Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

I asked you this question before and I am asking you again. I know Sir Burhan you are a very busy person and I appreciate you very much for spending your time in teaching and guiding your fellow Muslims. You are doing a very good thing. I have a question. My question is that I buy my underwears from the Internet. By credit card I purchase, but when I go to the website there are men wearing nothing but sexy underwears on their sexy bodies. I also buy those underwears for me. That is not pornography. Should I continue buying my underwear on the internet or not? Thank you very much and I would highly appreciate if you could answer my inquery soon. Thank you again.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Buying underwear from internet

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Dear and Beloved Brother in Islam, in principle it is not permitted in Islam for a believer to display or even to witness another display the parts of the body which are supposed to be in ‘satr’ or covered. The ‘satr’ of the believing woman in front of non-mehram males is her full body, and the ‘satr’ of the believing men is the parts of his body between his navel and his knees inclusive.

Allah Subhanah does not hold one accountable for an accidental glance at the forbidden, but if one continues watching the forbidden then indeed it would be considered a sin in the sight of Allah Subhanah.

In the ungodly times that we live today, mankind is regularly bombarded in the streets, the news media in print, on television, and even on the internet with images which are beyond the bounds of Islam; so much so, that it is almost impossible to abstain from such images regardless of how hard one tries.

When Allah Subhanah has blessed you with such ‘taqwa’ and piety, then it would be best to strive to move your sight away from such images when displayed, and strive to get the intended work done without getting entangled in watching the forbidden. In these trying and ungodly times, the believers are required to strive to tread life just as one treads and navigates his way through a plantation of thorny bushes, taking care at every step not to get himself entangled with the thorns!

There is absolutely no harm in buying your underwear from the internet, provided you navigate yourself carefully and stay clear from focusing your sight on the forbidden; or alternatively if you know what you wish to buy, then you could go directly to the order page, etc.

May Allah Subhanah increase yours and our ‘taqwa’ and God-consciousness, help and guide you and us and all the believers to strive to the best of our ability to live and navigate our lives in these trying times in a manner that is acceptable to Him. May Allah Subhanah forgive us our shortcomings in the observance of our deen, and hold us not to account for things that are beyond our control and domain.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan