ٱلْأَحْزَاب : ٥٣

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا wahai
ٱلَّذِينَ orang-orang yang
ءَامَنُواْ beriman
لَا tidak
تَدۡخُلُواْ kamu memasuki
بُيُوتَ rumah
ٱلنَّبِيِّ nabi
إِلَّآ kecuali
أَن bahwa
يُؤۡذَنَ diizinkan
لَكُمۡ bagi kalian
إِلَىٰ kecuali
طَعَامٍ makanan
غَيۡرَ tidak
نَٰظِرِينَ menunggu-nunggu
إِنَىٰهُ sesungguhnya
وَلَٰكِنۡ dan adalah
إِذَا apabila
دُعِيتُمۡ kamu diundang
فَٱدۡخُلُواْ maka masuklah
فَإِذَا maka apabila
طَعِمۡتُمۡ kamu selesai makan
فَٱنتَشِرُواْ maka bertebaranlah/keluarlah
وَلَا dan jangan
مُسۡتَـٔۡنِسِينَ beramah tamah/asyik
لِحَدِيثٍۚ untuk percakapan
إِنَّ sesungguhnya
ذَٰلِكُمۡ yang demikian itu
كَانَ adalah
يُؤۡذِي menyakiti/mengganggu
ٱلنَّبِيَّ nabi
فَيَسۡتَحۡيِۦ lalu dia malu
مِنكُمۡۖ dari kamu/kepadamu
وَٱللَّهُ dan Allah
لَا tidak
يَسۡتَحۡيِۦ malu
مِنَ dari
ٱلۡحَقِّۚ kebenaran
وَإِذَا dan apabila
سَأَلۡتُمُوهُنَّ kamu meminta kepada mereka
مَتَٰعٗا satu keperluan
فَسۡـَٔلُوهُنَّ maka mintalah kepada mereka
مِن dari
وَرَآءِ belakang
حِجَابٖۚ tabir
ذَٰلِكُمۡ demikian itu
أَطۡهَرُ lebih mensucikan
لِقُلُوبِكُمۡ bagi hatimu
وَقُلُوبِهِنَّۚ dan hati mereka
وَمَا dan tidak
كَانَ adalah
لَكُمۡ bagi kalian
أَن bahwa
تُؤۡذُواْ kamu menyakiti/mengganggu
رَسُولَ utusan/rasul
ٱللَّهِ Allah
وَلَآ dan tidak
أَن bahwa
تَنكِحُوٓاْ kamu mengawini
أَزۡوَٰجَهُۥ istri-istrinya
مِنۢ dari
بَعۡدِهِۦٓ sesudahnya
أَبَدًاۚ selama-lamanya
إِنَّ sesungguhnya
ذَٰلِكُمۡ demikian itu
كَانَ adalah
عِندَ disisi
ٱللَّهِ Allah
عَظِيمًا besar

Wahai orang-orang yang beriman! Janganlah kamu memasuki rumah-rumah Nabi kecuali jika kamu diizinkan untuk makan tanpa menunggu waktu masak (makanannya),¹ tetapi jika kamu dipanggil maka masuklah dan apabila kamu selesai makan, keluarlah kamu tanpa memperpanjang percakapan. Sesungguhnya yang demikian itu adalah mengganggu Nabi sehingga dia (Nabi) malu kepadamu (untuk menyuruhmu keluar), dan Allah tidak malu (menerangkan) yang benar. Apabila kamu meminta sesuatu (keperluan) kepada mereka (istri-istri Nabi), maka mintalah dari balik tabir. (Cara) yang demikian itu lebih suci bagi hatimu dan hati mereka. Dan tidak boleh kamu menyakiti (hati) Rasulullah dan tidak boleh (pula) menikahi istri-istrinya selama-lamanya setelahnya (Nabi wafat). Sungguh, yang demikian itu sangat besar (dosanya) di sisi Allah.

Catatan kaki

¹ *687) Ayat ini melarang sahabat masuk ke rumah Rasulullah untuk makan sambil menunggu-nunggu waktu makannya Rasulullah.

(Hai orang-orang yang beriman! Janganlah kalian memasuki rumah-rumah Nabi kecuali bila kalian diizinkan) memasukinya karena mendapat undangan (untuk makan) kemudian kalian boleh memasukinya (dengan tidak menunggu-nunggu) tanpa menunggu lagi (waktu masak makanannya) yakni sampai makanan masak terlebih dahulu; Inaa berakar dari kata Anaa Ya-niy (tetapi jika kalian diundang maka masuklah dan bila kalian selesai makan, keluarlah kalian tanpa) berdiam lagi (asyik memperpanjang percakapan) sebagian dari kalian kepada sebagian yang lain. (Sesungguhnya yang demikian itu) yakni berdiamnya kalian sesudah makan (akan mengganggu nabi lalu nabi malu kepada kalian) untuk menyuruh kalian keluar (dan Allah tidak malu menerangkan yang hak) yakni menerangkan supaya kalian keluar; atau dengan kata lain Dia tidak akan mengabaikan penjelasannya. Menurut qiraat yang lain lafal Yastahyi dibaca dengan hanya memakai satu huruf Ya sehingga bacaannya menjadi Yastahiy. (Apabila kalian meminta sesuatu kepada mereka) kepada istri-istri Nabi ﷺ (yakni suatu keperluan, maka mintalah dari belakang tabir) dari belakang hijab. (Cara yang demikian itu lebih suci bagi hati kalian dan hati mereka) dari perasaan-perasaan yang mencurigakan. (Dan tidak boleh kalian menyakiti hati Rasulullah) dengan sesuatu perbuatan apa pun (dan tidak pula mengawini istri-istrinya sesudah ia wafat selama-lamanya. Sesungguhnya perbuatan itu di sisi Allah) dosanya (besar).

Tafsir Surat Al-Ahzab: 53-54 Hai orang-orang yang beriman, janganlah kamu memasuki rumah-rumah Nabi kecuali bila kamu diizinkan untuk makan dengan tidak menunggu-nunggu waktu masak (makanannya). Tetapi jika kamu diundang, maka masuklah; dan bila kamu selesai makan, maka keluarlah tanpa asyik memperpanjang percakapan. Sesungguhnya yang demikian itu mengganggu Nabi, tetapi Nabi malu sama kamu (untuk menyuruh kamu keluar), dan Allah tidak malu (menerangkan) yang benar. Apabila kamu meminta sesuatu (keperluan) kepada mereka (istri-istri Nabi), maka mintalah dari belakang tabir. Cara yang demikian itu lebih suci bagi hatimu dan hati mereka. Dan tidak boleh kamu menyakiti (hati) Rasulullah dan tidak (pula) mengawini istri-istrinya sesudah ia wafat selama-lamanya. Sesungguhnya perbuatan itu adalah amat besar (dosanya) di sisi Allah. Jika kamu menyatakan sesuatu atau menyembunyikannya, maka sesungguhnya Allah Maha Mengetahui segala sesuatu. Ayat 53 Inilah ayat hijab yang di dalamnya terkandung hukum-hukum dan etika-etika syariah. Penurunan ayat ini bertepatan dengan perkataan sahabat Umar ibnul Khattab r.a., sebagaimana yang telah disebutkan di dalam kitab shahihain yang bersumber darinya. Disebutkan bahwa Umar pernah berkata, "Aku bersesuaian dengan Tuhanku dalam tiga perkara, yaitu aku pernah berkata, ‘Wahai Rasulullah, sekiranya engkau menjadikan maqam Ibrahim sebagai tempat salat’, lalu Allah menurunkan firman-Nya: “Dan jadikanlah sebagian maqam Ibrahim sebagai tempat salat.” (Al-Baqarah: 125), dan aku pernah berkata, 'Wahai Rasulullah, sesungguhnya istri-istrimu banyak ditemui oleh orang-orang, di antaranya ada yang bertakwa dan ada yang durhaka (yakni ada yang baik dan ada yang buruk), maka sekiranya engkau buatkan hijab untuk mereka,' lalu turunlah ayat hijab ini. Dan aku pernah berkata kepada istri-istri Nabi ﷺ pada saat mereka bersekongkol memprotes Nabi ﷺ karena terdorong oleh rasa cemburu mereka, 'Jika Nabi menceraikan kalian, boleh jadi Tuhannya akan memberi ganti kepadanya istri-istri yang lebih baik daripada kalian.' Maka turunlah ayat yang menyebutkan hal yang sama, yaitu firman-Nya: “Jika Nabi menceraikan kamu, boleh jadi Tuhannya akan memberi ganti untuknya istri-istri yang lebih baik daripada kamu.” (At-Tahrim: 5) Di dalam riwayat Imam Muslim disebutkan pula bahwa Umar mengeluarkan pendapatnya sehubungan dengan tawanan Perang Badar, dan masalah ini adalah hal yang keempatnya. Imam Bukhari mengatakan, telah menceritakan kepada kami Musaddad, dari Yahya, dari Humaid, dari Anas ibnu Malik yang menceritakan bahwa Umar ibnul Khattab berkata, "Wahai Rasulullah, yang masuk menemuimu ada orang yang bertakwa dan ada pula yang durhaka, maka sebaiknya engkau perintahkan kepada Ummahatul Mukminin (semua istrimu) memakai hijab." Maka Allah menurunkan ayat hijab ini. Disebutkan bahwa penurunan ayat ini bertepatan dengan pagi hari perkawinan Rasulullah ﷺ dengan Zainab binti Jahsy yang perkawinannya dilakukan langsung oleh Allah ﷻ (melalui wahyu-Nya). Peristiwa ini terjadi pada bulan Zul Qa'dah tahun lima hijriah, menurut pendapat Qatadah, Al-Waqidi, dan selain keduanya. Tetapi Abu Ubaidah alias Ma'mar ibnul Musanna dan Khalifah ibnu Khayyat mengatakan bahwa peristiwa itu terjadi pada tahun tiga hijriah. Hanya Allah-lah Yang Maha Mengetahui. Imam Bukhari mengatakan, telah menceritakan kepada kami Muhammad ibnu Abdullah Ar-Raqqasyi, telah menceritakan kepada kami Mu'tamir ibnu Sulaiman yang mengatakan bahwa ia pernah mendengar ayahnya mengatakan, telah menceritakan kepada kami Abu Mijlaz, dari Anas ibnu Malik r.a. yang mengatakan, "Ketika Rasulullah ﷺ menikahi Zainab binti Jahsy, beliau mengundang sejumlah orang, lalu menjamu mereka, kemudian mereka bercakap-cakap di majelis itu. Kemudian kelihatan beliau ﷺ hendak bangkit, dan orang-orang masih saja duduk-duduk. Melihat keadaan itu beliau terus bangkit. Ketika beliau bangkit, sebagian orang bangkit pula, tetapi masih ada tiga orang yang tetap duduk. Nabi ﷺ datang lagi dan hendak masuk (ke kamar pengantin), tetapi ternyata masih ada sejumlah orang yang masih duduk dan belum pergi. Tidak lama kemudian mereka bangkit dan pergi. Lalu aku (Anas ibnu Malik) menghadap dan menceritakan kepada Nabi ﷺ bahwa orang-orang telah pergi. Lalu Nabi ﷺ bangkit hendak masuk, dan aku pergi mengikutinya. Tetapi tiba-tiba beliau menurunkan hijab antara beliau dan aku, lalu turunlah firman Allah ﷻ: “Hai orang-orang yang beriman, janganlah kamu memasuki rumah-rumah Nabi kecuali bila kamu diizinkan untuk makan dengan tidak menunggu-nunggu waktu masak (makanannya). Tetapi jika kamu diundang, maka masuklah; dan bila kamu selesai makan, maka keluarlah kamu.” (Al-Ahzab: 53), hingga akhir ayat. Imam Bukhari telah meriwayatkannya pula di tempat yang lain, juga Imam Muslim dan Imam Nasai melalui berbagai jalur dari Mu'tamir ibnu Sulaiman dengan sanad yang sama. Kemudian Imam Bukhari meriwayatkannya secara tunggal dengan sanad yang sama melalui hadis Abu Ayyub, dari Abu Qilabah, dari Anas r.a., lalu disebutkan hal yang serupa. Imam Bukhari mengatakan, telah menceritakan kepada kami Abu Ma'mar, telah menceritakan kepada kami Abdul Waris, telah menceritakan kepada kami Abdul Aziz ibnu Suhaib, dari Anas ibnu Malik yang mengatakan, bahwa Nabi ﷺ ketika kawin dengan Zainab binti Jahsy mengadakan jamuan walimah dari makanan roti dan daging. Lalu aku disuruh untuk mengundang orang-orang ke jamuan walimah itu. Maka datanglah suatu kaum, lalu mereka makan, setelah itu pergi. Kemudian datang pula kaum yang lain, mereka langsung makan, dan sesudahnya mereka keluar. Aku terus mengundang orang-orang hingga tidak kutemukan lagi seseorang yang kuundang, lalu aku berkata kepada Rasulullah ﷺ, "Wahai Rasulullah, semua orang telah kuundang dan tiada lagi yang tertinggal." Maka beliau ﷺ bersabda: “Bereskanlah jamuan kalian.” Tetapi masih ada tiga orang yang masih asyik dalam percakapannya di dalam rumah. Maka Nabi ﷺ keluar dan menuju ke kamar Siti Aisyah r.a., lalu