Indexed OCR Text

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dares to call them profitable businesses. The absence of hijab for women,
even if it has economic gains, cannot be called beneficial by sensible and
wise people when it engulfs the whole nation and the country in mischief
and disorder.
The Golden Islamic Principle of Barring the Ways and Means for
Prevention of Crimes in a moderate manner
Just as the basic principles of faith, like belief in the Oneness of
Allah, the prophethood and in the life Hereafter are common the religious
systems of all the prophets, similarly crimes, obscenities and evil deeds
have been held unlawful (haram) in all revealed laws and divine
religions. But in the previous religions and their laws, the ways and
means which led to the violations were not declared absolutely unlawful
in themselves, unless a crime or sin was committed through them. But
since the Shari'ah of Islam has to be be in force till the Doomsday, it has
been safeguarded by Allah Ta'ala specially in that not only the crimes
and sins but even their causes and means that normally lead one to those
crimes and sins have been declared unlawful themselves. For example,
when drinking was forbidden, the processing, selling purchasing and
presentation of alcoholic drinks was also forbidden. Similarly when
interest and usury was forbidden, then all affairs involving interest or
resembling usury were also declared unlawful. That is why the Islamic
jurists have declared all profits derived from invalid businesses to be filthy
earning like interest. To associate any being with Allah Ta'ala (Shirk) and
idolatry have been declared by Qur'an to be the greatest injustice and
unpardonable sins, so severe prohibitions have been placed on their
causes and means also. Since the polytheists (mushrikin) used to worship
the sun at sunrise, sunset and at midday, saying of prayers (Salah) in
those particular times would bear a resemblance to sun worshipers and
this resemblance itself could lead to 'Shirk', therefore the revealed laws
declared even saying of prayers (Salah) and prostration (Sajdah) to be
unlawful (Haram) in those times. Statues and pictures of idols are very
close to idolatry, so sculpturing of idol's statues and making of their
pictures is forbidden and their usage is not permissible.
Similarly while forbidding adultery, all its immediate causes and
means have also been declared unlawful by Shari'ah. To look at any boy
or woman with sexual lust is held as a fornication through the eyes, to

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hear their speech with that intent is held as fornication through the ears,
to touch them as fornication through the hands and to walk in their
pursuit as fornication through the feet, as recorded in authentic Hadith.
The injunctions of hijab for women were revealed to safeguard one
against these very sins.
But there is a very long list of causes and means - immediate and
distant. if even the distant causes of a sinful act are forbidden, life would
become very difficult and considerable difficulty would be faced in
carrying out day-to-day affairs which is against the nature of this
مَاجَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِى :religion. The Holy Qur'an's open declaration in this matter is
.It means that no difficulty has been placed on you in religion. الدِّيْنِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ
Therefore, in the matter of causes and means, it was wisely decided that
those acts and deeds which are such immediate causes of any sin that,
generally, one who commits them does necessarily get involved in that
sin, have been annexed with the real sin and forbidden as well. If one
commits some acts and deeds that are distant causes of a sin and do not
necessarily involve one generally in that sin, but they do have some
share in the involvement in it, they have been declared reprehensible
(makruh). Those causes which are even farther away from involving one
in a sin, and which cause one's involvement in very rare cases, they have
been considered permissible.
An example of the first case is selling of alcoholic drinks which has
been declared as unlawful as drinking itself, because it is an immediate
means of drinking. Similarly touching a non-mahram woman, although
not fornication in itself, but since it is an immediate cause and means for
it, it has also been declared unlawful like the fornication is unlawful.
An example of the second case would be selling of grapes to a person
about whom it is known that he would make wine out of the grapes,
either because he is a wine maker by profession or because he has clearly
said that this is his purpose for its purchase. This is not unlawful in the
same way as selling of alcoholic drinks, but this is reprehensible and not
permissible. The same rule applies to renting out land or building for a
cinema house or an interest-based bank that if it was known at the time
of finalizing the deal or contract that the purpose of living for rent is not
permissible, then renting would be Makruh Tahrimi (reprehensible
bordering on being unlawful).

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An example of the third case would be selling of grapes to the common
public. While it is possible that anyone of them might make wine out of
the grapes, but neither has anyone said that he will do so, nor is it in the
seller's knowledge that anyone makes wine, such sale and purchase has
been considered permissible under the rules.
Important Caution
It is important to note that all those acts and deeds which have been
declared unlawful by the rules because they are immediate causes or
means of involving one in sin, all of them are absolutely unlawful now
after the injunction, irrespective of whether these acts involved one in sin
or not; their being unlawful is itself a permanent rule of the religion and
its violation is impermissible.
It is easier to understand, after this introductory explanation that
hijab for women is also based upon this principle of barring the ways and
means of a sin that leads to getting involved in sin. Here also the rules
for the three categories of causes aforementioned would apply. For
example, a young woman's uncovering her body in front of a young man
is such an immediate cause of commission of sin that as per general
nature of men and women, this act would almost certainly lead to
commission of sin. Therefore the rules declare it to be forbidden just as
fornication is forbidden. Now that this act has been ruled to be the same
as fornication, it is absolutely prohibited, even if the person involved is
innocent or he is positive that he would not commit the further sin
because he has control over himself. The exemption of the circumstances
of necessity, medical treatment, etc. do not effect its being forbidden. Even
the change of times and ages do not affect it because the rule is just as
applicable today in these times of evil and adultery as it was in the first
period of Islam.
The second category of the causes would be that women step out of
the four walls of their houses wearing burqa' (dress which covers from
head to feet) or a longish shawl to cover their bodies completely from head
to feet. This is a distant cause of fitnah (mischief). The rule in this case is
that if doing so would cause fitnah, then it is not permissible but if there
is no apprehension of fitnah in doing so, then it is permissible. Therefore
this rule is subject to change depending upon circumstances and times.
Such outings of women were not cause of mischief during the period of

