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Fatwa CenterDoes seeing others' Awrah invalidate one's ablution?
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, may Allaah have mercy upon him, in this matter.
Answer
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.
Just looking at 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 no evidence in Islam that states that looking to the 'Awrah invalidates ablution, and we do not know any difference of opinion among the scholars about this issue.
The Hanafi School of Jurisprudence 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 
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."
However, 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 at the private parts of any other person except the spouse whether live, in photos, T.V, or internet, as Allaah says (what means): {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, Allaah is All-Aware of what they do.} [Quran 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.
For more benefit on matters that invalidates ablution, please refer to Fatwa 84093.
Allaah Knows best.
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