mengucapkan salam: “Semoga keselamatan, rahmat Allah, dan berkah-Nya terlimpahkan kepada kalian, hai Ahlul Bait.” Siti Aisyah menjawab, "Semoga keselamatan dan rahmat Allah terlimpahkan kepadamu. Bagaimanakah engkau jumpai istri barumu, ya Rasulullah? Semoga Allah memberkatimu." Lalu beliau ﷺ mendatangi tiap-tiap kamar istrinya, semuanya menjawab jawaban yang sama seperti yang dikatakan oleh Aisyah, dan mengucapkan kata selamat seperti yang diucapkan oleh Aisyah. Setelah itu Nabi ﷺ kembali, dan ternyata masih ada tiga orang di dalam rumahnya sedang asyik bercakap-cakap. Nabi ﷺ adalah seorang yang pemalu, maka beliau berangkat menuju kamar Siti Aisyah. Aku (Anas) tidak ingat lagi apakah aku memberitahukan kepadanya ataukah beliau telah diberi tahu bahwa semua tamu telah pergi, jelasnya beliau kembali; dan pada saat beliau melangkahkan kakinya di balik pintu bagian dalamnya, sedangkan kaki yang lainnya masih di luar pintu, tiba-tiba beliau menurunkan kain penutup yang menghalang-halangi antara aku dan beliau. Dan saat itulah diturunkan ayat hijab ini. Kemudian Imam Bukhari meriwayatkannya dari Ishaq ibnu Mansur, dari Abdullah ibnu Bukair As-Sahmi, dari Humaid, dari Anas dengan lafaz yang serupa. Imam Bukhari mengatakan bahwa ada dua orang perawi yang meriwayatkannya melalui jalur ini secara tunggal. Dalam pembahasan yang lalu telah disebutkan salah satu hadis yang diriwayatkan oleh Imam Muslim secara tunggal melalui hadis Sulaiman ibnul Mugirah, dari Sabit, dari Anas. Ibnu Abu Hatim mengatakan, telah menceritakan kepada kami ayahku, telah menceritakan kepada kami Abul Muzaffar, telah menceritakan kepada kami Ja'far ibnu Sulaiman, dari Al-Ja'id Abu Usman Al-Yasykuri, dari Anas ibnu Malik yang menceritakan bahwa Rasulullah ﷺ melakukan malam pertamanya dengan salah seorang istri barunya. Maka Ummu Sulaim membuat hais (makanan), kemudian meletakkannya di sebuah baki, lalu berkata, "Bawalah makanan ini kepada Rasulullah ﷺ dan sampaikanlah salamku kepadanya, serta katakanlah kepadanya bahwa kiriman ini dari kami untuk beliau dengan apa adanya." Anas mengatakan bahwa saat itu orang-orang sedang dalam keadaan paceklik, lalu aku sampaikan kiriman tersebut dan kukatakan kepada Rasulullah, "Wahai Rasulullah, Ummu Sulaim mengirimkan hidangan ini kepadamu, dan dia menyampaikan salamnya untukmu seraya mengatakan bahwa makanan yang apa adanya ini darinya buat engkau." Rasulullah ﷺ melihat kiriman itu, lalu bersabda, "Letakkanlah." Maka makanan itu kuletakkan di salah satu sudut rumah Nabi ﷺ. Kemudian beliau ﷺ bersabda, "Undanglah si Fulan dan si Anu," beliau menyebutkan nama beberapa orang lelaki yang jumlahnya cukup banyak, lalu beliau menambahkan, "Dan undang pulalah orang muslim yang kamu jumpai." Maka aku sampaikan undangan beliau kepada orang-orang yang telah beliau sebutkan namanya, juga setiap orang muslim yang kujumpai. Ketika aku datang, rumah, halaman dan ruangan tamu penuh dengan orang-orang. Maka aku bertanya, "Hai Abu Usman, berapa orangkah mereka semuanya?" Abu Usman menjawab, "Kurang lebih ada tiga ratus orang." Sahabat Anas melanjutkan kisahnya, bahwa lalu Rasulullah ﷺ bersabda kepadanya, "Bawalah kesini makanan itu!" Maka aku bawa makanan itu kepadanya, dan beliau meletakkan tangannya di atas makanan tersebut, lalu berdoa dan bersabda, "Ini adalah kehendak Allah." Kemudian bersabda: “Hendaklah tiap sepuluh orang membuat suatu lingkaran dan hendaklah mereka membaca bismillah, dan hendaklah setiap orang memakan makanan yang ada didekatnya.” Lalu mereka membaca basmalah dan makan hingga semuanya merasa kenyang. Setelah itu Rasulullah ﷺ bersabda kepadaku, "Angkatlah hidangan itu!" Anas r.a. melanjutkan kisahnya, bahwa lalu ia mengambil baki yang berisikan makanan itu, dan ia melihat isinya, tetapi ia tidak ingat lagi apakah saat ia meletakkan hidangan itu lebih banyak ataukah saat mengambilnya lebih banyak (maksudnya makanan tersebut kelihatannya masih utuh seperti semula). Anas r.a. melanjutkan kisahnya, bahwa ada beberapa orang lelaki yang masih asyik dalam percakapannya di dalam rumah Rasulullah ﷺ, sedangkan istri Rasulullah ﷺ yang baru dinikahi itu ada bersama mereka, memalingkan wajahnya ke arah tembok. Ternyata mereka memperpanjang percakapannya. Hal itu membuat Rasulullah ﷺ keberatan, tetapi beliau tidak mau menegur mereka karena beliau adalah orang yang sangat pemalu. Seandainya diberi tahu, pastilah mereka merasa tidak enak karena sedang asyik dalam obrolannya. Maka Rasulullah ﷺ pergi dan menemui tiap-tiap istrinya di kamarnya masing-masing, beliau mengucapkan salam kepada tiap-tiap mereka . Ketika para hadirin yang masih ada melihat Rasulullah ﷺ tiba, mereka baru sadar bahwa diri mereka merepotkan Rsulullah ﷺ. Karena itu, mereka segera bangkit menuju pintu, lalu keluar. Rasulullah ﷺ datang, lalu menutupkan kain pintu dan masuk ke dalam kamar, sedangkan aku (Anas) berada di ruang tamunya. Setelah Rasulullah ﷺ tinggal di dalam kamarnya dalam waktu yang tidak lama, Allah menurunkan wahyu Al-Qur'an kepadanya. Setelah itu beliau keluar dari kamar dan membaca ayat berikut, yaitu firman-Nya: “Hai orang-orang yang beriman, janganlah kamu memasuki rumah-rumah Nabi.” (Al-Ahzab: 53), hingga akhir ayat. Sahabat Anas mengatakan bahwa Nabi ﷺ terlebih dahulu membacakan ayat-ayat tersebut kepadaku sebelum orang lain, lalu aku menceritakannya kepada orang-orang selama suatu waktu. Imam Muslim, Imam Turmuzi, dan Imam Nasai telah meriwayatkannya melalui Qutaibah, dari Ja'far ibnu Sulaiman dengan sanad yang sama. Imam Turmuzi mengatakan bahwa hadis ini hasan sahih. Imam Bukhari meriwayatkannya secara ta'liq di dalam Kitabun Nikah. Ia mengatakan bahwa Ibrahim ibnu Tuhman telah meriwayatkan hadis ini dari Al-Ja'd alias Abu Usman, dari Anas, lalu disebutkan hal yang serupa. Imam Muslim meriwayatkannya pula dari Muhammad ibnu Rafi', dari Abdur Razzaq, dari Ma'mar, dari Al-Jahd dengan sanad yang sama. Abdullah ibnul Mubarak telah meriwayatkan hadis ini melalui Syarik, dari Bayan ibnu Bisyr, dari Anas dengan lafaz yang serupa. Ibnu Abu Hatim telah meriwayatkannya pula melalui hadis Abu Nadrah Al-Abdi, dari Anas ibnu Malik dengan lafaz yang serupa, tetapi mereka tidak ada yang mengetengahkannya melalui jalur ini. Ibnu Jarir meriwayatkannya melalui hadis Amr ibnu Sa'id dan hadis Az-Zuhri, dari Anas dengan lafaz yang serupa. Imam Ahmad mengatakan, telah menceritakan kepada kami Bahz dan Hasyim ibnul Qasim. Keduanya mengatakan, telah menceritakan kepada kami Sulaiman ibnul Mugirah, dari Sabitt, dari Anas yang mengatakan bahwa setelah idah Zainab habis, Rasulullah ﷺ bersabda kepada Zaid (bekas suaminya): “Pergilah kamu kepadanya, dan ceritakanlah kepadanya bahwa aku menyebut-nyebutnya.” Zaid berangkat hingga sampai ke rumah Zainab, saat itu Zainab sedang membuat adonan roti. Ketika aku melihatnya, terasa dadaku keberatan memandangnya. Lalu disebutkan hadis selanjutnya seperti yang telah dikemukakan jauh sebelum ini, pada tafsir firman-Nya: “Maka tatkala Zaid telah mengakhiri keperluan terhadap istrinya (menceraikannya).” (Al-Ahzab: 37) Pada akhir riwayat ini ditambahkan pula bahwa lalu Nabi ﷺ menasihati orang-orang dengan nasihat yang biasa beliau utarakan kepada mereka. Hasyim dalam haditsnya mengatakan (menyitir firman Allah ﷻ): “Janganlah kamu memasuki rumah-rumah Nabi kecuali bila kamu diizinkan.” (Al-Ahzab: 53), hingga akhir ayat. Imam Muslim dan Imam Nasai telah mengetengahkannya melalui hadis Ja'far ibnu Sulaiman dengan sanad yang sama. Ibnu Jarir mengatakan, telah menceritakan kepadaku Ahmad ibnu Abdur Rahman anak saudaranya Ibnu Wahb, telah menceritakan kepadaku pamanku Abdullah ibnu Wahb, telah menceritakan kepadaku Yunus, dari Az-Zuhri, dari Urwah, dari Aisyah yang mengatakan bahwa istri-istri Nabi ﷺ apabila membuang hajat besarnya di malam hari keluar menuju ke Manasi', yaitu tanah lapang yang luas. Dan Umar r.a. selalu berkata kepada Rasulullah ﷺ, "Wahai Rasulullah, pakailah hijab buat istri-istrimu," tetapi Rasulullah ﷺ tidak mengindahkannya. Lalu Saudah binti Zam'ah (istri Rasulullah ﷺ) keluar untuk membuang hajat besarnya. Dia adalah seorang wanita yang berperawakan tinggi, maka Umar menyerunya dengan suara yang keras, "Kami telah mengenalmu, hai Saudah." Umar melakukan demikian karena keinginannya yang sangat agar diturunkan wahyu mengenai hijab. Siti Aisyah melanjutkan kisahnya, bahwa lalu Allah ﷻ menurunkan ayat hijab. Demikianlah menurut riwayat ini secara apa adanya. Tetapi menurut pendapat yang terkenal, peristiwa ini terjadi sesudah turunnya ayat hijab, sebagaimana yang telah diriwayatkan oleh Imam Ahmad, Imam Bukhari, dan Imam Muslim melalui hadis Hisyam ibnu Urwah, dari ayahnya, dari Aisyah r.a. yang menceritakan: Saudah keluar untuk suatu keperluannya sesudah diturunkan ayat hijab. Saudah adalah seorang wanita yang berperawakan besar lagi tinggi, tidak samar lagi bagi orang yang mengenalnya. Lalu Saudah kelihatan oleh Umar ibnul Khattab, maka Umar berkata, "Hai Saudah, ingatlah, demi Allah, engkau tidak samar lagi bagi kami. Karena itu, perhatikanlah dahulu di sekitarmu sebelum kamu keluar." Maka Saudah kembali lagi ke rumah, saat itu Rasulullah ﷺ sedang makan malam dan sedang memegang daging paha di tangannya. Saudh masuk, lalu berkata, "Wahai Rasulullah, sesungguhnya saya keluar untuk suatu keperluan, lalu Umar mengatakan anu dan anu." Siti Aisyah r.a. melanjutkan kisahnya, bahwa lalu Allah ﷻ menurunkan wahyu kepada Nabi ﷺ. Setelah wahyu selesai dan tangan Nabi ﷺ masih keringatan karena beratnya wahyu, beliau bersabda: “Sesungguhnya telah diizinkan bagi kalian (kaum wanita) untuk keluar jika kalian ada keperluan.” Lafaz hadis ini menurut apa yang ada pada Imam Bukhari. Firman Allah ﷻ: “Janganlah kamu memasuki rumah-rumah Nabi.” (Al-Ahzab: 53) Melalui ayat ini Allah ﷻ melarang orang-orang mukmin masuk ke dalam rumah-rumah Nabi ﷺ tanpa izin, tidak