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the Holy Prophet 5. That is why he had given permission to women to go
to mosques after having covered themselves completely from head to feet,
subject to certain conditions and he had forbidden people from preventing
women from going to mosques. Even at that time, although women were
being persuaded to offer their prayers in their own homes, because, for
them, the reward of offering prayers in their homes is greater than the
reward of offering their prayers in mosques, but they were not disallowed
from saying their prayers in mosques because there was no apprehension
of fitnah. The noble companions
, after the expiry of the Holy Prophet
, realized that going of women to mosques, even if they are covered
صَلى الله
from head to feet, was no longer free from apprehension of fitnah, so they
evolved a consensus among themselves and stopped women from joining
the congregation in mosques. Sayyidah 'A'ishah رضى الله عنها stated that if
the Holy Prophet
could see the circumstances prevailing today, he
would, most certainly, have stopped women from going to mosques. This
tells us that the decision of the noble companions was no different from
that of the Holy Prophet #3, rather the rule itself changed according to
the change in conditions as laid down by the Holy Prophet
The rules regarding Hijab for women have been stated in seven
verses of the Holy Qur'an - three in Surah An-Nur earlier, four in Surah
Al-Ahzab out of which one is mentioned earlier, the second is under
review and the other two would come later, wherein the determination of
the category of Hijab, details of the rules and the exemptions have been
stated in detail. Similarly, in more than seventy ahadith of the Holy
Prophet , the verbal and practical orders of Hijab have been stated. All
these injunctions, rules and regulations have been collected by the author
in a booklet titled "Tafsilul Khitab fi Tafsirl 'Ayat- il-hijab" in Arabic
language, already published as a part of Surah Al-Ahzab in "Ahkam- ul
Qur'an", some important extracts of which are being reproduced below.
The Advent of Hijab in Historical Perspective
Free mixing among men and women has never been considered
appropriate in the entire history of the world from Sayyidna 'Adam &kyl
to the last prophet, Sayyidna Muhammad al-Mustafa 5, and it is no
peculiarity of the people following religious codes; in fact, such mixing has
not been held as proper in good families universally.

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At the time when Sayyidna Musa
was traveling through Madyan,
two women are mentioned in the Holy Qur'an who were standing aside,
holding their flock of goats while waiting for their turn to take these to
the water trough. The reason given for this is no other but that these
women did not like to push and shove into the crowd of men, instead,
preferred to remain content with whatever water was left. The first verse
of Hijab was revealed at the time of the marriage of Sayyidah Zainab bint
Jahsh رضى الله عنها. Even before its revelation, a narration appearing in the
Jami' of Tirmidhi describes the position in which she was sitting in the
house : ◌ِوَهِىَ مُوَلِّيَةٌ وَجُهِهَا إِلَى الْحَائِط (and she was [sitting] with her face turned
towards the wall).
This tells us that, even before the revelation relating to Hijab, the
custom of free mixing among men and women, no-holds-barred dates,
rendezvous, get-togethers and chats did not exist among good people
anywhere. The First Age of Ignorance marked by personal display
(tabarruj) by its women referred to in the Qur'an was something peculiar
to bondwomen and women of loose character - certainly, not in good
families of Arabia. They saw it as low and reprehensible. The whole
history of Arabia bears testimony to this. In India, among the adherents
of Hindu, Buddhist and other polytheistic faiths, free mixing between
men and women was not tolerated. All those claims of working with men
shoulder to shoulder, parading in bazaars and streets, free mixing of men
and women in almost every department of life and the chain of intimate
contacts in parties and clubs are the product of immodesty and obscenity
among Europeans - a disease they too have been afflicted with after
having veered away from their past. In those earlier days of theirs, they
too were no victims of this situation they are in. Allah Ta'ala has created
women physically different from men. Similarly, He has also placed in
their temperaments the essential ingredient of natural modesty which
automatically inclines them to maintain a certain aloofness from the
general run of men and to remain properly covered. This screen of
natural and temperamental modesty has always been present there
between women and men since the very beginning. In the early period of
Islam too, the mutually imposed absence of free mixing - a forerunner of
the Hijab - was of this very nature.
This particular kind of the Hijab of women - that the real place for

