Men muft
not look at
ftrange women,
except
in the face,
hand,
or foot.
A man (if
young) muft
not touch a
ftrange woman.
S E C T . IV.
0/ the C o m m e r c e o f the S e x e s ; and o f looking at or touching
any P e r f on.
I t is not permitted men to look at ftrange women, except in the
face, and palm of the hands, which is allowable, becaufe women
being frequently concerned in bulinefs with men, fuch as giving,
taking, &c. it would therefore fubjedt them to great inconvenience if
thefe parts were veiled, whence there is a neceffity for leaving them
bare.— It is reported, from Haneefa, that it is allowable to look at the
feet o f a woman, becaufe of there being fometimes occafion for it.
From Aboo Toofaf there is a tradition that the feeing of the (houlder is'
likewife allowed ; becaufe that, from the influence of cuftom, it’ is
left expofed. If, however; a man be not fecure from the impulfe of
luft, it is not allowable to look even at the fa ce of a woman, except in
cafes of abfolute neceflity.
I t is not lawful for a man to touch the hand of a ftrange woman,
notwithftanding he have a controul over his lu ft; becaufe the prophet
has faid, “ whofoever toucheth a ftrange woman, Jhall be fcorched in the
“ hand with hot cinders on the day o f judgment."— This, howfever,
proceeds on a fuppofition of the woman being young; for i f Ihe be
old, infomuch as'to be infenfible to luft, in that cafe it is lawful to
touch her at the tirpe o f falutation. The cafe is fimilar where the man,
being old, is infenfible to paffion himfelf, and not fuch as to excite it
in the woman he touches.
I t is lawful to touch or look at a young girl infenfible of the carnal
appetite; as in that cafe there is no apprehenfion of fedudlion.
A K azee may look in the face of a ftrange woman, when he
pafles a decree upon her, notwithftanding there be an apprehenfion of
lu ft; becaufe he is under a neceffity of fo doing, for the purpof« of
expediting his decrees, in order that the rights of mankind may fuftain
no injury.— Witnefl'es,- alfo, are under the fame neceffity, in order
to their giving evidence; and hence it is lawful for them likewife to
look in the face of a ftrange woman, where they are defirous of giving
evidence concerning her.— With refpedt,’ however, to looking merely
in order to bear teftimony, it is certain that this is not allowable where
there is any apprehenfion of luft, fincer others might be found free
from fuch influence; which argument does not apply at the time of
aSlually giving evidence.
A m an may without blame look on a woman whom he has an
inclination to marry, notwithftanding he knows that it will inflame
his paffion.
A physician, in adminiftering to a ftrange woman, is permitted
to look at the part affected. It is, however, moft advifeable that he
inftrujflt another woman how to apply the remedy, as the circumftanee
o f an individual of one fex looking at another of the fame is of lefs
confequence. I f he fhould not be able to procure a fit woman to in-
ftrudt, it is in that cafe incumbent on him to cover all the members of
the woman, leaving expofed only-the particular part, affected, when
he may look towards i t ; refraining from it however as much as is
poffible, fince any thing the fufferance of which is prompted by neceffity,
ought to be exercifed with as much reftritlion as the circum-
ftances of the cafe will admit.— In the fame manner alfo, it is lawful
for a man, in adminiftering a glyfter to a man, to look at the proper
part.
Vol. IV.
A female infant
may be
touched or
looked at.
Rules to be
obferved by
a magiftrate
with refpe&
to women,
when adting
in his judicial
capacity -
or by a <wit~
ne/s.
A woman
may be looked
at with a
view to marriage.
Rules to be
obferved by
a phyfician in
prefcribing
for women.
o O N E