Going to the bazaar for donations where women are without hijab

Question

A mosque imam collects donations for an institution in a situation where in the cities women are generally seen unclothed; moreover, the imam often has to be in the urban environment, because throughout the month the donations are collected through boxes placed in shops, so the imam often spends his time in the bazaar itself. Wandering through the city’s bazaars, quarters and streets certainly damages abstinence (zuhd) and God-fearingness (taqwa). Is the imam’s action appropriate or permissible?

Answer

Going to cities and bazaars out of necessity, while observing the limits of the Shari‘a, is permissible; going merely for amusement or to look at naked women is not permissible.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.