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women be within the walls of the home and when they have to go out to
take care of a need valid in the sight of the Shari'ah, then, they go out
after having covered their whole body - was instituted after the hijrah to
Madinah in the Hijrah year 5. Relevant details follow.
By a consensus of the scholars of Muslim Ummah, the first verse
about this kind of Hijab is the one mentioned above: لاَتَدْخُلُوا بُيُوتَ النَّبِى (do
not enter the houses of the Prophet - 53) and this verse was revealed at
the time of the marriage of Sayyidah Zainab bint Jahsh Que il se, and
her entry into the home of the prophet as his blessed wife. As for the date
of this marriage, Hafiz Ibn Hajar in Isabah and Ibn 'Abd-ul-Barr in
Isti'ab have reported two sayings that it took place in the Hijrah year 3,
or in the Hijrah year 5. Ibn Kathir has preferred Hijrah year 5. Ibn Sa'd
has reported Hijrah year 5 also from Sayyidna Anas 4%, This very view
seems to be the preferred one from some narrations of Sayyidah 'A'ishah
.as well. And Allah knows best رضى الله عنها
In the cited verse, women were ordered to observe Hijab and men
were ordered to ask from them, if they have to ask for something, from
behind the Hijab. Here, particular emphasis has been placed on the
observation of Hijab in the sense that non-mahram men and women have
to remain apart, however, should there be the need to talk to women, men
could do so from behind a Hijab, curtain or something that obstructs the
view.
Revealed in the noble Qur'an there are seven verses about the Hijab
of women and its details. Out of these, four have gone by right here in
Surah Al-Ahzab while three of them have already appeared in Surah
An-Nur (Ma'ariful-Qur'an, Volume VI). It is universally agreed upon that the
لَا تَدُخُلُوا بُيُوتَ :first verse to have been revealed about Hijab is this very verse
Do not enter the houses of the prophet, unless you are) النَّبِيِّ إِلاَّ أَنْ يُؤْذَنَ لَكُمْ
permitted for a meal - 53). The three verses of Surah An-Nur and the
initial verse of Surah Al-Ahzab where the blessed wives have been
commanded to stay in their homes though appear earlier in the order of
the Qur'an, yet in terms of their revelation, they come later. It has been
explicitly said in the initial verse of Surah Al-Ahzab that the said
command has been given at a time when the blessed wives were divinely
given the right to choose one of the following two courses. If they wanted
to have extended worldly means, they should take a divorce from the

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Holy Prophet g, and if they preferred the benefits of the Hereafter and
were willing to remain satisfied with whatever worldly means were
available to them in their present state of life, then, they could stay
married to him.
It has also been mentioned in this event of choice that, among the
wives given this choice, Sayyidah Zainab bint Jahsh L dl , was also
included. This tells us that her marriage was already solemnized before
the revelation of this verse. The said verse came after that. Similarly,
there are the verses of Surah An-Nur that carry details relating to Hijab.
These are, though earlier in the order of the Qur'an, but in terms of their
sequence of revelation, they too have been revealed with the incident of
Ifk which came to pass on return from the battle of Bani al-Mustaliq or
Muraisi'. This battle took place in the Hijrah year 6 - and the injunctions
governing the Islamic legal Hijab came to be enforced from the time when
the verse of Hijab was revealed in relevance to the marriage of Sayyidah
Zainab رضى الله عنها. The verses of Surah An-Nur relating to Hijab have
already appeared in Surah An-Nur (Ma'ariful-Qur'an, Volume VI).
The difference between the injunctions of Satr-ul-'Awrah and
Veiling of Women (Hijab)
The part of the body, of a man or woman, called 'awrah 's in
Arabic, satr () in Urdu and Persian is something the concealing of
which is obligatory for everyone - legally, naturally and rationally - and
is, after the initial article of Faith ('Iman), the foremost obligation which
must be carried out necessarily by concealing the private parts of the
body. This duty has remained an obligation since the very beginning and
has been a standing obligation in all religious codes brought by the noble
prophets JIAle. In fact, even before the advent of religious codes
when, because of the tasting of the forbidden fruit in Jannah, the
Paradisical apparel of Sayyidna 'Adam and Sayyidah Hawwa' came off
leaving the cover-worthy parts of the body uncovered, even in that
situation which was beyond his control, Sayyidna 'Adam &al did not take
it as permissible. Therefore, both of them, Sayyidna 'Adam and Sayyidah
Hawwa', covered their private parts by placing a string of leaves over
them. Thus, their 'awrah came to be concealed. This is what is meant by
the verse of the Qur'an : ◌ِطَفِقًا يَخْصِفَانِ عَلَيْهِمَا مِنْ وَّرَقِ الْجَنَّة (and they began to
patch together upon themselves some leaves of Paradise - 7:22). From the

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coming of Sayyidna 'Adam de into this world right up to the last of the
prophets, Sayyidna Muhammad al-Mustafa , the concealment of
'awrah has remained obligatory in the religious code of every prophet.
There could be a difference in the precise determination and limitation of
body parts to be concealed, but the essential obligation of satr is decisively
established in all religious codes of the prophets. Then, this obligation
applies to all human beings, men and women, in its own right - whether
nor not there be someone else to see. For this reason, should there be a
person who offers his Salah in naked state in the darkness of night -then,
despite the fact that nobody is seeing him,his Salah will not be acceptable,
if he does have with him something to wear that is sufficient to cover the
private parts of his body (Satr) - (Al-Bahr- ur-Ra'iq).
There is no difference of opinion in the fact that it is obligatory to
cover those parts of the body which are included in 'awrah' before people,
even when one is not performing Salah. But, in a state of privacy where
no one is around to look, even there, it is not permissible, according to the
correct view, to sit naked with one's coverable parts ('awrah) exposed
without a need recognized by the Shari'ah, (Al-Bahr from Sharh al-Munyah).
This much was about the injunction of satr-ul-'awrah (the
concealment of the coverable parts of the body) which has been obligatory
from the advent of Islam, rather, from the very beginning, in all religious
codes of the noble prophets, and in which, men and women are equal,
equal in private and in public, just as it is not permissible to be naked
before people, it is also not permissible to stay unnecessarily naked when
alone or in private.
The second issue - the Hijab of women
Hijab essentially requires that women do not appear before male
strangers without proper cover. About this issue, at least this much has
always remained established among prophets and the righteous and
noble persons that there should be no free mixing between male strangers
and women. In the incident about the two daughters of Sayyidna Shu'aib
Sell, it is mentioned in the Qur'an (Surah Al-Qasas, 28:23, Part 20) that
when the girls went to water their goats on the public well in the locality,
they found it crowded with people who were watering their own flocks. It
appears in the Qur'an that these girls were standing aside, aloof from
them. Sayyidna Musa Ka, who was passing by as a traveler, saw the

