Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaah wa barakaatuhu. I remember that I did haram by looking at girls or causing attraction, and may Allaah forgive me. My question is: is it necessary that the girls' father or brothers and so on forgive me in order for Allaah to forgive me, or the women's husband if she is married, or even the girl herself? And is it the same thing if that girl did not wear the veil, was half-naked, was also looking back at me, or was the first to look at me? And does looking at a girl or interact with her automatically make her father, brother or husband a Dayyooth (a man who has no protective jealousy towards his womenfolk)? And what if I do it again after that given that there are unveiled girls and women everywhere and that it is hard for me to control myself? Please supplicate for me to enter Al-Firdaws (the highest level of Paradise), and please answer me directly without referring me to other fatwas. Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaah wa barakaatuhu.

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

First of all, we ask Allaah for wellbeing and protection from every evil and affliction for both ourselves as well as for you. We also ask Him to bless us with guidance, piety, chastity, and richness and to make us and you among the inheritors of the highest part of Paradise.

You must repent from all these evil acts by not doing them again, regretting to having done them, and being determined not to do them again in the future. Please, refer to fatwa 86527.

You should not worry about seeking pardon from the woman whom you misbehaved with, nor from her guardian, be it a husband or a father, given that, in general, this would result in a greater evil.

It is enough for a Muslim to supplicate for someone who has a right on him, hoping that Allaah will make that person pleased with him on the Day of Resurrection.

The footnotes of Tuhfatul Muhtaaj fee Sharh Al-Minhaaj read, “Then I found that Al-Ghazaali said about those who had betrayed a person in his family, or his children, or the like, 'There is no need for seeking pardon (from that person) and showing one’s sins, as this would lead to affliction and hatred; rather, one should return to Allaah so that He would make the person pleased with him.'”

On the other hand, if the woman's guardian is pleased that she goes out without wearing the hijab and mixes with men, and with other evils, then this is being a Dayyooth. The Fiqh Encyclopedia reads, “According to the definition of the Fiqh scholars, the Dayyooth was defined with similar words whose meaning is the same, and it does not differ from the linguistic meaning, which is a man not being jealous about his wife or female Mahrams (permanently unmarriageable relatives).”

On the other hand, the fact that a woman is wearing the hijab or not wearing it or that she tried to seduce a man does not make it permissible for him to look at her.

If a person again falls in the sin from which he has repented, then he should again repent from it sincerely, and he should not despair of the mercy of Allaah.

Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet in a Qudsi hadeeth, said:

“A slave committed a sin and then said, 'O Allaah, forgive me.' Allaah Almighty said, 'My slave committed a sin and he knows that he has a Lord Who forgives the sin and punishes for it.' Then he sinned again and said, 'O my Lord, forgive me,' and Allaah Almighty said, 'My slave committed as sin and he knows that he has a Lord Who forgives the sin and punishes for it.' Then he sinned again (for the third time) and said, 'O my Lord, forgive me,' and Allaah Almighty said, 'My slave committed a sin and he knows that he has a Lord Who forgives the sin and punishes for it; do as you will, for I have forgiven you.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Allaah knows best.