A young man came and presented his concern to the scholar. He said, He said, "O scholar, when I walk to the marketplace and I constantly look at girls, I cannot control my eyes. Give me a solution to lower my gaze." The Scholar grinned and gave the boy a task. He supplied the youngster with a cup of milk, inviting him for a tour of the market and asked him to return to the scholar. He also instructed one of his pupils to accompany the youngster with a rod and to smack him, even if there were a drop of milk spills.

While traveling there, the boy was apprehensive since he was afraid of the embarrassment, he may experience in the market should he spill the milk.

Surprisingly, without even raising his eyes away from the cup, the boy was able to take the milk cup into the destination. He told the scholar about the amazing news. Then the scholar smiled at him and gave him some golden pieces of advice,

"It was because of fear of mortification in front of several people in the market that you ensured to bring back the cup of milk without spilling a drop. But why are you not afraid of the embarrassment which you might face before the entire world in the big congregation (Day of resurrection)? And above all, before your maker? So my dear brother, try to guard your eyes. For it can be a gate to Paradise or a gate to Hell. It's up to you to use it wisely."

Allah (SWT) mentions in the Quran, "Tell the believing men to lower their gaze" (Quran: 24:30)

So my dear folks, let us try to fight the battle within ourselves. It is a fight for the sake of Allah. So that we can earn the pleasure of Allah (SWT) which is the ultimate goal of every Muslim!

Written by Zaid Siddique.