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girls standing so aloof from others. When he asked them about the reason
for it, they told him two things:
1. 'Right now, there is a crowd of men out there. We shall water our
goats when these people will have finished watering gone'.
2. 'Our father is old and weak' which indicates that coming out to
water domestic animals was not the job of women in terms of the
commonly recognized practice. But, it was because of the old age and
weakness of the father, or because of the absence of any other man
around, they had to do this job.
This state of the daughters of Sayyidna Shu'aib & pointed out in
the noble Qur'an tells us that, even during that time and in their religious
code too, free mixing of men and women and their working together
shoulder to shoulder was not liked. In fact, any job which caused free
contact with men was just not entrusted with women. However, keeping
this whole thing in view, it appears that the injunction requiring women
to observe regular Hijab was yet to be enforced formally. Similarly,
during the early period of Islam, the same situation kept prevailing. It
was in the Hijrah year 3 or 5 that women were obligated with the
observance of Hijab before male strangers, the details of which appear
later.
Now we know that the satr of 'awrah and the Hijab of women are two
separate issues and different from each other. Satr-ul-'awrah
(concealment of coverable parts) has always been obligatory. The Hijab of
women was made obligatory in the Hijrah year 5. Satr-ul-'awrah is
obligatory on men and women both while Hijab is obligatory on women
only. Satr-ul-'awrah is obligatory both in public and in private while
Hijab is obligatory only in the presence of male strangers. These details
have been provided for the reason that by the jumbling of both these
issues so many doubts rise impeding the understanding of the rulings and
injunctions of the Qur'an. For example, the face and the palms of a
woman are excluded from Satr-ul-'awrah under the authority of
consensus (ijma). Therefore, should the face and palms remain uncovered
in the state of Salah, the Salah is permissible, as agreed upon and as
borne by consensus. As for face and palms, these are exempt in
accordance with definitive textual authority. The feet have been

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exempted by Muslim jurists on the analogy of face and palms.
But, whether or not the face and palms are exempted in the
observance of Hijab before male strangers is a matter in which difference
exists, details of which have appeared earlier under the commentary on
the verse of Surah An-Nur: لَا يُبْدِيْنَ زِيْنَتَهُنَّ إِلاَّ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا (and must not expose
their adornment except that which appears thereof - 24:31), a summary of
which will follow later.
The degrees of Islamic legal Hijab and the injunctions relating to
them
The sum of seven verses of the Qur'an and seventy narrations of
Hadith about the Hijab of women seems to be that the real objective
desirable in the sight of the Shari'ah is Hijab-ul-ashkhas i.e. physical
hiding of women from strangers. In other words, women and their
movement should remain hidden from the sight of men, something that
can be accomplished by means of the four walls of homes or tents or
hanging curtains. All forms of Hijab allowed other than this are all
restricted by or conditional with the ground of need, time of need and
measure of need.
Thus, the first degree of Hijab - which is the really desired objective of
the Shari'ah - is that women stay in their homes. But, the Shari'ah of
Islam is a comprehensive and complete social system in which full
consideration has been given to all human needs. Then, it is all too
obvious that women will face inevitable circumstances when they have to
go out of the house at some or the other time. For this purpose, the second
degree of Hijab, in the light of the Qur'an, and Sunnah, seems to be that
they should go out wearing a burqa' or long shawl concealing their whole
body. To see their way, they leave only one eye open from inside the
sheet, or use a patch of net before the eyes as is placed in a burqa' for this
purpose. On occasions of need, this second degree of Hijab too - like the
first one - is agreed upon among all Muslim scholars and jurists.
From some narrations of Hadith, there seems to emerge a third degree
of Hijab as well - in which the views of Sahabah, the Tabi'in and the
jurists of Muslim community differ - according to which women, when
they go out from the house, of necessity, they can let their face and palm
remain open before people subject to the condition that their entire body is