sebagaimana biasanya yang mereka lakukan di masa Jahiliah dan masa permulaan Islam di mana mereka masuk ke rumah-rumah mereka tanpa izin. Maka Allah merasa cemburu dengan umat ini, lalu Dia memerintahkan mereka agar meminta izin terlebih dahulu bila mau masuk ke rumah orang. Hal ini merupakan suatu penghormatan dari Allah ﷻ terhadap umat ini. Untuk itulah maka Rasulullah ﷺ bersabda: “Jangan sekali-kali kalian masuk menemui wanita.” hingga akhir hadis. Kemudian dikecualikan dari hal tersebut melalui firman-Nya: “Kecuali bila kamu diizinkan untuk makan dengan tidak menunggu-nunggu waktu masak (makanannya).” (Al-Ahzab: 53) Mujahid dan Qatadah serta selain keduanya mengatakan bahwa makna yang dimaksud ialah tidak menunggu-nunggu masaknya makanan itu. Dengan kata lain, janganlah kalian mengintai-intai makanan bila sedang dimasak; sehingga manakala makanan itu hampir masak, lalu kalian masuk ke rumah (yang mempunyai hajat). Hal ini termasuk perbuatan yang tidak disukai oleh Allah ﷻ dan dicela-Nya. Ayat ini mengandung dalil yang mengharamkan sikap slamit (jawa, mengharamkan sesuatu dari orang lain, pent.) yang menurut orang Arab disebut dengan istilah daifan. Sehubungan dengan topik ini Al-Khatib Al-Bagdadi telah menulis sebuah kitab tersendiri yang membahas tercelanya sifat ini, lalu dikemukakan pula sebagian dari kisah-kisah mereka yang berperangai demikian; hal itu tidak akan dibahas di sini. Kemudian Allah ﷻ berfirman: “Tetapi jika kamu diundang, maka masuklah; dan bila kamu selesai makan, maka keluarlah kamu.” (Al-Ahzab: 53) Di dalam kitab Sahih Muslim disebutkan melalui Ibnu Umar r.a. yang mengatakan bahwa Rasulullah ﷺ pernah bersabda: “Apabila seseorang di antara kalian mengundang saudaranya untuk suatu jamuan, hendaklah orang yang diundang memenuhinya, baik undangan pernikahan ataupun undangan lainnya.” Asal hadis ini terdapat di dalam kitab Shahihain. Di dalam kitab sahih disebutkan pula sebuah hadis dari Rasulullah ﷺ yang bersabda: “Seandainya aku diundang untuk makan kaki kambing, pastilah aku akan memenuhinya. Dan seandainya aku dikirimi masakan kikil kambing, tentulah aku terima. Maka apabila kalian telah selesai dari menyantap jamuan, janganlah kalian merepotkan pemilik rumah, dan segeralah kalian keluar (dari rumahnya).” Karena itulah disebutkan oleh firman-Nya: “Tanpa asyik memperpanjang percakapan.” (Al-Ahzab: 53) Sebagaimana yang dilakukan oleh ketiga orang yang disebutkan oleh hadis di atas, mereka asyik dengan obrolannya sehingga memberatkan Rasulullah ﷺ yang saat itu menjadi pengantin. Allah ﷻ berfirman menceritakannya: “Sesungguhnya yang demikian itu mengganggu Nabi, tetapi Nabi malu sama kamu (untuk menyuruh kamu keluar).” (Al-Ahzab: 53) Menurut suatu pendapat, makna yang dimaksud ialah sesungguhnya masuknya kalian ke dalam rumah Nabi ﷺ tanpa izin adalah sikap yang memberatkannya dan membuatnya terganggu. Tetapi beliau ﷺ merasa berat untuk menyuruh mereka keluar, sebab Nabi ﷺ adalah seorang yang pemalu, hingga pada akhirnya Allah ﷻ menurunkan ayat yang melarang hal tersebut. Untuk itulah maka disebutkan dalam firman selanjutnya: “dan Allah tidak malu (menerangkan) yang benar.” (Al-Ahzab: 53) Karena itulah maka Allah ﷻ melarang kalian bersikap demikian dan memperingatkan kalian supaya jangan mengganggu Nabi lagi. Kemudian dalam firman selanjutnya disebutkan: “Apabila kamu meminta sesuatu (keperluan) kepada mereka (istri-istri Nabi), maka mintalah dari belakang tabir.” (Al-Ahzab: 53) Maksudnya, sebagaimana Allah melarang kalian masuk menemui istri-istri Nabi, maka dilarang pula kalian memandang mereka dalam keadaan bagaimanapun, sekalipun kalian ada keperluan yang hendak diambilnya dari mereka. Dia tidak boleh memandangnya, tidak boleh pula meminta suatu keperluan kepada mereka melainkan dari balik hijab. Ibnu Abu Hatim mengatakan, telah menceritakan kepada kami ayahku, telah menceritakan kepada kami Ibnu Abu Umar, telah menceritakan kepada kami Sufyan, dari Mis'ar, dari Musa ibnu Abu Kasir, dari Mujahid, dari Aisyah yang menceritakan bahwa pada suatu hari ia makan hais bersama Nabi ﷺ di dalam sebuah mangkuk besar, lalu lewatlah Umar. Maka Nabi ﷺ mengundangnya untuk makan bersama, dan Umar pun makan bersama kami. Jari Umar bersentuhan dengan jariku (Aisyah), maka Umar berkata, "Alangkah baiknya, atau aduh, seandainya Nabi ﷺ ditaati oleh kalian, niscaya tiada suatu mata pun yang melihat kalian (istri-istri Nabi ﷺ)." Maka turunlah firman-Nya: “Cara yang demikian itu lebih suci bagi hati kalian dan hati mereka.” (Al-Ahzab: 53) Yakni apa yang telah Kuperintahkan kepada kalian dan apa yang telah Kusyariatkan kepada kalian tentang berhijab adalah lebih suci dan lebih baik bagi kalian. Firman Allah ﷻ: “Dan tidak boleh kamu menyakiti (hati) Rasulullah dan tidak (pula) mengawini istri-istrinya sesudah ia wafat selama-lamanya. Sesungguhnya perbuatan itu adalah amat besar (dosanya) di sisi Allah.” (Al-Ahzab: 53) Ibnu Abu Hatim mengatakan, telah menceritakan kepada kami Ali ibnul Husain, telah menceritakan kepada kami Muhammad ibnu Abu Hammad, telah menceritakan kepada kami Mahran, dari Sufyan ibnu Abu Hindun, dari Ikrimah, dari Ibnu Abbas sehubungan dengan makna firman-Nya: “Dan tidak boleh kamu menyakiti (hati) Rasulullah.” (Al-Ahzab: 53) Bahwa ayat ini diturunkan berkenaan dengan seorang lelaki yang berniat akan mengawini bekas istri Nabi ﷺ bila beliau ﷺ sudah tiada. Seorang lelaki bertanya kepada Sufyan, "Apakah dia adalah Aisyah?" Sufyan menjawab, "Mereka telah menceritakan hal tersebut." Hal yang sama telah dikatakan oleh Muqatil ibnu Hayyan dan Abdur Rahman ibnu Zaid ibnu Aslam. Telah meriwayatkan pula berikut sanadnya dari As-Saddi, bahwa lelaki yang berniat demikian adalah Talhah ibnu Abdullah r.a. hingga turunlah wahyu yang mengingatkannya bahwa hal itu diharamkan. Karena itulah para ulama telah sepakat bahwa setelah Rasulullah ﷺ wafat, maka istri-istrinya haram dikawini oleh orang lain karena mereka bukan saja sebagai istri-istri beliau di dunia ini, tetapi juga di akhirat, mereka juga adalah Ummahatul Mukminin alias ibu-ibu semua kaum mukmin, sebagaimana yang telah disebutkan sebelumnya. Para ulama berselisih pendapat sehubungan dengan masalah seorang lelaki yang sempat kawin dan menggaulinya, lalu menceraikannya semasa Rasulullah ﷺ masih hidup. Maka apakah wanita itu halal bagi lelaki lain untuk dikawininya? Ada dua pendapat sehubungan dengan masalah ini. Permasalahan keduanya timbul dari pertanyaan, bahwa apakah hal ini termasuk ke dalam pengertian umum firman-Nya: “sesudah ia wafat.” (Al-Ahzab: 53) ataukah tidak? Adapun mengenai masalah seseorang yang mengawininya (yakni bekas istri Nabi ﷺ), lalu ia menceraikannya sebelum menggaulinya, maka kami tidak mengetahui apakah dia halal atau tidak bagi orang lain. Jika keadaannya demikian, masalahnya masih diperselisihkan. Hanya Allah-lah Yang Maha Mengetahui. Ibnu Jarir mengatakan, telah menceritakan kepadaku Muhammad ibnul Musanna, telah menceritakan kepada kami Abdul Wahab, telah menceritakan kepada kami Daud, dari Amir, bahwa Nabi ﷺ wafat, sedangkan Qailah bintil Asy'as (yakni Ibnu Qais) berada dalam kepemilikan Nabi ﷺ sebagai budaknya. Sesudah itu Qailah dikawini oleh Ikrimah ibnu Abu Jahal, maka peristiwa ini sangat memberatkan hati Abu Bakar. Lalu Umar mengemukakan pendapatnya kepada Abu Bakar, "Hai Khalifah Rasulullah, sesungguhnya dia (Qailah) bukan termasuk salah seorang istri Nabi ﷺ. Sesungguhnya Rasulullah ﷺ tidak pernah memilihnya, tidak pula menghijabnya (memakaikan hijab padanya). Allah telah melepaskan dia dari Nabi ﷺ karena dia pernah murtad mengikut kepada kaumnya." Amir melanjutkan kisahnya, bahwa setelah mendengar saran dari sahabat Umar itu barulah hati Abu Bakar r.a. merasa tenang. Allah ﷻ menganggap hal itu termasuk dosa besar dan memperingatkan serta mengancam pelakunya melalui firman-Nya: “Sesungguhnya perbuatan itu adalah amat besar (dosanya) di sisi Allah.” (Al-Ahzab: 53) Ayat 54 Kemudian Allah ﷻ berfirman: “Jika kamu menyatakan sesuatu atau menyembunyikannya, maka sesungguhnya Allah Maha Mengetahui segala sesuatu.” (Al-Ahzab: 54) Maksudnya, betapapun hati sanubari kalian menyimpan sesuatu dan menyembunyikan rahasia, maka sesungguhnya Allah mengetahuinya. Karena sesungguhnya tidak ada sesuatu pun yang tersembunyi dari pengetahuan Allah, sebagaimana yang disebutkan dalam ayat lain melalui firman-Nya: “Dia mengetahui (pandangan) mata yang khianat dan apa yang disembunyikan oleh hati.” (Al-Mu-min: 19)

