By profession, some pictures of women may appear on my e-mail, is it permissible to look at them? [What is the Islamic ruling on this?]

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

A Muslim is obliged to lower his gaze when he sees a picture of a woman or any picture that may cause temptation. Jareer said: "I asked the Prophet about an accidental look to a woman, and he ordered me to look in a different direction." So, it is not permissible to look again and again at these pictures or to deliberately search for them.

Allaah Knows best.