The eyes are like an ocean, every moment carrying various tides of feelings and sentiments; such discreet and inaudible expressions that it is impossible for the limbs to translate each flicker into words and actions. In fact, the eyes are a treasure chest for the secrets hidden within the being of a woman. It is these very eyes that have been a means of attraction, allurement and temptation for centuries. But few indeed are those who have possessed eyes holding the beauty of modesty as do the eyes of the Muslim Woman.
As many fall into the abyss of unrestrained glances, the Muslim Woman’s eyes hold the unique trait of piety, since she derives strength upon strength from knowing that her Lord watches her from above the heavens. Her connection with her Lord helps her greatly in shielding off the attacks of the accursed whisperer, for when he approaches her she easily rushes towards her Lord's refuge and seeks help in His Power and Might - be that anytime and anywhere.
Her love for her Creator gushes through her being, since He is the One who safeguarded and trained her against the evil that the eyes can incur, as she recited the Words of her Creator “…And tell the believing women to lower their gaze…”[1] Fully trying to entrench these words into her being, her eyes comply and she takes care in only beautifying her eyes within the serenity of her home and the protectiveness of her veil. An old lady was once asked,
‘What matter have you learnt to be the most important for a woman in her life?” She replied,
“Never to allow a non-mahram’s[2] eyes to meet with hers.”
A Muslim Woman should take this advice and be far above complacency in this matter; for an ajnabi (stranger) to look towards her adorned eyes is an affront to her modesty, the same modesty that the Prophet (peace be upon him) described when he said: "Modesty results in good only and nothing else"[3] and “…modesty is a branch of faith.”[4] Indeed, treachery to her faith is not the Muslimah’s way therefore she preserves her eyes solely for her spouse, after which her lowered and adorned modest gaze looks up towards and is revealed for her beloved, the one whom Allah calls her garment:
“…they are your Libaas and you are their Libaas...”[5]
Seeking Paradise, she begins a journey to expend all her efforts to be able to dive into his eyes – right into his heart. Whilst other women may beautify themselves when leaving the house, she beautifies herself within the realm of her home - her Jannah in this temporal world. Once Bakrah bint ‘Uqbah came to the scholars of the scholars, the leader of the righteous women: ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), and asked her about henna. ‘A’ishah said, “It comes from a good tree and pure water.” She asked her about removing body hair, and she said,
“If you have a husband, and you could remove your eyes and replace them with something better, then do it.”[6]
Altho
ugh using ‘extra volume mascara’ or ‘eye lash curlers’ may do the job to some extent, the righteous Muslimah - who loves to absorb the words of the Prophet (peace be upon him) into her heart, just as a sponge absorbs water - follows a cheaper and easier supplement or alternative. It is a specific type of kohl[7] referred to as ithmid made from black stone. Our Beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
“The best of your kohl is ithmid, for it makes the vision clear and makes the hair grow.”[8]
Therefore the ithmid kohl is not only beautifying for the eyes but a great asset and a powerful means by which to strengthen the vision as explained by the truthful, Muhammad (peace be upon him). In fact there was a woman by the name of Zarqa’ al-Yamaamah who could see as far as the distance of three days, when she was killed they found that all the veins in her eyes bore traces of the kohl ithmid[9]. And as for the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) words “…and makes the hair grow” the scholars explain that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was referring to the hair growth of the eyelashes[10].
Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said,
'Kohl protects the health of the eyes and gives strength and clarity of vision, and cleanses the eye of bad substances. In addition to that some types of kohl also serve as an adornment and if it is applied before going to bed this is even better. And ithmid is more efficacious than other types of kohl.'[11]
May Allah bestow upon the Muslim Women of today modesty unparalleled in the annals of history and make them the most beautiful in the eyes of their respective husbands.
May Sisters worldwide be blessed with obedience to the commands of Allah and His Beloved Messenger and may Allah’s choicest peace and blessings be upon the leader of the Arabs and the Ajmaa’[12], Ameen.
____________________
2. “And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer palms of hands or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, head cover, apron), and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islam), or the (female) slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigour, or small children who have no sense of feminine sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you beg Allaah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful.” [al-Noor 24:31]
3. Bukhari and Muslim
4. Bukhari and Muslim
5. Qur’aan, Suratul Baqarah 2: 187.
6. Ibn al-Jawzi, Ahkam al-Nisa', 343. Note: this does not include the removal of hair from the eyebrows, since the Prophet [saws] has cursed both the one who plucks and gets her hair plucked. It has been said that this is a weak narration.
7. Kohl is also referred to as surma, kajal, antimony and collyrium. The first two terms are used in Asian countries to refer to antimony.
8. Sunan al-Nasaa’i (5113) and Sunan Abi Dawood (3837)
9. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, vol. 17; Chapter on medical treatment and visiting the sick
10. Shamâ´il al-Muhammadiyyah (Description of Muhammad) by Imâm Abû ‘Isâ at-Tirmidhî 1/50
11. Zaad al-Ma’aad, 4/281
12. The plural of Ajami which means non-Arab.
The womb of Aaminah bint Wahb was certainly the noblest and the most honorable of all ...