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concealed. A detailed description of these three degrees of Islamic legal
Hijab follows.
The first degree of Hijab from people by virtue of staying home
According to the Qur'an and Sunnah, this degree is the one really
desired. It stands clearly proved by the verse of Surah Al-Ahzab under
study right now: ◌ِوَإِذَ اسَاَلْتُمُوُهُنَّ مَتَاعًا فَاسْتَلُؤُهُنَّ مِنْ وَّرَآءٍ حِجَاب °And when you ask
any thing from them (the blessed wives of the Prophet), ask them from
behind a curtain - 53. Still more explicit is the very initial verse of Surah
Al-Ahzab, that is: ◌َّوَقَرُنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُن (And remain in your homes.) The manner
in which the Holy Prophet #2 put the guidance given in these verses into
practice hardly leaves room for any further explanation.
We have already come to know that the first verse about the Hijab of
women was revealed at the time of the marriage of Sayyidah Zainab 2)
Qis AU. As in the narrations of Hadith, Sayyidna Anas 4ge said, "I know
this event of Hijab more than anyone else for the reason that, at that
time, I was present in the company of the Holy Prophet g. When this
verse requiring the observance of Hijab was revealed, he put a sort of
make-shift curtain from a sheet and had thus made Sayyidah Zainab )
bis AU seated hidden behind it - not that he would conceal her personally
in a burqa' or long sheet.
The event relating to Sayyidna 'Umar Ibn Khattab 4
appearing
under the Background of Revelation described earlier also seems to
indicate that Sayyidna 'Umar 4ee simply wished that the blessed wives
stay inside, away from the sight of men - as is evident from the words he
used on this occasion:ُيَدُخُلُ عَلَيْكَ الْبَرُّ وَالْفَاجِر (among those coming to you there
are [all sorts of people] the righteous and the sinning).
According to a narration of Sayyidah 'A'ishah 4 dl >, appearing in
the chapter of the battle of Mutah in the Şahin of al-Bukhari, when the
Holy Prophet
was informed of the Shahadah (martyrdom) of Sayyidna
Zayd Ibn Harithah, Ja'far and 'Abdullah Ibn Rawahah de, he was in the
Masjid. His blessed face showed signs of intense grief and shock. I was
watching what was happening there from inside my room through a
crack in the door.
This proves that, the Ummul-Mu'minin, even at the time of such a
shocking occurrence, did not come out in a burqa' to join the crowd of

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people, instead, witnessed the proceedings from a crack in the door.
And in the chapter on 'Umratu 'I-Qada' in Kitab- ul-Maghazi of the
Şahin of al-Bukhari, it appears that the nephew of Sayyidah 'A'ishah )
Luc QUI, Sayyidna 'Urwah Ibn Zubayr 4ge, and Sayyidna 'Abdullah Ibn
'Umar age were sitting in the Mosque of the Prophet fairly close to the
outer side of the living quarters of Sayyidah 'A'ishah and were busy
talking about the 'Umra visits of the Holy Prophet . Sayyidna Ibn
'Umar de says that, during that time, we could hear the voice of
Sayyidah 'A'ishah doing her miswak and clearing her throat coming out
from inside the living quarters. Onward from here, mentioned there are
the 'Umra visits of the Holy Prophet . From this narration too, we learn
that soon after the revelation of the verses of Hijab, it had become the
regular practice of the blessed wives that they would observe Hijab
virtually by staying at home.
Similarly, there is a Hadith in the chapter on the battle of Ta'if in the
Şahin of al-Bukhari saying that the Holy Prophet % gargled in a utensil
of water and gave it to Sayyidna Abu Musa and Bilal upe to drink and
wipe their faces with. Ummul-Mu'minin, Sayyidah Umm Salamah Ut se)
us was watching this incident from behind a curtain. She called the two
blessed souls from inside the curtain asking them to spare a little from
that tabarruk for their mother (meaning for herself).
This Hadith too testifies that soon after the revelation of the order of
Hijab, the blessed wives used to stay inside homes and behind curtains.
Special Note
Also noteworthy in this narration is the fact that even the blessed
wives of the Holy Prophet
were fond of his tabarrukat (plural of
tabarruk meaning something blessed) just like other Muslims. This too is
a singularity of his sanctified person alone, otherwise, the informal
relationship a husband has with his wife would have made it habitually
impossible to maintain this degree of reverence.
And according to a narration of Sayyidna Anas 4% in Kitab-ul-'Adab
of the Şahin of al-Bukhari, he and Sayyidna Abu Talhah 4
were once
going somewhere with the Holy Prophet . He was riding a camel.
Ummul-Mu'minin, Sayyidah Safiyyah L' Ul >, was also riding with
him. En route, the camel stumbled all of a sudden and, according to the

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report of Sayyidna Abu Talhah, when he and Sayyidah Şafiyyah fell
down from the back of the camel, Abu Talhah presented himself before
him and submitted, 'May Allah accept me as ransom for you, are you
hurt?' He said, 'No, you take care of the woman.' The first thing Sayyidna
Abu Talhah did was to hide his face with a piece of cloth, then he reached
Sayyidah Safiyyah and threw a sheet of cloth over her after which she
stood up. Then, in the same manner, keeping her hidden behind proper
cover, he had her mount her camel.
In this event too which came suddenly in the form of an accident,
there is a lesson. It provides testimony to the fact that the noble Şahabah
and the blessed wives gave great importance to the matter of Hijab. The
attention paid and the care and concern shown in this incident hardly
leave any room for further explanations.
A Hadith of Sayyidna 'Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud age in Jami' of Tirmidhi
reports that the Holy Prophet seg said:
إِذَا خَرَجَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ اسْتَشْرَفَهَا الشَّيُطْنُ (قال الترمذى هذا حديث حسن صحيح غريب)
When a woman comes out (of her house), the Shaytan marks
her out (that is, makes her a means of spreading evil among
Muslims) - (Tirmidhi has termed this Hadith as hasan, sahih,
gharib').
And Ibn Khuzaymah and Ibn Hibban have also reported the
وَأَقْرَبُ مَاتَكُونُ مِنْ وَّجُهِ رَبِّهَا وَهِىَ فِى قَعُرِ بَيْتِهَا : following additional words in this Hadith
(And [a woman] is closer to her Rabb [Lord] when she is [hidden] in the
midmost [section] of her house.
Present in this Hadith too is the evidence of the fact that the real
thing for women is no other but that they stay in their homes and do not
go out (occasions of need remaining an exception).
And in a Hadith; the Holy Prophet
لَيْسَ لِلنّسَآءِ نَصِيبٌ فِى الْخُرُوجِ : has said
Ly (For women, there is no share in going out except when
inevitable) - reported by Țabaranī, as quoted by Kanz, p. 283, v. 8)
And says a narration from Sayyidna 'Ali de: 'Once I was present in
the company of the Holy Prophet . He asked the noble Sahabah, susi
af'u " What is better for women? The Şahabah kept silent. They said
nothing in response. Later, when I went home, I repeated the same

