Which is the graver sin: watching photos of nude women or mocking Islamic beliefs? My friend and I have had an argument over which one is graver.

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, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

Mocking the religion and watching photos of immoral women are both evil and dangerous actions that are detrimental to one’s piety. However, there is a huge difference between the two. Watching photos of nude women is an unlawful and sinful act; the one who does it breaches the order of Allaah The Almighty to lower one’s gaze from things that are impermissible to look at. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision}[Quran 24:30] The ruling of prohibition applies to looking at both Muslim and disbelieving women.

Mocking the religion is an act of disbelief which leads to apostasy whether it is done seriously or in jest. When the people who mocked Allaah The Almighty, His verses and His Messenger came to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to apologize to him saying that they were only conversing idly and jesting, Allaah The Almighty addressed them Saying (what means): {Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after your belief.}[Quran 9:66]

Mocking the religion is a major symptom of the disease of uncertainty and doubt which corrupts the heart, and the one who commits it antagonizes Allaah The Almighty, His Messenger and the believers. Mocking religion implies that the person who mocks the religion prefers something else to it, regardless of what he actually prefers. In conclusion, both of these acts are grave sources of evil and Fitnah (trial) for one’s religion. It is obligatory to beware of both.

And Allaah Knows best.