Pada ayat ini, Allah mengajarkan sopan santun atau etika terhadap rumah tangga Nabi ﷺ Allah melarang orang-orang yang beriman untuk memasuki rumah-rumah Nabi ﷺ kecuali dengan izin beliau, untuk makan di rumahnya tanpa menunggu waktu masak makanannya. Pada masa Rasulullah pernah terjadi ada orang-orang yang menunggu waktu makannya. Lalu turun ayat ini yang melarang perbuatan tersebut. Bilamana Rasulullah mengundang beberapa orang sahabat ke rumahnya untuk menghadiri walimah, maka mereka dilarang memasuki rumah Nabi ﷺ, kecuali bila mereka sudah mengetahui bahwa makanannya sudah siap dihidangkan. Bila hidangan belum siap dan mereka masih sibuk menyiapkan hidangan, maka masuknya tamu itu akan mengganggu ketenangan keluarga Nabi ﷺ Hal ini juga mengganggu istri Nabi. ﷺ yang sedang bekerja karena akan terlihat sebagian anggota tubuhnya yang tidak boleh dilihat oleh para tamu. Mereka dipersilakan masuk jika telah diundang. Apabila telah selesai makan, supaya segera keluar tanpa memperpanjang percakapan, karena hal itu benar-benar mengganggu Nabi ﷺ, dan beliau sendiri merasa malu untuk menyuruh tamunya keluar. Akan tetapi, Allah tidak segan untuk menerangkan yang benar. Allah mengajarkan kesopanan di dalam rumah tangga supaya diperhatikan oleh seluruh tamu-tamu yang berkunjung ke rumah orang. Bilamana ada kepentingan untuk meminta atau meminjam suatu barang ke rumah istri-istri Nabi. ﷺ, maka hendaklah permintaan itu dilakukan dari belakang tabir dan tidak berhadapan secara langsung. Hal yang demikian itu lebih menyucikan hati kedua belah pihak dan tidak pula menyakiti hati Rasulullah. Termasuk perbuatan yang menyakiti hati Rasulullah ialah menikahi istri-istrinya setelah beliau meninggal dunia. Larangan untuk menikahi bekas istri-istri Nabi. ﷺ adalah larangan yang berlaku untuk selamanya karena perbuatan itu amat besar dosanya di sisi Allah. Nabi itu lebih utama bagi orang-orang mukmin dibandingkan diri mereka sendiri dan istri-istrinya adalah ibu-ibu mereka. (al-Ahzab/33: 6). Imam al-Bukhari meriwayatkan dari Anas bahwa Umar bin Khaththab. pernah berkata, "Ada tiga pendapatku yang sesuai dengan wahyu yang diturunkan oleh Allah. Pertama, Aku berkata kepada Rasulullah, 'Wahai Rasulullah, alangkah baiknya bila engkau menjadikan maqam Ibrahim tempat salat, lalu Allah menurunkan ayat: Dan jadikanlah maqam Ibrahim itu tempat salat. (al-Baqarah/2: 125) Kedua, saya berkata, 'Wahai Rasulullah, sesungguhnya istri-istrimu sering didatangi tamu orang baik dan orang jahat, seandainya engkau membuat tabir untuk mereka tentu lebih baik, maka Allah menurunkan ayat hijab ini. Ketiga, saya pernah berkata kepada istri-istri Nabi. ketika mereka berselisih karena rasa cemburu terhadap Nabi, maka turunlah ayat ini: Jika dia (Nabi) menceraikan kamu, boleh jadi Tuhan akan memberi ganti kepadanya dengan istri-istri yang lebih baik dari kamu. (at-Tahrim/66: 5)

KETENTUAN ALLAH ﷻ TENTANG ISTRI NABI “Wahai Nabi! Sesungguhnya Kami telah menghalalkan bagi engkau istri-istri engkau yang telah engkau bayarkan mas kawinnya." (pangkal ayat 50) Dengan ayat ini diterangkan bahwa Allah ﷻ telah menghalalkan bagi beliau, Nabi kita ﷺ istri-istri beliau yang telah dibayar mas kawinnya. Mujahid mengatakan bahwa mas kawin Nabi kita kepada setiap istri beliau ialah sebelas uqiyah ditambah setengah uqiyah lagi. Jumlah harganya lima ratus dirham. Cuma satu istri beliau yang amat mahal mas kawin-nya, yaitu Ummi Habibah yang nama kecilnya Hindun, anak perempuan dari Abu Sufyan yang berpindah (hijrah) dibawa suaminya ke negeri Habsyi. Sampai di sana suaminya murtad masuk Kristen. Maka terlunta-luntalah Ummi Habibah di negeri itu. Tetap teguh memegang agamanya, tetapi dia tidak mau kembali pulang ke Mekah, sebab ayahnya sendiri masih musyrik dan memusuhi Nabi dengan kerasnya. Lalu Rasulullah ﷺ mengirim utusan ke negeri Habsyi menyampaikan lamaran beliau kepada Ummi Habibah dan beliau wakilkan kepada Negus Negesti Ashhamah untuk menikahinya, karena Najasyi itu telah memeluk Islam. Oleh Raja Habsyi itu dibayarlah mas kawin Nabi dengan uang baginda sendiri empat ratus dinar emas. Shafiah binti Huyai yang ayahnya mati dalam menjalani hukuman Bani Quraizhah, setelah dia tertawan ketika beliau ﷺ menaklukkan pertahanan Yahudi di Khaibar. Ketika Rasulullah ﷺ tahu bahwa perempuan itu anak dari pemimpin Yahudi yang besar itu dan sekarang telah tertawan, dan suaminya pun telah meninggal dalam perang dengan Nabi, Shafiah dimerdekakan oleh Nabi dari perbudakan, lalu beliau jadikan kemerdekaan yang beliau berikan itu sebagai mas kawin. Demikian juga Juwairiah binti al-Harits dari Bani al-Mushthaliq. Juwairiah jatuh ke dalam tawanan Tsabit bin Qais bin Syaminas. Lalu Juwairiah ditebus oleh Rasul ﷺ dari Tsabit lalu beliau memerdekakan pula dan beliau kawini. Kemerdekaan itu pula yang beliau jadikan sebagai mas kawin. Istri beliau enam orang dari perempuan Quraisy yang seketurunan dengan beliau, yaitu (1) Khadijah, (2) Aisyah, (3) Hafshah, (4) Ummi Habibah, (5) Saudah dan (6) Ummi Salamah. Dua orang dari Bani Hilal bin Amir, yaitu Maimunah binti al-Harits dan Zainab yang dikenal dengan sebutan “Ibu orang-orang miskin" karena dermawannya. Dan Zainab binti Jahasy dari Bani Asad. “Dan hamba sahaya yang dimiliki oleh tangan kananmu." Ayat ini menyatakan bahwa perempuan-perempuan yang jadi tawanan di medan perang, kalau tidak ada lagi keluarganya yang dapat menebusnya, menjadilah dia termasuk jadi hamba sahaya kepunyaan yang menawannya. Bisa dibuatnya sesuka hati, sebagaimana mempunyai barang. Ada yang tetap jadi budak. Dan tuan yang empunya dia tidak berdosa kalau menyetubuhinya. Sebagaimana telah kita katakan di atas tadi, pada mulanya Shafiah binti Huyai dan Juwairiah binti al-Harits pada mulanya adalah hamba sahaya tawanan. Tetapi keduanya di-kembalikan ketinggian martabatnya oleh Rasulullah ﷺ, yaitu dimerdekakan lalu dikawini, karena keduanya adalah anak-anak orang bangﷺan dalam kaumnya. Yang tetap jadi jariyah atau hamba sahaya tidak dimerdekakan tetapi dicampuri oleh Rasulullah ialah dua orang, yaitu Raihanah binti Syam'un, anak perempuan dari Bani Nadhir yang ketika terjadi pengusiran besar-besaran terhadap kaum itu, istri dan anak-anak tinggal bebas, dan Raihanah beliau jadikan jariyah. Dikirim pula oleh Muqauqis Raja Mesir seorang dayang perempuan bernama Mariah dari Qubthi (Mesir). Itu pun dijadikan jariyah beliau juga. Dan Mariah Rasulullah ﷺ beroleh putra yang paling bungsu, yaitu Ibrahim yang meninggal di waktu kecil usia 18 bulan. Di ayat ini dijelaskan tentang hamba sahaya itu, “Yang engkau peroleh sebagai rampasan perang,yang diserahkan Allah kepada engkau." Di sini ditegaskanlah sejarah dari mana asal mulanya timbulnya perbudakan. Yaitu bahwa perbudakan timbul ialah karena terjadi peperangan. Suatu negeri dikalahkan, orang-orang yang kalah dijadikan tawanan. Adakalanya tawanan boleh menebus diri atau ditebuskan oleh kaum kerabatnya. Tetapi kadang-kadang musnah negeri itu, habis laki-lakinya terbunuh dan tinggal perempuan-perempuan dan kanak-kanak. Tidak ada lagi yang akan menebus dari tawanan. Mereka jadi milik dari yang menang. Orang-orang itu langsung jadi budak. Sayyid Rasyid Ridha memberikan fatwa dengan tegas dalam Tafsir al-Manar bahwa manusia merdeka yang dijarah kampung halamannya oleh penjarah-penjarah, bukan karena perang, melainkan karena mencari orang yang akan dijadikan budak saja, sebagaimana dilakukan oleh bangsa Eropa ke negeri-negeri Afrika satu dua abad yang lalu, perbudakan terhadap mereka tidaklah sah. Akibat dari jadi budak ialah yang empunya boleh menjualnya dan boleh menghukumnya, tetapi kalau hatinya kasihan bisa juga dimer-dekakannya. Peraturan perbudakan ini di zaman lampau bukanlah berlaku dalam Islam saja, tetapi berlaku pada seluruh bangsa. Orang-orang kulit hitam di Amerika (Negro) asal-usulnya ialah budak. Perbudakan baru berhenti dalam pertengahan abad kesembilan belas. Maka Mariah budak perempuan yang dihadiahkan oleh Muqauqis Raja Muda Mesir mewakili Kerajaan Romawi dihadiahkannya kepada Rasulullah ﷺ adalah sah. Dan Nabi mengambilnya jadi jariyah adalah hal yang berlaku pada masa itu. Dalam surah kiriman Rasul, paulus (Perjanjian Baru) diberinya nasihat agar budak-budak tunduk kepada tuannya dan memperhambakan diri sebagaimana kepada Allah juga. Kemudian dijelaskan lagi siapa-siapa yang halal dirikahi oleh Rasulullah ﷺ, “Dan anak-anak perempuan dari paman engkau." Paman ialah saudara laki-laki dari ayah kandung. Sebab itu maka anak-anak perempuan dari Abu Thalib dan Abu Lahab, Abbas, dan Hamzah, halal belaka dirikahi oleh Nabi. “Dan anak-anak perempuan dari saudara perempuan ayah “engkau," sebagaimana Zainab binti Jahasy itu, setelah diceraikan oleh Zaid lalu dikawini oleh Nabi ﷺ adalah halal baginya, sebab Zainab adalah anak dari Umaimah binti Abdul Muthalib. “Dan anak-anak perempuan dari saudara laki-laki ibu engkau." Di Minangkabau saudara laki-laki dari ibu disebut mamak. Di Minang hal itu disebut “pulang ke anak mamak sesuatu perkawinan yang sangat diingini di daerah itu di zaman adat keibuan Cmatriaarchat) masih kuat. “Dan anak-anak perempuan dari saudara perempuan ibu engkau." Di negeri Bugis yang seperti ini disebut sepupu sekali. Tetapi menurut adat Minangkabau perkawinan seperti ini tidak boleh karena mereka masih seperut, serumah gedang atau sepayung. Tetapi dalam syari'at Islam nyata halalnya. “Yang semuanya itu berhijrah bersama engkau." Dengan turut berhijrah itu artinya terbukti bahwa mereka telah beriman belaka. Meskipun tidak semua sampai dikawini Nabi ﷺ, namun mereka disebut untuk menghormati hijrah mereka. Dengan ketentuan yang membolehkan mengawini anak paman, anak uncu, anak makcik, anak Pak Tua ini, bukanlah dia berlaku terhadap Rasulullah ﷺ saja. Ayat ini adalah sebagai pelengkap keterangan dari ayat 23 dari surah an-Nisaa' Sebab dalam ayat ter-sebut dijelaskan mana yang haram dirikahi, maka di ayat ini dijelaskan pula mana yang boleh dirikahi. Peraturan ini adalah jalan tengah dalam Islam terhadap syari'at yang dijalankan orang Nasrani asli dan orang Yahudi. Ibnu Katsir menerangkan dalam tafsirnya bahwa orang Nasrani terlalu jauh mencari hubungan keluarga dengan perempuan yang akan di-kawininya. Keluarga yang boleh dikawini ialah jika garis lurus pertalian nenek ke atas sudah sampai tujuh. Kalau masih di bawah tujuh keturunan belum boleh. Tetapi orang Yahudi bisa saja sampai sekarang mengawini anak perempuan dari saudara kandungnya, baik saudaranya laki-laki atau saudaranya perempuan. Sehingga bagi kita penganut syari'at Islam agak berdiri juga bulu roma kita, kalau memikirkan seseorang mau mengawini anak dari adik kandungnya. “Dan perempuan yang beriman yang menghibahkan dirinya kepada Nabi jika sudi Nabi menikahinya." Menghibahkan diri ialah memberikan diri dengan sukarela, jika Nabi sudi mengawini mereka. Menghibahkan itu ialah dengan tidak mengharapkan mas kawin lagi, asal Nabi sudi menerima. Dalam kenyataannya memang terjadi ada beberapa orang yang menghibahkan dirinya kepada Nabi kalau Nabi sudi mengawininya, tetapi tidaklah keinginan itu dikabulkan oleh Nabi. Sebuah riwayat yang dirawikan oleh Imam Ahmad bahwa pada suatu hari Anas bin Malik sedang duduk, sedang di dekat beliau duduk pula anak perempuannya dalam majelis