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question before Fatimah رضى الله عنها .She said, ◌َّلاَيَرَيْنَ الرِّجَالَ وَلاَ يَرَوْنَهُن [that is, it
is better for women that] 'neither they see men, nor are seen by them.'
When I reported the answer given by her to the Holy Prophet g, he said,
.(She said it right. Of course, she is a part of me) صَدَقَتُ إِنَّها بِضُعَةٌ مِنِّى
The reason why Sayyidah 'A'ishah رضى الله عنها was left behind in the
wilderness during the event of Ifk was no other but that the Hijab of the
blessed wives was not simply restricted to the burqa' or long sheet, in fact,
even while traveling, they used to be in their camel-litter (shughduf or
hawdaj). This shughduf itself was mounted on the camel and was
dismounted as such. A shughduf is like a miniature roomette for the
traveler. During the course of this event, when the caravan started
leaving, the attendants following their usual practice mounted the
shughduf on the back of the camel assuming that the Ummul-Mu'minin
was already in there. But, the truth of the matter was that she was not
there in it, rather, had gone out of it for physical relief. It was in this
misunderstanding that the caravan departed and the Ummul-Mu'minin
was left behind in the wilderness.
This event too is a strong evidence of the fact that the sense of Islamic
legal Hijab as understood by the Holy Prophet
¿ and his blessed wives
was but that women stay in their homes and, if traveling, in their
shughduf (camel-litter), their presence was not to be exposed before men.
Then, this was the care and concern shown regarding the observance of
Hijab from men in the state of travel. From this, one can imagine the level
of importance of Hijab when a woman is in her normal residence.
The second degree of Hijab with burqa'
On occasions of need, when a woman has to go out of her house, she is
required to be covered up from the head to the feet in some burqa' or long
sheet in a manner that no part of the body is left exposed. This has its
proof in the verse (59) of Surah Al-Ahzab that is coming up a little later:
O prophet, tell your) فَأَيُّهَا النَّبِىُّ قُلُ لَأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنْتِكَ وَنِسَآءِ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ يُدُنِيْنَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ جَلَابِيْبِهِنَّ
wives and your daughters and the women of the believers that they
should draw down their shawls over them - 33:59). The original word used
by the Qur'an for 'shawls' is jilbab (plural: jalabib) which is a long sheet
in which a woman gets to be hidden from the head to the feet. (This has
been reported from Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas 46

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Ibn Jarir has, citing his own chains of authority, has reported from
Sayyidna 'Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas de the manner in which a jilbab is used,
that is, a woman should be wrapped therein, from the head to the feet,
and that her face and nose too be hidden behind it - leaving only one eye
uncovered to see the way. A detailed explanation of this verse will appear
later. Here, the only purpose is to point out that, on occasion of need,
when a woman has to go out of the house, then, she has to opt for this
degree of Hijab, that is, she be covered up with a jilbab or something
similar from the head to the feet, and that her face too - with the
exception of one eye - be hidden.
This form too is permissible on occasions of need in accordance with
the consensus of the jurists of the Muslim community. But, there are
Şahin (sound) ahadith where some restrictions have been placed even on
the choice of this form, for example, she should not be wearing perfume,
or ringing ornaments, and that she should walk on the side of the street
and that she should not enter a crowd of men.
The third degree of Islamic legal Hijab about which jurists differ
The third degree of Hijab is that the whole body of the woman is
hidden from the head to the feet, but the face and palms remain open.
The question whether this degree of Hijab (where face and palms are
exposed) is permissible has been a matter of difference of opinion between
Muslim jurists which has emerged from different interpretations of the
words bb y! (except that which is open) occurring in Surah An-Nur
(24:31) Some commentators have interpreted these words to mean the face
and palms, and therefore they have exempted them from Hijab, and have
held that it is permissible to leave them open. (as reported from Sayyidna
Ibn 'Abbas). But there are others among them who take the expression to
mean burqa', jilbab etc. These commentators hold it impermissible to
expose face and palms. (as reported by Sayyidna Ibn Mas'ud). But, even
according to those who have called it permissible, the permissibility is
subject to the condition that there should be no apprehension of fitnah
(situation resulting in some evil consequence). Since the face of a woman
is at the center of her beauty and embellishment, therefore, the absence
of any apprehension of fitnah is a rare likelihood. Ultimately, for this
reason, under normal conditions, opening the face etc. is not permissible
even according to the first group of commentators.

