Lawful Looks of Master and Slave

2. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn ‘Isma’il from Ibrahim ibn abu al-Balad and Yahya ibn Ibrahim from his father Ibrahim from Mu‘awiyah ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “Once we, about thirty people, were with abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, when my father came and abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, welcomed him, gave him a place just next to himself and turned to him (for speaking) for a long time. Then abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, said, ‘Abu Mu‘awiyah needs privacy, if you please provide us relief.’ We all got up and my father said to me, ‘O Mu‘awiyah, come back.’ I turned back and abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, asked, ‘Is this your son?’ He replied, ‘Yes, and he thinks that people of al-Madinah do something unlawful.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘What is it?’ I then said, ‘The woman of Quraysh or of Banu Hashim when riding, places her hand on the head of the black (slave) and her arms on his neck.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, said, ‘Son, have you not read al-Quran?’ I replied, ‘Yes, I read it.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Read this verse, ‘. . . it is not unlawful for them about their fathers, sons, and whomever their right hands possess.’ (33:55) He (the Imam) then said, ‘It is not unlawful if a slave looks at one’s hairs and legs (below the knees).”’