Qur'an
Ayah 31 of suratun-Noor means:
| “ | [O Prophet] tell the believing women to restrain their gaze (the forbidden look) and to guard themselves from sinning (fornication or adultery) and not to display excessive jewelry and make up (to prevent seduction) except what is normally revealed and to draw (extend) their khumur (Hijabs) over their chests. They should not reveal their beauty (removing their head scarves because hair is part of the beauty) to anyone but their husbands, or their fathers, or their husbands’ fathers (father in law), or their sons, or their husbands’ sons (step sons), or their brothers, or their brothers’ sons (nephews), or their sisters’ sons (nephews), or other women of acquaintance, or their slaves, or the subservient male (mentally handicapped) servants who are not attracted to women, or children (not pubescent) who have no awareness of the hidden aspects of women. They should [also] not stamp their feet in order to seduce and draw men's attention to their hidden ornaments (anklet). O believers repent to Allah that you may succeed. | „ |
— Qur'an , 24:31 This ayah makes clear what must be covered, a woman’s unlawful nakedness, and infront of whom a woman may uncover. | ||
Ayah 59 of suratul-Ahzab means:
| “ | O Prophet Enjoin your wives, your daughters, and the wives of believers to draw their [jalabeeb] cloaks (outer garment) over them [when they go out]. That is more proper, so that they may be distinguished and not be harassed. Surely, God is the most forgiving and merciful. | „ |
— Qur'an , 33:59 | ||
The following verses of suratul-Ahzab are taken to apply exclusively to the wives of Muhammad, salla-llahu ^alayhi wa sallam,
Ayahs 32-33 of suratul-Ahzab mean:
| “ | [O] Wives of the Prophet, you are not like other women (some of the judgments that apply to you, do not apply on other women). So, if you fear God, do not be too complaisant in your speech, lest the lecherous-hearted should lust after you. Talk with such people in plain and simple words. Abide still in your homes and do not dress as women used to do in the first ignorance era (the era that preceded the prophet Nooh, peace be upon him, when women used to dress in revealing clothes). Attend to your prayers, pay zakah and obey God and His Messenger. O household of the Prophet (wives and children), Allah wants to cleanse you from the filth of the sins [these hypocrites want to besmear you with] and to fully purify you with piety. –meanings from al bahr al muhit | „ |
The prophet’s wives had particular Islamic judgments that only applied to them. For example, if the Prophet divorced her or after he passed away, she was Islamically forbidden from remarrying. Another such judgement was with regards to the dress, where the Prophet’s wives were obligated to cover more than other Muslim woman.
Hadith
There are many Ahadith (plural of Hadith, sayings and doings of the Prophet) related to the subject of men and women's ^awrah (unlawful nakedness, i.e. body parts that need to be covered) that are narrated by al-Bukhary, Muslim, Abou Dawood, and other scholars which talked about the obligation of the woman's conservative clothing and head covering. Some of these Ahadith described the circumstances and events when these aforementioned Qur'anic verses were revealed to the Prophet, salla-llahu ^alayhi wa sallam, while other Ahadith talked about the events when the Messenger of Allah, salla-llahu ^alayhi wa sallam, just ordered the Muslim women to dress conservatively, to cover their heads, not to display their excessive jewelry and to avoid wearing seductive makeup and perfume in order to attract the men's attention and lure them. Nevertheless, only one comprehensive Hadith is mentioned in this article because of its clarity and generality.
- ^A'ishah, Ummul Mu'minin, radiya-llahu ^anha (the most knowledgeable woman in the Muslim nation), narrated that when her sister Asma', the daughter of Abu Bakr, radiya-llahu ^anhu, entered upon the Messenger of Allah, salla-llahu ^alayhi wa sallam, wearing thin clothes, the Messenger of Allah, salla-llahu ^alayhi wa sallam, turned his attention from her and said which means: O Asma', when a woman reaches the age of menstruation, she is not allowed to show of herself except this and this, and he pointed to her face and hands. Sunnan Abi Dawood 32:4092. The Prophet, salla-llahu ^alayhi wa sallam, didn't specify this judgment for the prayer and haj only; it's a general ruling for women to cover in front of marriageable men no matter how chaste, dear and close such men are.