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Three Imams - Malik, Shafi'i and Ahmad Ibn Hanbal - out of the four
took to the strict position and held it absolutely impermissible to expose
face and palms, whether or not there is an apprehension of fitnah. As for
Imam Abu Hanifah, he has, though, taken a different view, yet he has
subjected it to the condition that there is no apprehension of fitnah, and
since this condition remains customarily missing, therefore, Hanafi jurists
too have not permitted the opening of the face and palms before
non-Mahrams.
The citations regarding the views of the four Imams have been given
in detail with reference to authentic books of these schools in this humble
writer's treatise entitled Tafsil-ul-Khitab, published as part of the major
work on Ahkam-ul-Qur'an. Since the original ruling of the Hanafijurists
opts for the exemption of the face and palms from Hijab, therefore, a few
citations of the Hanafi jurists are being given here in which it is
mentioned that, due to the apprehension of fitnah, exposing face and
palms is forbidden :
إِعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ لَا مُلَازَمَةَ بَيْنَ كَوْنِهِ لَيْسَ عَوْرَةً وَجَوَازِ النَّظُرِ إِلَيْهِ، فَحِلُّ النَّظَرَ مَنُوْطٌ لِعَدَمِ
خَشْيَةِ الشَّهُوَةِ مَعَ انْتِفَاءِ الْعَوْرَةِ، وَلِذَاحُرِّمَ النَّظَرُ إِلَى وَجُهِهَا وَوَجْهِ الْأَمْرَدِ اذَاشَكَّ
فِى الشِّهُوَةِ وَلَا عَوُرَة. (فتح القدير، ص ١٨١ ج١)
"Let it be understood that there is no incumbency between the
non-cover-worthiness of a certain part of the body and the
permissibility of looking at it, because the permissibility of
looking at it depends on there being no apprehension of sexual
desire - although, that part of the body is not included under
'awrah (that which is coverable). For this reason, casting a look
at the face of a female stranger (non-Mahram woman) or at the
face of a beardless boy is forbidden when there is no doubt about
the emergence of any sexual desire, although, the face is not
included under 'awrah (that which has to be hidden)." (Fath-ul-
Qadir, page 181, volume 1)
From this observation of Fath-ul-Qadir, we also come to know the
exact meaning of the 'apprehension of sexual desire' i.e. for all practical
purposes, though there may not exist any actual desire, but one may
have a reasonable apprehension that such a desire will develop by looking
at the face, it will be included in the fitnah. When such a doubt does
exist, then, it is forbidden to look not only at the face of female strangers,

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rather, even at the face of beardless boys. In addition to that, another
explanation of the 'apprehension of sexual desire' appears in Jami'
ar-Rumuz where it is said: 'It means that one's inner self is inclined to be
close to her.' It is obvious that the absence of such a degree of inclination
was rare even during the time of the early forbears of Islam (salaf). That
the Holy Prophet
, when he saw Sayyidna Fadl
looking at a
woman, had turned his face to the other side with his own blessed hands
is mentioned in Hadith and is a clear proof of it. So, in this age infested
with all sorts of corruption, who can claim to be immune to this
apprehension?
And Imam Sarakhsi, the famous Hanafi scholar, has concluded his
detailed discussion on the issue by saying:
وَهَذَا كُلُُّ، إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنِ النَّظَرُ عَنُ شَهُوَةٍ، فَإِنْ كَانَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ إِنْ نَظَرَ اشْتَهِى لَمُ يَحِلّ لَهُ
النَّظَرُ إِلَى شَىْءٍ مِّنْهَا. (مبسوط، ص ١٨٢، ج١٠)
And all this (the permissibility of looking at the face and palms)
is restricted to a situation where one does not look at a woman
with sexual desire. And if the person doing it knows that his
looking at the face of a woman may motivate sexual
inclinations, then, it is not lawful for him to cast a look
towards any part of her body. (Mabsut, page 152, volume 10)
And in Kitab-ul-Karahiyah of Radd-ul-Muhtar, 'Allamah Shami has
said:
فَإِنْ خَافَ الشَّهُوَةَ أَوْ شَكَّ ◌ِمْتَنَعَ النَّظَرُ إِلَى وَجْهِهَا، فَحِلُّ النَّظَرِ مُقَيِّدَةٌ بِعَدَمِ الشَّهُوَةِ
وَإِلاَّ فَحَرَامٌ، وَهَذَا فِىُ زَمَانِهِمْ، وَأَمَّا فِىُ زَمَانِنَا فَمُنِعَ مِنَ الشابَّةِ إِلاَّ النَّظَرُ لِحَاجَةٍ
كَفَاضٍ وَشَاهِدٍ يحكم وَيشهدُ وَأَيْضًا قَالَ فِىُ شُرُوْطِ الصَّلْوةِ وَتُمْنَعُ الشَّابةِ مِنْ
كَشْفِ الْوَجْهِ بَيْنَ رِجَالٍ لاَ لِأَنَّهُ عَوْرَةٌ بَلْ لِّخَوْفِ الْفِتْنَةِ.
"If there exists an apprehension or doubt of sexual desire,
looking at her will stand forbidden, because the lawfulness of
looking is tied up with the absence of sexual desire, and when
this condition is missing, it will be haram (forbidden) - and this
is how it was during the time of the early forbears of Islam
(salaf). But, as for our time, looking at women stands prohibited
in an absolute sense - unless looking is needed for a valid reason
recognized by the Shari'ah, such as, in the case of a judge or
witness who have to give a verdict or evidence." And in
Shurut-us-Salah, the author has further observed, "A young

