Control your Eyes

Controlling the eyes is a key part of a Muslims duty. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says in the Quran

قُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا فُرُوجَهُمْ ذَلِكَ أَزْكَى لَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ

"Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: And Allah is well acquainted with all that they do."

(Surah an Nur: verse 30)

When asking permission to enter a home, avoid glancing unnecessarily at its interior or beyond the guests quarter's. One should lower the gaze to prevent one from seeing awrat or anything else that is not lawful for us to see. What is private should remain so. This is shameful and harmful. Abu Dawud and al Tabarani explain that:

Sa'd ibn 'Ubada (رضى الله عنه) said. " A man stood facing the door of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) while asking permission to enter. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, "Turn this way," turning him away and ordering him to move further from the door, saying, "Asking permission is prescribed to prevent intrusion."

In other narrations:

Huzail (رضى الله عنه) said, "A man came and stood at the door of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) seeking permission to enter. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said to him, "Like this or like this (perhaps indicating that he should stand to the right or left of the door but not directly efore it), for seeking permission is legislated for sight.

(Abu Dawud : Sahih)

Imam Bukhari (رحمة الله عليه) also explained in Al Adab Al Mufrad that the person should not loook inside a house before getting permission. If you do [look inside before asking permission], you have already entered [that is, trespassed]." Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Bukhari stated in Al Adab Al Mufrad a hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah (رضى الله عنه) who said:

The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said "Is the sight leaps, permission should be denied."

(Abu Dawud - Chapter of Adab)

In other narrations by Abu Huraira (رضى الله عنه):

"When one looks inside of the home of people without their permisssion, it becomes permissible for them to gouge out his eye."

(Muslim)

"Were a man to look into your home/private property wihtout your permission, and were you to pelt him with pebbles and knock out his eye, there would be no sin upon you."

(Bukhari & Muslim)

Also, Imam Bukhari (رحمة الله عليه) narrated that:

Ammar ibn Sa'id al-Tujibi reported that Umar Ibn al-Khattab said, "Whoever fills his eys with the sight of the interior of a house before being permitted is a wrongdoer".

Bukhari, Muslim and others narrated that:

Sahl ibn Sa'd (رضى الله عنه) said that a man peeked through a hole into the room of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) while he was scratching his head with a small pitchfork. When the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) saw the intruder he told him, "Had I known you were looking I would have poked your eye! Asking permission was prescribed to prevent intrusion."

In another narration

Anas Ibn Maalik (رضى الله عنه) reported that a man looked through a hole into one of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) apartments, and so the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) stood up to go to him with an arrowhead(s). It was as if I saw the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) try to take him by surprise in order to stab him."

SUMMARY

1. Seek permission and stand to the right or left of the door when visiting.

2. Lower your gaze.

3. Looking into properties without permission is similar to spying, and intrusion.

4. Control your eyes and control your nafs.