In Islam, we are ordered to lower our gazes while coming face to face with members of the opposite sex:

“Say to the believing males to lower their gazes and guard their chastity…and say to the believing females to lower their gazes and guard their chastity…and do not expose their beauty except what is apparent save for their …” (An-Nur 24:30)

The above rule intends to promote a society where women are not treated as sexual objects and secondly to prevent the arousal of lustful thoughts in men and women.

Having said this, it also assumes that there will be social interaction between males and females. And that while interacting with the members of the opposite sex, we need not avoid them altogether; instead, we ought to shun lustful stares and looks.

Furthermore, the divine laws are given to us not to make life difficult, instead to make it as chaste and pure as possible to save us from our human failings and weaknesses.

So, when you are faced with an unavoidable situation of interacting with members of the opposite sex in the university campus or business or workplace, you should do your best to be conscious of the divine guidelines.

We are excused of what we cannot avoid as Allah knows our circumstances. Having said this, this in no way justifies going to beaches or movie houses or places where nudity or permissiveness is rampant. We cannot warrant frequenting such areas under the rule of necessity.

Frequenting such places is haram for, as the rule of jurisprudence states, “that which leads to haram is also deemed as haram.” For hanging around such sites is bound to arouse lustful thoughts, ultimately leading to sinful interactions and fornication.

We ought to pray to Allah, “O Allah, make us cherish love for faith and embellish our hearts with it, and make us abhor and hate disbelief and transgressions and acts of disobedience.”

Allah Almighty knows best.