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woman is prohibited from leaving her face open before
(non-Mahram) men not because the face is included in the
'awrah, but because of the apprehension of fitnah."
The gist of this debate and difference among jurists is that Imam
Shafi'i, Imam Malik and Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, may Allah have
mercy on them, have held the act of glancing at young women as
prohibited absolutely, because it is usually a cause of fitnah, even though
in a particular case it does not cause fitnah in actual terms. This approach
has many precedents in Shari'ah. For instance, since traveling is usually
a cause of difficulties, therefore, traveling itself has been held as a
'difficulty' for allowing concessions meant for difficult situations; thus a
person may enjoy all concessions in Salah and fasting etc. when
traveling, even if he does not face any difficulty during his journey and
finds it more comfortable than his home. Similarly, since one is
unconscious while asleep and wind would pass usually, therefore, sleep
itself has been taken by the Shari'ah as passing of wind, and it is held
that every sleep invalidates wudu' , whether or not wind has passed in
reality.
But, Imam Abu Hanifah did not hold the exposure of a woman's face
and palms as fitnah in itself. Instead of that, he subjected the prohibition
to the existence of fitnah in actual terms. In other words, this would be a
situation in which there exists the apprehension or the probability of
being attracted towards the woman seeking nearness to her. If so, it
would stand prohibited; where this probability does not exist, it will be
permissible. But, as we already know, the absence of such probability in
this time of ours is absolutely rare. Therefore, the Hanafi jurists of later
days, too, ultimately gave the same ruling given by the other three
Imams, that is, it is prohibited to look even at the face and palms of a
young woman.
Now the outcome of this presentation is that, by a consensus of the
four Imams, this third degree of Islamic legal Hijab, which stipulated that
a woman appears before men after having covered her whole body in a
burqa' or sheet etc., but leaving her face and palms exposed, stands
prohibited. Therefore, what remains now of Hijab is no more than its first
two degrees. One of these is the real objective, that is, women remain
inside their homes and do not go out without need. The other is going out

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covered with burqa' or sheet on the basis of need, only at a time of need
and to the extent of need.
Ruling
In the injunctions of Hijab mentioned above, there are some
exceptions . For example, some males identified as Mahrams are exempted
from Hijab and very old women too are somewhat exempted from the
purview of the common injunction of Hijab. Some of its related detail has
appeared in the commentary on Surah An-Nur. (Ma'ariful-Qur'an, volume vi)
Some of it will appear later in the verses of Surah Al-Ahzab where this
exemption finds mention.
In view of the importance of the issue of Hijab, we have reproduced a
few essential points from our treatise entitled Tafsil-ul-Khitab fi
Ahkam-il-Hijab, something sufficient for common readers. Should
someone be interested in an exhaustive treatment of the subject, it could
be seen in the treatise under reference. This treatise has been published
in Ahkam-ul-Qur'an under the section dealing with the Tafsir of Surah
Al-Ahzab. (And Allah, the Pure, the High, knows best).
Verse 56
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَئِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ◌ُ يَ يُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ
وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيُمًا ﴿٥٦﴾
Surely, Allah and His angels send blessings to the
Prophet. O those who believe, do pray Allah to bless
him, and send your Salam (prayer for his being in
peace) to him in abundance. [56]
Commentary
In verses previous to this, some peculiarities and distinctions of the
Holy Prophet % were mentioned as an adjunct to which the command to
observe Hijab was revealed while some injunctions of Hijab will also
appear later on. In between, the present verse contains a command to do
something for which all these peculiarities and distinctions have been
instituted in his blessed person, that is, the recognition and expression of
the greatness of the station of the Holy Prophet &g as well as an
invitation to imbibe into one's own self the virtues of reverence, love and

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Surah al-Ahzab: 33 : 56
obedience for him.
The real purpose of the verse was to obligate Muslims to send Salah
(durood) and Salam upon the Holy Prophet
. But the command was
given in a manner that, first of all, Allah Ta'ala pointed out that He
Himself and His angels perform the act of Salah for the Holy Prophet .
After that, common Muslims were ordered to follow suit. By doing so, it is
indicated that the station of the Holy Prophet # is so high that the act
asked to be done by common Muslims in his respect is something already
done by Allah Ta'ala Himself as well as angels with Him. Now then,
common believers who are indebted to so many favours done to them by
as their noble Prophet should certainly give high priority to making this
act their essential concern. Then there is yet another good outcome of this
modality of expression. It proves the great merit accredited to Muslims
who send Salah and Salam as Allah Ta'ala makes them share in doing
what Allah Ta'ala Himself does and so do His angels.
The Meaning of Salah (durood) and Salam
The word: 8. (Salah) is used in the Arabic language to convey the
sense of: Mercy (rahmah), prayer (du'a') and praise (madh and thana').
The Salah attributed to Allah Ta'ala in the cited verse means His sending
of mercy, but Salah from the angels denotes their prayer for him, and the
sense of Salah (durood) from common believers is a combination of du'a'
(prayer) and thana' (praise). Most commentators have given these very
meanings and Imam Al-Bukhari has reported from Abu-l-'Aliyah that the
Salah of Allah Ta'ala means the honor accorded to him and the praise
showered on him before the angels. As for the honor bestowed on him by
Allah Ta'ala within this mortal world, it translates as the high rank he
was blessed with when, on many an occasion, his mention was joined with
the mention of Allah Ta'ala in adhan (the initial call for prayers) and
iqamah (the call announcing the immediate start of the prayer) and
elsewhere, and that Allah Ta'ala made the religion brought by him spread
and prevail throughout the world, and that He enjoined upon all people
to keep acting in accordance with the Shari'ah brought by him right
through the last day of al-Qiyamah and, along with it, He has
undertaken to keep his Shari'ah stand perennially protected. Then, as for
the honor bestowed upon him in the Hereafter, it can be said that his
station was made to be the most exalted of the entire creation and, at a