Question:
My question is: 1) Is seeing 'Awrah of another person breaks ablution? 2) Secondly, does seeing 'Awrah of an infant child of 1-2 years of age breaks ablution? 3) What about married couple seeing each others 'Awrah, does it breaks ablution? 4) Does watching all of the above categories on print media, television and Internet also counts to break of ablution? I want opinion of Ayimmat Arba'a, especially Abu Haneefah in this matter.
Fatwa:
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger.
Just looking to the 'Awrah (the parts of the body which must be covered: A man must cover from the navel to the knee and a woman must cover her whole body) of an infant, spouse, or anyone else does not nullify ablution. There is nothing in Islam that states that looking to the 'Awrah invalidates ablution, and we do not know any difference of opinion among the scholars about it. The Hanafi School stated that ablution is not invalidated by just looking. The author of Al-Mabsoot (of the Hanafi School) stated: 'Even if one looks to the private parts of his wife, this does not invalidate ablution as Ibn 'Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "Ablution is required if a white, thin, sticky discharge caused by sexual stimulation comes out of the private parts."
Just looking without any discharge and thinking about sexual acts is the same. But if any pre-seminal discharge comes out of the looker, then this invalidates ablution because of the discharge and not because of looking. Finally, we draw the attention of the questioner that it is forbidden to look to the private parts of any other person except the spouse whether live, in photos, T.V, or internet, as Allah says (interpretation of meaning): {Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc) that is purer for them. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what they do.}[24:30]. Moreover, the Prophet said: "A man should not look at the 'Awrah of another man, and a woman should not look at the 'Awrah of another woman." [Muslim and At-Tirmithi] However, it is permissible to look at the private parts of a child who is less than 7 years if that is without any desire and if one is free from temptation.
Allah knows best.
Fatwa answered by: The Fatwa Center at Islamweb