A man may
view or touch
any part o f
another man,
except his
nakednefs.
A woman
alfo, may
look at any
part o f a man
except his
nakednefs,
(provided Ihe
be free from
luA,)
A B O M I N A T I O N S . B o o k X L 1V .
O ne man may, without blame, look at any part of another, except
from beneath the navel up to the knee; becaufe the prophet has
faid, “ the nakednefs o f a man is from the navel to the knee', and as,
in another tradition, it is faid, “ from beneath the navel,” it may
thence be inferred that the navel is not included, but that the knee is
fo.— Still, however, in this a gradation is obferved; for the expofure
of the knee is of lefs confequence than that of the thigh, as on the
other hand the expofure of the thigh is not fo bad as that of the p ofitive
nakednefs, or genitals; wherefore a perfon is to be reproved mildly
when he leaves his knee bare; to be treated more hardily when he
covers not his thigh; and, in the cafe ofexpofing his genitals, muft be
compelled by puni(hment to cover them.
E v er y part of a man, which it is proper for another to look at,
may likewife, without blame, be touched by him; for the fight and
the touch of thofe parts of a man which are not nakednefs are confi-
dered in the fame light.
W omen may lawfully look at a man, except in the fpace from the I
navel to the knee; provided, however, they be fecure from lu ft; for I
men and women are confidered as alike, in looking at parts not private, I
the fame as in looking at a drefs or a quadruped. (In the Mabfoot, I
under the head of Hermaphrodites, it is related that a woman looking I
at a ftrange man refembles a man looking at his female relation, in I
which cafe it is unlawful that he look at her back or belly*, left he I
thereby excite luft.)— If, however, a woman be enflamed with luft, I
or harbour a ftrong fufpicion that looking at a man would create it, or I
be in any degree doubtful about it, in either of thefe cafes it is moft I
becoming that fhe (hut her eyes, and avoid looking at a ftrange man; I
and if a man alfo be thus circumftanced, it is incumbent on him to I
clofe his eyes, nor muft he look at a ftrange woman; becaufe luft I
* T h e reafon o f this is explained hereafter.
having
B o o k X L I V . a b o m i n a t i o n s . 99
having °reat power over women, .is confidered as always operating
upon them; and when men are alfo fubjedt to a paffion of that nature,
it exifts then on the part of both ; and this is a weighty reafon for
rendering their looking at each other illegal. It is otherwife where the
woman is influenced and not the man, for then there is not an equally
cogent reafon to render it unlawful, one party only being in that cafe
enflamed with luft.
A woman is permitted to look at any part of another except from
under the navel to the knee. This is according to one tradition of otherwomaa.
Haneefa-, but according to another tradition, the looking of one woman
at another of her fex, is the fame as that o f a man at his female
relation; that is, they are not permitted to look at the back or belly.
T h e firft tradition is however the moft authentic.
I t is lawful for a man to look at his (lave girl in any part, provided A man may-
. ° x L r view his wire
fhe be not related to him within the prohibited degrees; and alfo at or his ilave m
bis wife in any part, even in the pudenda, i f he pleafe; becaufe the anJr Part-
prophet has faid, “ Jhut your eyes from all excepting your wives and
“ femaleßaves.” Neverthelefs, it is moft becoming that a hu(band
and wife (hould neither of them look at the genital parts o f the other,
as the prophet has (aid, “ when ye copulate with women o f your own
“ tribe, you muß conceal as much as pofßble', and be not then naked, as
JJ that favours too much o f the cußom o f affes.”
It is lawful for a man to look at his female relation either in the A man may
face, head, bread, (houlder, or legs; for as it is ufual with relations perfon of his
to vifit one another without any previous intimation, and unattended fc"1*'’'011'“ -
with any retinue, and-as women, in their houfe, generally wear a
drefs adapted to fervice, if, therefore, the fight of thefe parts were
culpable, it would impofe too great reftraint upon them. It is different
with refpect to other parts; and hence proceeds the illegality of
looking at the back or belly. (It is proper to obferve that by the term
O 2 relation,