asked the young man what the matter was. The man told him the event.

At this time Gabriel, the harbinger of Allah's revelation, came down and brought the above verse.[^1] [^1] Wasa'il-ush-Shi'ah, Vol. 14, p. 139, Nur-uth-Thaqalyn, Al-mazan, and Ruh ul-Ma'ani Commentary: Sin must be prevented from its origin and piety must be set out from eyes. Immodesty and ogling prevent man's spiritual development to grow up. We said before that this Sura is in fact the Sura of chastity and purification from sexual deviations.

So its discussions, from this point of view, have a clear coherency. The verses in question mat state the ordinances of looking, ogling, and veil are also related to this matter. Moreover, the relation of this discussion to the discussions that are about accusations of immodesty is known to everyone. At first, the verse implies that the believing men should be told to lower their gaze from a woman who is related within forbidden degrees and from what is illegal to look at, and be modest.