Sermon of Muttaqin, Part 4 — They restrain their eye from which Allah has made unlawful

The Fourth Characteristic of the God-Conscious (Muttaqin), Based on the Sermon of the Muttaqin by Amir al-Mu’minin (pbuh)

They lower their gaze from what Allah has forbidden:

"They restrain their eyes from that which Allah has made unlawful, lowering their gaze from the forbidden."

Husayn Ansariyan states in his book, I once read in a book for which the great philosopher, Allamah Tabataba'i, had written the introduction:

Shah Abbas Safavi became extremely angry with the women of his household. In the aftermath of his anger, his daughter left the palace and did not return that night.

When news reached the Shah that she had not come back, he became deeply distressed for the honor of his family, especially since his daughter was renowned for her extraordinary beauty. He ordered a citywide search, and his officers searched throughout Isfahan, yet they could not find her.

Late that night, the young woman entered a religious school where seminary students lived. By chance, she knocked on the door of the room belonging to Muhammad Baqir Astarabadi, a young and learned student.

He opened the door, and without hesitation she entered his room and said:

"I come from one of the city's noble and powerful families. If you refuse to let me stay here, I will accuse you and have you severely punished."

Fearing the consequences, the young student allowed her to remain. She asked for food.

He replied,

"I have nothing except dry bread and yogurt."

She answered,

"Bring it."

She ate the simple meal and then went to sleep.

Throughout the night, temptation assailed the young scholar. Yet whenever desire arose, he sought refuge in Allah and struggled against it.

When the fire of passion intensified, he extinguished it by placing each of his fingers, one after another, over the flame of an oil lamp until they were burned.

The following morning, the search party happened to pass by the seminary. They had not imagined the young woman would be there, but she emerged from the student's room. Upon finding her, they escorted both her and Muhammad Baqir to the royal palace.

Shah Abbas asked Muhammad Baqir:

"Last night, what did you do when you were alone with such a beautiful young woman?"

The young scholar silently held out his burned fingers.

At the same time, the women of the royal household confirmed that the princess had returned completely unharmed.

Overjoyed by his daughter's safety and deeply impressed by the student's purity and self-restraint, Shah Abbas proposed that his daughter marry him.

The princess herself, astonished by the young man's exceptional chastity and integrity, gladly accepted.

The leading scholars and dignitaries were summoned, and the marriage was solemnized between the princess and the poor seminary student.

From that day onward, the young scholar became widely known as Mir Damad.

In time, he became one of the greatest scholars of his generation and later taught many outstanding students, among them Mulla Sadra Shirazi.

This story is narrated by Husayn Ansariyan in Islamic Mysticism: Commentary on Misbah al-Shari'ah wa Miftah al-Haqiqah, Vol. 8, pp. 261–262.