Nabi. Lalu Anas berkata bahwa seorang perempuan datang menghadap Nabi ﷺ, lalu berkata, “Ya Nabi Allah! Sudikah tuan menerima saya jadi istri tuan?" Mendengar perempuan itu menawarkan diri demikian, maka anak perempuan Anas bin Malik itu berkata kepada ayahnya, “Perempuan yang tidak bermalu! “ karena dia meng-hibahkan diri kepada Nabi. Lalu Anas bin Malik berkata kepada anaknya itu, “Dia lebih baik daripada kau! Dia cinta kepada Nabi, lalu ditawarkannya dirinya jadi istri beliau." (Hadits ini pun dirawikan juga dari thuruq yang lain oleh Imam Bukhari sendiri yang diterimanya dengan sanadnya dari Tsabit al-Bunaniy dan Anas bin Malik). Sebuah hadits lagi yang diterima dengan sanadnya oleh Imam Ahmad dari Sa'ad as-Saa'idi, bahwa pada suatu hari datang seorang perempuan menghadap Rasul, lalu berkata, “Telah aku hibahkan diriku kepada engkau, ya Rasulullah." Nabi masih diam saja belum menjawab dan perempuan itu telah lama berdiri menunggu-nunggu sambutan Nabi ﷺ dengan harap-harap cemas. Lalu berdiri pula seorang dan tampil ke muka menyampaikan keinginannya kepada Nabi, ‘Ya Rasulullah! Kalau tuan tidak memerlukannya, kawinkanlah aku dengan dia." Maka bersabda Nabi, “Adakah padamu sesuatu yang akan engkau jadikan mas kawin?" Orang itu menjawab, “Aku tidak mempunyai apa-apa selain kain izar ini." Berkata Rasulullah ﷺ, “Kalau izar itu engkau serahkan kepadanya, tentu kalau engkau duduk tidak berizar. Kalau begitu cobalah cari-cari yang lain." Dia menjawab, “Tidak ada padaku sesuatu jua pun." Lalu Nabi bersabda, “Cobalah cari-cari walaupun sebentuk cincin besi." Dia pun keluar mencoba mencari cincin besi. Itu pun tidak dapat dan dia pun kembali tidak membawa apa-apa. Maka bersabdalah Nabi, “Adakah engkau menghafal sesuatu dari Al-Qur'an?" Laki-laki itu menjawab, “Kalau ayat-ayat Al-Qur'an memang ada pada saya. Saya hafal surah anu dan surah anu." (Lalu disebutnya beberapa surah yang dia hafal). Akhirnya berkatalah Nabi ﷺ, “Aku kawinkan engkau dengan dia, dengan mas kawin surah-surah yang ada padamu itu." (Imam Malik pun ada merawikan hadits cincin besi ini). Ada juga tersebut dalam riwayat bahwa seorang perempuan yang salihah bernama Khaulah binti Hakim datang menghibahkan dirinya pula kepada Nabi. Selanjutnya disebutkan, “Sebagai pengkhususan bagi engkau, bukan buat seluruh orang-orang yang beriman." Artinya kalau ada perempuan datang menghibahkan diri Kain selendang, kepada Nabi ﷺ, dan kalau beliau suka akan perempuan, itu, beliau boleh langsung mengawininya dengan tidak usah membayar mas kawin lagi. Tetapi bagi yang selain Nabi yaitu kita seluruh umatnya, sejak zaman-zaman sahabat sampai sekarang, kalau ada pula misalnya seorang perempuan datang menghibahkan dirinya, kalau orang itu suka akan perempuan itu lalu hendak dirikahinya, namun mas kawinnya atau mahar mitsilnya wajib juga dibayar. “Sesungguhnya telah Kami ketahui apa yang Kami fardhukan kepada mereka tentang istri-istri mereka dan hamba sahaya yang dimiliki oleh tangan kanan mereka." Artinya bahwa pergaulan umat Muhammad ﷺ dengan istri-istri beliau dan dengan jariyah-jariyah itu sudah diatur oleh Allah ﷻ sendiri. “Supaya bagi engkau tidak jadi keberatan." “Tidak jadi keberatan" artinya ialah tidak merasa ada salahnya atau dosanya jika Nabi ﷺ berbuat demikian, “Dan Allah adalah Maha Pengampun, Maha Penyayang." (ujung ayat 50) Artinya kalau kiranya ada serba sedikit terdapat kekurangberesan pergaulan suami istri, di antara umat Muhammad ﷺ sehingga tidak persis sebagaimana yang diatur oleh Allah ﷻ, asal jangan melanggar dasar yang pokok, maka Allah ﷻ memberi ampun kekurangan itu dan Allah pun Maha Penyayang kepada hamba-Nya yang terkhilaf bukan karena sengaja hendak melanggar. “Engkau tangguhkan siapa yang engkau kehendaki di antata mereka dan engkau bawa sentamu siapa yang engkau hendak pengauli." (pangkal ayat 51) Maksud ayat ini ialah khusus mengenai perempuan-perempuan yang menghibahkan diri itu. Engkau hanya halal menerima pemberian perempuan itu atas dirinya untuk engkau peristri. Jika engkau terima, Allah ﷻ tidak melarangnya. Tetapi engkau pun boleh menolak pemberian itu dengan baik kalau engkau tidak setuju dan boleh pula memakainya dan memasukkannya jadi tambahan anggota rumah tanggamu. Dalam hal ini benar-benar terserah kepadamu belaka. Di sini terdapat kalimat turjii yang kita artikan engkau tangguhkan, yaitu pemilihan kata yang lebih halus untuk menyatakan, bahwa keinginan perempuan-perempuan itu menghibahkan diri kepada Rasulullah ﷺ tidak diterima. Tetapi oleh karena menenggang perasaan kaum perempuan yang sangat halus dan jangan sampai mereka merasa tersinggung dipakailah kata-kata ditangguhkan. Artinya dijawab dengan susun kata yang sebaik-baiknya. Atau dicarikan jalan keluar yang baik. Di atas telah kita salinkan sebuah hadits yang dirawikan oleh Imam Ahmad tentang satu di antara mereka yang datang menghibahkan diri itu. Lama perempuan itu terpaksa tegak berdiri menunggu jawaban Rasulullah ﷺ, menerima atau menolak. Mujur ada di sana seorang muda yang hidupnya kurang mampu bersedia menerima perempuan itu kalau Rasul tidak hendak menerimanya. Dan perempuan itu pun patuh menerima putusan Rasulullah. Aisyah mengakui terus terang bahwa jika ada seorang perempuan datang menyerahkan diri atau menghibahkan diri itu, tersinggung juga perasaannya dan timbul juga cemburu dalam hatinya. Menurut riwayat dari Ibnu Jarir, dari Abu Kuraib, dan Yunus bin Bukair, “Meskipun Rasulullah diberi kebebasan oleh Allah menerima perempuan yang menghibahkan diri itu, namun tidak seorang pun yang beliau terima." Kalimat Tu'wii kita artikan “engkau bawa sertamu", artinya jika engkau terima permintaannya, engkau sambut dia menghibahkan diri itu, “Dan barangsiapa yang engkau kehendaki dari mereka yang telah pernah engkau ceraikan, maka tidaklah ada dosanya atas engkau." Maksudnya ialah selain dari yang engkau sambut keinginannya atau yang engkau tolak, ataupun yang pernah engkau ceraikan hendak engkau rujuk kepadanya kembali, semuanya itu tidaklah ada salahnya, tidak ada dosanya atau tidak ada keberatannya, boleh saja; semuanya terserah kepadamu. “Demikian itulah yang lebih dekat untuk menenangkan hati mereka dan mereka tidak akan merasa sedih dan semuanya rela menerima apa yang engkau berikan." Maksud semua ayat ini sudah terang. Yaitu kepada Rasulullah ﷺ sendiri diserahkan kebijaksanaan apa yang akan diambilnya terhadap kepada istri-istri beliau atau menerima atau sebaliknya terhadap perempuan yang menghibahkan diri itu. Demikian kalau ada yang tadinya beliau tangguhkan, kemudian beliau berkenan hendak menerimanya kembali, itu pun tidak ada salahnya. Demikian juga tentang pembagian hari terhadap istri-istri beliau, entah berlebih ke sana, entah berkurang kemari, karena tanggung jawabnya dalam memimpin umat begitu banyak yang lebih besar, tidak pulalah beliau diberati supaya sama. Namun itu Aisyah juga yang memberikan kesaksian, bahwa dalam membagi hari giliran di antara istrinya, beliau adalah sangat adil. Tetapi beliau selalu pula berdoa bermunajat kepada Allah ﷻ, “Ya Allah. Inilah yang aku kuasa membuatnya. Maka janganlah Engkau sesali aku pada perkara yang Engkau sendiri saja Yang Kuasa dan aku tidak kuasa." (HR an-Nasa'i dan Abu Dawud) Artinya bahwa beliau sanggup mengerjakan membagi giliran di antara istri dengan adil. Di sana sekian hari dan di situ sekian hari pula. Tetapi tentang hati ke mana condongnya, entah lebih yang ini dari yang itu dalam hati, Nabi memohon kepada Allah ﷻ dalam hal yang seperti itu, janganlah dia disesali. Maka sesuailah doa Nabi itu dengan lanjutan ayat, “Dan Allah mengetahui apa yang ada dalam hati kamu." Allah Mahatahu bahwa yang ini lebih dikasihinya dari yang itu, “Dan Allah adalah Maha Mengetahui, Maha Penyantun." (ujung ayat 51) Maka lebih dan kurang kasih sayang, kalau hanya dalam hati saja tidaklah salah di hadapan Allah ﷻ Allah itu Maha Penyantun, dapat mengerti kelemahan hamba-hamba-Nya. Al-Qurthubi menuliskan tentang istri-istri yang tetap beliau giliri, yaitu empat orang: Aisyah, Hafshah, Ummi Salamah, dan Zainab. Dan yang tidak tetap beliau giliri adalah lima orang: Saudah, Juwairiah, Ummi Habibah (Ramlah) binti Abu Sufyan, Maimunah, dan Shafiah. Dikatakan dalam ayat, bahwa jika ada yang tetap beliau giliri dan jika ada yang tidak begitu tetap, kalau semuanya sudah mengerti, bahwa Allah ﷻ telah memandang beliau tidak berdosa jika beliau lakukan demikian, niscayatah istri-istri itu akan rela menerima, tenang pikiran mereka dan tidak ada yang akan bersedih hati atau mengomel. Demikianlah Rasulullah ﷺ berlaku terhadap istri-istri beliau itu, selama hidupnya sampai beliau meninggal dunia. Bahkan Saudah menghadiahkan hari gilirannya kepada Aisyah sebab merasa diri telah tua tidak akan dapat dengan sempurna menyelenggarakan dan merawat Nabi lagi. Bahkan tertulis pula dalam sejarah hidup Aisyah bahwa beliau ini pun mempunyai ilmu tentang mengobat atau thabibah. Karena setelah Rasulullah meningkat umur lebih dari 60 tahun rawatan-nya sudah lebih teliti dan Aisyah mempelajari obat-obatan buat menjaga suaminya, beliau yang agung itu. Dan setelah beliau sakit yang akan membawa ajalnya, mulanya beliau masih tetap hendak melakukan giliran, padahal badannya sudah sangat payah. Beliau ingin sekali hendak tidur karena sakit itu di rumah Aisyah saja. Maka apabila hari telah pagi beliau bertanya di rumah siapa aku sekarang, ke rumah siapa lagi aku? Maka istri-istri yang bijaksana itu pun sama maklumlah keinginan beliau agar dirawat oleh Aisyah di rumahnya. Semuanya merelakan. “Tidaklah halal bagi engkau perempuan-perempuan sesudah yang itu." (pangkal ayat 52) Menurut keterangan dari beberapa ulama tafsir sebagaimana Ibnu Abbas, Mujahid, adh-Dhahhak, Qatadah, Ibnu Zaid, dan Ibnu Jarir, turunnya ayat ini adalah sebagai ganjaran kemuliaan bagi istri-istri Nabi ﷺ yang setelah datang ayat takhyiir (ayat 28 dan 29 di atas), semuanya telah memilih Allah dan Rasul dan kebahagiaan akhirat. Maka untuk meng-hargai pilihan mereka yang tepat itu, diturunkanlah perintah ayat ini kepada Rasulullah ﷺ, bahwa sesudah istri-istri yang tersebut itu beliau tidak boleh lagi oleh Allah ﷻ akan kawin dengan perempuan lain. Dan tidak boleh beliau mengganti istri-istri dengan perempuan lain, “Dan tidak pub bahwa engkau mengganti mereka dengan istri-istri yang lain." Karena istri-istri yang telah menempuh ujian hidup bersakit seperti ini, yang tidak mau lagi menukar Allah dan Rasul dan kebahagiaan Hari Akhirat dengan dunia dan perhiasannya, adalah istri-istri yang telah tahan uji, sudah sukar akan mencari gantinya, “Walaupun memesona hati engkau kecantikan mereka." Maka dalam keteguhan iman dan pemilihan hidup berjuang di samping junjungan alam, Muhammad ﷺ adalah mengatasi segala macam kecantikan. Kecantikan yang bagaimana pun tidak ada lagi artinya jika dibandingkan dengan-pengorbanan perempuan-perempuan yang telah menjadi istri ini. “Kecuali hamba sahaya yang dipunyai oleh tangan kanan engkau." Yakni bahwa yang masih dibolehkan ialah hamba sahaya atau jariyah yang nyata berasal dari perbudakan sebagaimana yang telah kita terangkan di atas, karena mereka itu tidak sama martabatnya dengan istri perempuan merdeka. “Dan Allah alas tiap-tiap sesuatu adalah Maha Mengawasi." (ujung ayat 52) Maka tidaklah ada sesuatu pun sejak dari barang sebesar-besarnya, sampai kepada yang sekecil-kecilnya yang terlepas dari pengawasan Allah ﷻ Dua kesan kita dapat dari ayat ini. Meskipun dihadapkan kepada Nabi ﷺ, yang dituju ialah kita. Kesan pertama janganlah dipakai kelakuan yang tidak pantas, yaitu gampang-gampang saja menukar-nukar bini. Istri seakan-akan dipandang barang permainan saja. Telah kawin bercerai lagi dan ganti pula dengan istri yang lain sehingga hidup tidak mendapat ketenteraman. Tidak tercapai hikmah berumah tangga sebagaimana tersebut di dalam surah ar-Ruum ayat 21 bahwa bersuami-istri itu ialah agar menegakkan mawaddah dan rahmah. bagi mendatangkan sakinah (ketenteraman) dalam hati. Kesan yang kedua diambil dari bunyi bagian ayat “walaupun memesona kecantikan mereka." Dapatlah disarikan dari bunyi ayat ini, bahwa seorang laki-laki yang ingin meminang seorang perempuan dibolehkan melihat wajah perempuan itu terlebih dahulu, supaya jangan menyesal kemudian, Nabi ﷺ bersabda, “Dari Jabir bin Abdullah, dari Nabi ﷺ bahwa beliau pernah berkata, “Bilamana seseorang kamu ingin meminang seorang perempuan, kalau dapat dia melihat perempuan itu terlebih dahulu, agar menarik untuk menikahinya, maka perbuatlah." (HR Abu Dawud)

The Etiquette of entering the Houses of the Prophet and the Command of Hijab Allah says: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُوا O you who believe! This is the Ayah of Hijab, which includes several legislative rulings and points of etiquette. This is one of the cases where the revelation confirmed the opinion of Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, as it was reported in the Two Sahihs that he said: My view coincided with that of my Lord in three things. I said, `O Messenger of Allah, why do you not take Maqam Ibrahim as a place of prayer!' Then Allah revealed: وَاتَّخِذُواْ مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَهِيمَ مُصَلًّى And take you (people) the Maqam (place) of Ibrahim as a place of prayer. (2:125) And I said, `O Messenger of Allah, both righteous and immoral people enter upon your wives, so why do you not screen them!' Then Allah revealed the Ayah of Hijab. And I said to the wives of the Prophet when they conspired against him out of jealousy, عَسَى رَبُّهُ إِن طَلَّقَكُنَّ أَن يُبْدِلَهُ أَزْوَجاً خَيْراً مِّنكُنَّ (It may be if he divorced you (all) that his Lord will give him instead of you, wives better than you) (66:5), and this is what Allah revealed. In a report recorded by Muslim, the prisoners of Badr are mentioned, and this is a fourth matter in which the view of Umar coincided with that of his Lord. Al-Bukhari recorded that Anas bin Malik said: Umar bin Al-Khattab said: `O Messenger of Allah, both righteous and immoral people enter upon you, so why not instruct the Mothers of the believers to observe Hijab!' Then Allah revealed the Ayah of Hijab. Al-Bukhari recorded that Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, said: When the Messenger of Allah married Zaynab bint Jahsh, he invited the people to eat, then they sat talking. When he wanted to get up, they did not get up. When he ﷺ that, he got up anyway, and some of them got up, but three people remained sitting. The Prophet wanted to go in, but these people were sitting, then they got up and went away. I came and told the Prophet that they had left, then he came and entered. I wanted to follow him, but he put the screen between me and him. Then Allah revealed, يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُوا لَاا تَدْخُلُوا بُيُوتَ النَّبِيِّ إِلاَّ أَن يُوْذَنَ لَكُمْ إِلَى طَعَامٍ غَيْرَ نَاظِرِينَ إِنَاهُ وَلَكِنْ إِذَا دُعِيتُمْ فَادْخُلُوا فَإِذَا طَعِمْتُمْ فَانتَشِرُوا O you who believe! Enter not the Prophet's houses, unless permission is given to you for a meal, (and then) not (so early as) to wait for its preparation. But when you are invited, enter, and when you have taken your meal, disperse... Al-Bukhari also recorded this elsewhere. It was also recorded by Muslim and An-Nasa'i. Then Al-Bukhari recorded that Anas bin Malik said: The Prophet married Zaynab bint Jahsh with (a wedding feast of) meat and bread. I sent someone to invite people to the feast, and some people came and ate, then left. Then another group came and ate, and left. I invited people until there was no one left to invite. I said, `O Messenger of Allah, I cannot find anyone else to invite.' He said, ارْفَعُوا طَعَامَكُم (Take away the food). There were three people left who were talking in the house. The Prophet went out until he came to the apartment of A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, and he said, السَّلَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُه (May peace be upon you, members of the household, and the mercy and blessings of Allah). She said, `And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah. How did you find your (new) wife, O Messenger of Allah May Allah bless you.' He went round to the apartments of all his wives, and spoke with them as he had spoken with A'ishah, and they spoke as A'ishah had spoken. Then the Prophet came back, and those three people were still talking in the house. The Prophet was extremely shy, so he went out and headed towards A'ishah's apartment. I do not know whether I told him or someone else told him when the people had left, so he came back, and when he was standing with one foot over the threshold and the other foot outside, he placed the curtain between me and him, and the Ayah of Hijab was revealed. This was recorded only by Al-Bukhari among the authors of the Six Books, apart from An-Nasa'i, in Al-Yaum wal-Laylah. لَاا تَدْخُلُوا بُيُوتَ النَّبِيِّ Enter not the Prophet's houses, the believers were prohibited from entering the houses of the Messenger of Allah without permission, as they used to do during the Jahiliyyah and at the beginning of Islam, until Allah showed His jealousy over this Ummah and commanded them to seek permission. This is a sign of His honoring this Ummah. Hence the Messenger of Allah said: إِيَّاكُمْ وَالدُّخُولَ عَلَى النِّسَاء Beware of entering upon women... Then Allah makes an exception, when He says: إِلاَّ أَن يُوْذَنَ لَكُمْ إِلَى طَعَامٍ غَيْرَ نَاظِرِينَ إِنَاهُ unless permission is given to you for a meal, (and then) not (so early as) to wait for its preparation. Mujahid, Qatadah and others said: This means, without waiting for the food to be prepared. In other words, do not watch the food as it is being cooked to see if it is nearly ready, then come and enter the house, because this is one of the things that Allah dislikes and condemns. This indicates that it is forbidden to watch out for food being prepared, which is what the Arabs called Tatfil (being an uninvited guest). Al-Khatib Al-Baghdadi wrote a book condemning those who watch out for food being prepared, and mentioned more things about this topic than we can quote here. Then Allah says: وَلَكِنْ إِذَا دُعِيتُمْ فَادْخُلُوا فَإِذَا طَعِمْتُمْ فَانتَشِرُوا . But when you are invited, enter, and when you have taken your meal, disperse, In Sahih Muslim it is recorded that Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said: The Messenger of Allah said: إِذَا دَعَا أَحَدُكُمْ أَخَاهُ فَلْيُجِبْ عُرْسًا كَانَ أَوْ غَيْرَه When anyone of you invites his bother, let him respond, whether it is for a wedding or for any other reason. Allah says: .. وَلَا مُسْتَأْنِسِينَ لِحَدِيثٍ without sitting for a talk. meaning, as those three people did who stayed behind and chatted, and forgot themselves to such an extent that this caused inconvenience for the Messenger of Allah as Allah says: إِنَّ ذَلِكُمْ كَانَ يُوْذِي النَّبِيَّ فَيَسْتَحْيِي مِنكُمْ Verily, such (behavior) annoys the Prophet, and he is shy of (asking) you (to go); It was said that what was meant was, your entering his houses without permission causes him inconvenience and annoyance, but he did not like to forbid them to do so because he felt too shy,' until Allah revealed that this was forbidden. Allah says: وَاللَّهُ لَاا يَسْتَحْيِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ but Allah is not shy of (telling you) the truth. meaning, `this is why He is forbidding and prohibiting you from doing that.' Then Allah says: وَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُنَّ مَتَاعًا فَاسْأَلُوهُنَّ مِن وَرَاء حِجَابٍ And when you ask (his wives) for anything you want, ask them from behind a screen, meaning, `just as it is forbidden for you to enter upon them, it is forbidden for you to look at them at all. If anyone of you has any need to take anything from them, he should not look at them, but he should ask for whatever he needs from behind a screen.' ذَلِكُمْ أَطْهَرُ لِقُلُوبِكُمْ وَقُلُوبِهِنَّ that is purer for your hearts and for their hearts. Prohibition of annoying the Messenger and the Statement that His Wives are Unlawful for the Muslims Allah says: وَمَا كَانَ لَكُمْ أَن تُوْذُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَلَا أَن تَنكِحُوا أَزْوَاجَهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ أَبَدًا إِنَّ ذَلِكُمْ كَانَ عِندَ اللَّهِ عَظِيمًا And it is not (right) for you that you should annoy Allah's Messenger, nor that you should ever marry his wives after him (his death). Verily, with Allah that shall be an enormity. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn Abbas said concerning the Ayah; وَمَا كَانَ لَكُمْ أَن تُوْذُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ (And it is not (right) for you that you should annoy Allah's Messenger), This was revealed concerning a man who wanted to marry one of the wives of the Prophet after he died. A man said to Sufyan, `Was it A'ishah!' He said, `That is what they said.' This was also stated by Muqatil bin Hayyan and Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. He also reported with his chain of narration from As-Suddi that the one who wanted to do this was Talhah bin Ubaydullah, may Allah be pleased with him, until this Ayah was revealed forbidding that. Hence the scholars were unanimous in stating that it was forbidden for anyone to marry any of the women who were married to the Messenger of Allah at the time when he died, because they are his wives in this world and in the Hereafter, and they are the Mothers of the believers, as stated previously. Allah regarded that as a very serious matter, and issued the sternest of warnings against it, as He said: إِنَّ ذَلِكُمْ كَانَ عِندَ اللَّهِ عَظِيمًا Verily, with Allah that shall be an enormity. Then He said: إِن تُبْدُوا شَيْيًا أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمًا Whether you reveal anything or conceal it, verily, Allah is Ever All-Knower of everything. meaning, `whatever you conceal in your innermost thoughts, it is not hidden from Him at all.' يَعْلَمُ خَأيِنَةَ الاٌّعْيُنِ وَمَا تُخْفِى الصُّدُورُ Allah knows the fraud of the eyes, and all that the breasts conceal. (40:19) Relatives before Whom a Woman does not need to observe Hijab Allah says: لاَّا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِنَّ فِي ابَايِهِنَّ وَلَا أَبْنَايِهِنَّ وَلَا إِخْوَانِهِنَّ وَلَا أَبْنَاء إِخْوَانِهِنَّ وَلَا أَبْنَاء أَخَوَاتِهِنَّ وَلَا نِسَايِهِنَّ وَلَا مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُنَّ It is no sin on them before their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their brother's sons, or the sons of their sisters, or their own (believing) women, or their (female) slaves. And (O ladies) have Taqwa of Allah. Verily, Allah is Ever All-Witness over everything. When Allah commands women to observe Hijab in front of men to whom they are not related, He explains who are the relatives before whom they do not need to observe Hijab. This is like the exceptions stated in Surah An-Nur, where Allah says: وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلاَّ لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ ءَابَأيِهِنَّ أَوْ ءَابَأءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَأيِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَأءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِى إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِى أَخَوَتِهِنَّ أَوْ نِسَأيِهِنَّ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـنُهُنَّ أَوِ التَّـبِعِينَ غَيْرِ أُوْلِى الاِرْبَةِ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ أَوِ الطِّفْلِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يَظْهَرُواْ عَلَى عَوْرَتِ النِّسَأءِ And not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husbands' fathers, or their sons, or their husbands' sons, or their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or their right hand possessions, or the Tabi`in among men who do not have desire, or small children who are not aware of the nakedness of women. (24:31) The Ayah contains more detail than this, which we have already discussed in the Tafsir of the Ayah and do not need to repeat here. Ibn Jarir recorded that Ash-Sha`bi and Ikrimah said concerning the Ayah, لاَّا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِنَّ فِي ابَايِهِنَّ (It is no sin on them before their fathers...), I said, What about the paternal uncle and the maternal uncle -- why are they not mentioned! He said:Because they may describe her to their sons, so it is disliked for a woman to remove her covering in front of her paternal uncle or maternal uncle. وَلَا نِسَايِهِنَّ (or their own women), means that they do not have to observe Hijab in front of other believing women. وَلَا مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُنَّ (or their (female) slaves. Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib said: This means female slaves only. This was recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim. وَاتَّقِينَ اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدًا And (O ladies) have Taqwa of Allah. Verily, Allah is Ever All-Witness over everything. means, and fear Him in private and in public, for He witnesses all things and nothing is hidden from Him, so think of the One Who is always watching The Command to say Salah upon the Prophet Allah says: إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَيِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا Allah sends His Salah on the Prophet, and also His angels (do so). O you who believe! Send your Salah on him, and greet him with Taslim. Al-Bukhari said that Abu Al-Aliyah said: Allah's Salah is His praising him before the angels, and the Salah of the angels is their supplication. Ibn Abbas said: They send blessings. Abu `Isa At-Tirmidhi said: This was narrated from Sufyan Ath-Thawri and other scholars, who said: `The Salah of the Lord is mercy, and the Salah of the angels is their seeking forgiveness.' There are Mutawatir Hadiths narrated from the Messenger of Allah commanding us to send blessings on him and how we should say Salah upon him. We will mention as many of them as we can, if Allah wills, and Allah is the One Whose help we seek. In his Tafsir of this Ayah, Al-Bukhari recorded that Ka`b bin `Ujrah said, It was said, `O Messenger of Allah, with regard to sending Salam upon you, we know about this, but how about Salah!' He said: قُولُوا اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى الِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى الِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى الِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى الِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيد Say: O Allah, send Your Salah upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent Your Salah upon the family of Ibrahim, verily You are the Most Praiseworthy, Most Glorious. O Allah, send Your blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent Your blessings upon the family of Ibrahim, verily You are Most Praiseworthy, Most Glorious. Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn Abi Layla said that Ka`b bin `Ujrah met him and said, Shall I not give you a gift The Messenger of Allah came out to us and we said, `O Messenger of Allah! We know how to send Salam upon you, but how can we send Salah!' He said: قُولُوا اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى الِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى الِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى الِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى الِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيد Say: O Allah, send Your Salah upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent Your Salah upon the family of Ibrahim, verily You are the Most Praiseworthy, Most Glorious. O Allah, send Your blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent Your blessings upon the family of Ibrahim, verily You are Most Praiseworthy, Most Glorious. This Hadith has been recorded by the Group in their books with different chains of narration. Another Hadith Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, said: We said, `O Messenger of Allah, this is the Salam upon you, but how do we send Salah upon you!' He said: قُولُوا اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدِكَ وَرَسُولِكَ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى الِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَبَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى الِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى الِ إِبْرَاهِيم Say: O Allah, send Your Salah upon Muhammad, Your servant and Messenger, as You sent Your Salah upon the family of Ibrahim, and send Your blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent Your blessings upon the family of Ibrahim. Abu Salih narrated that Layth said: عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى الِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى الِ إِبْرَاهِيم Upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad as You sent Your blessings upon the family of Ibrahim. Ibrahim bin Hamzah told that, Ibn Abi Hazim and Ad-Darawardi told, that Yazid, i.e., Ibn Al-Had said: كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَبَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَالِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَ الِ إِبْرَاهِيم As You sent Your Salah upon Ibrahim, and send Your blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You sent Your blessings upon Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. This was also recorded by An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah. Another Hadith Imam Ahmad recorded from Abu Humayd As-Sa`idi that they said: O Messenger of Allah, how can we send Salah upon you! He said, قُولُوا اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَأَزْوَاجِهِ وَذُرِّيَّتِهِ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَبَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَأَزْوَاجِهِ وَذُرِّيَّتِهِ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى الِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيد Say: O Allah, send Your Salah upon Muhammad and his wives and offspring, as You sent Your Salah upon Ibrahim, and send Your blessings upon Muhammad and his wives and offspring, as You sent Your blessings upon the family of Ibrahim, verily You are Most Praiseworthy, Most Glorious. It was also recorded by the rest of the Group, apart from At-Tirmidhi. Another Hadith Muslim recorded that Abu Mas`ud Al-Ansari said: We came to the Messenger of Allah and we were with Sa`d bin Ubadah. Bashir bin Sa`d said to him, `Allah has commanded us to send Salah upon you, O Messenger of Allah. How can we send Salah upon you!' The Messenger of Allah remained quiet for so long that we wished that he had not asked him, then the Messenger of Allah said: قُولُوا اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى الِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى الِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَبَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى الِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى الِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فِي الْعَالَمِينَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ وَالسَّلَامُ كَمَا قَدْ عَلِمْتُم Say: O Allah, send Your Salah upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent Your Salah upon the family of Ibrahim, and send Your blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent Your blessings upon the family of Ibrahim among all people, verily You are Most Praiseworthy, Most Glorious. And the Salam is as you know. This was also recorded by Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Jarir. At-Tirmidhi said, It is Hasan Sahih. Saying Salah upon the Prophet before the Supplication Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi reported the following Hadith and graded it Sahih; An-Nasa'i, Ibn Khuzaymah and Ibn Hibban recorded in their Sahihs that Fadalah bin Ubayd, may Allah be pleased with him, said: The Messenger of Allah heard a man making supplication in his prayer when he had not praised Allah or said Salah upon the Prophet. The Messenger of Allah said: عَجِلَ هَذَا This man is rushing. Then he called him over and said, to him or to someone else, إِذَا صَلَّى أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَبْدَأْ بِتَمْجِيدِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَالثَّنَاءِ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ لْيُصَلِّ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ثُمَّ لْيَدْعُ بَعْدُ بِمَا شَاء When any one of you supplicates, let him start by praising and glorifying Allah, may He be exalted, then let him send Salah upon the Prophet, and after that let him make supplication as he wishes. The Virtue of saying Salah upon the Prophet Another Hadith At-Tirmidhi recorded that Ubayy bin Ka`b said: When two thirds of the night had passed, the Messenger of Allah would get up and say, يَاأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اذْكُرُوا اللهَ اذْكُرُوا اللهَ جَاءَتِ الرَّاجِفَةُ تَتْبَعُهَا الرَّادِفَةُ جَاءَ الْمَوْتُ بِمَا فِيهِ جَاءَ الْمَوْتُ بِمَا فِيه O people, remember Allah, remember Allah, the first blast of the Trumpet has come and will be followed by the second blast, death has come with all its horrors, death has come with all its horrors. Ubayy said, I said, `O Messenger of Allah, I send a lot of Salah upon you, how much of my prayer should be Salah upon you!' He said, مَا شِيْت (Whatever you want). I said, `A quarter.' He said, مَا شِيْتَ فَإِنْ زِدْتَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَك Whatever you want, but if you increase it, it will be better for you. I said, `Half.' He said, مَا شِيْتَ فَإِنْ زِدْتَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَك (Whatever you want, but if you increase it, it will be better for you. I said, `Two thirds.' He said, مَا شِيْتَ فَإِنْ زِدْتَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَك Whatever you want, but if you increase it, it will be better for you. I said, `Should I make my whole prayer for you!' He said, إِذَنْ تُكْفَى هَمُّكَ وَيُغْفَرُ لَكَ ذَنْبُك This would be sufficient to relieve your distress and earn you forgiveness of your sins. Then he said:This is a Hasan Hadith. Another Hadith Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Talhah said that the Messenger of Allah came one day looking happy. They said, O Messenger of Allah, we see that you look happy. He said, إِنَّهُ أَتَانِي الْمَلَكُ فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ أَمَا يُرْضِيكَ أَنَّ رَبَّكَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَقُولُ إِنَّهُ لَا يُصَلِّي عَلَيْكَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِكَ إِلاَّ صَلَّيْتُ عَلَيْهِ عَشْرًا وَلَا يُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْكَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِكَ إِلاَّ سَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ عَشْرًا قُلْتُ بَلَى The angel came to me and told me, O Muhammad, would it not please you if your Lord, may He be glorified, says:`No member of your Ummah sends Salah upon you but I send Salah upon him tenfold, and no member of your Ummah sends greetings of Salam upon you but I send greetings of Salam upon him tenfold.' I said, Of course. This was also recorded by An-Nasa'i. Another Chain of Narration Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Talhah Al-Ansari said: One morning the Messenger of Allah was in a cheerful mood and looked happy. They said, `O Messenger of Allah, this morning you are in a cheerful mood and look happy.' He said, أَجَلْ أَتَانِي اتٍ مِنْ رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَقَالَ مَنْ صَلَّى عَلَيْكَ مِنْ أُمَّتِكَ صَلَةً كَتَبَ اللهُ لَهُ بِهَا عَشْرَ حَسَنَاتٍ وَمَحَا عَنْهُ عَشْرَ سَيِّيَاتٍ وَرَفَعَ لَهُ عَشْرَ دَرَجَاتٍ وَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِ مِثْلَهَا Of course just now someone (an angel) came to me from my Lord and said, Whoever among your Ummah sends Salah upon you, Allah will record for him ten good deeds and will erase for him ten evil deeds, and will raise his status by ten degrees, and will return his greeting with something similar to it. This is also a good chain, although they (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) did not report it. Another Hadith Muslim, Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i recorded that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: The Messenger of Allah said: مَنْ صَلَّى عَلَيَّ وَاحِدَةً صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ بِهَا عَشْرًا Whoever sends one Salah upon me, Allah will send ten upon him. At-Tirmidhi said:This is a Sahih Hasan Hadith. On the same topic, narrations come from Abdur-Rahman bin `Awf, `Amir bin Rabi`ah, `Ammar, Abu Talhah, Anas and Ubayy bin Ka`b. Another Hadith Imam Ahmad recorded from Abu Hurayrah: the Prophet said: صَلُّوا عَلَيَّ فَإِنَّهَا زَكَاةٌ لَكُمْ وَسَلُوا اللهَ لِيَ الْوَسِيلَةَ فَإِنَّهَا دَرَجَةٌ فِي أَعْلَى الْجَنَّةِ لَا يَنَالُهَا إِلاَّ رَجُلٌ وَأَرْجُو أَنْ أَكُونَ أَنَا هُو Send Salah upon me, for this is Zakah for you, and ask Allah to grant me Al-Wasilah, for it is a position in the highest part of Paradise which only one man will attain, and I hope that I will be the one. This was recorded only by Ahmad. Another Hadith Imam Ahmad recorded that Al-Husayn bin Ali said that the Messenger of Allah said: الْبَخِيلُ مَنْ ذُكِرْتُ عِنْدَهُ ثُمَّ لَمْ يُصَلِّ عَلَي The miser is the one in whose presence I am mentioned, then he does not send Salah upon me. Abu Sa`id said: فَلَمْ يُصَلِّ عَلَي and he does not send Salah upon me. This was also recorded by At-Tirmidhi, who then said:This Hadith is Hasan Gharib, Sahih. Another Hadith At-Tirmidhi recorded that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah said: رَغِمَ أَنْفُ رَجُلٍ ذُكِرْتُ عِنْدَهُ فَلَمْ يُصَلِّ عَلَيَّ وَرَغِمَ أَنْفُ رَجُلٍ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ ثُمَّ انْسَلَخَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُغْفَرَ لَهُ وَرَغِمَ أَنْفُ رَجُلٍ أَدْرَكَ عِنْدَهُ أَبَوَاهُ الْكِبَرَ فَلَمْ يُدْخِلَهُ الْجَنَّة May he be humiliated, the man in whose presence I am mentioned and he does not send Salah upon me; may he be humiliated, the man who sees the month of Ramadan come and go, and he is not forgiven; may he be humiliated, the man whose parents live to old age and they do not cause him to be granted admittance to Paradise. Then he (At-Tirmidhi) said:Hasan Gharib. Occasions for saying Salah upon Him It is reported that we should send blessings upon him on many occasions, such as following the call to prayer, as in the Hadith recorded by Imam Ahmad from Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`As, who said that he heard the Messenger of Allah say: إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ مُوَذِّنًا فَقُولُوا مِثْلَمَا يَقُولُ ثُمَّ صَلُّوا عَلَيَّ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ صَلَّى عَلَيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ بِهَا عَشْرًا ثُمَّ سَلُوا اللهَ لِيَ الْوَسِيلَةَ فَإِنَّهَا مَنْزِلَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ لَا تَنْبَغِي إِلاَّ لِعَبْدٍ مِنْ عِبَادِ اللهِ وَأَرْجُو أَنْ أَكُونَ أَنَا هُوَ فَمَنْ سَأَلَ لِيَ الْوَسِيلَةَ حَلَّتْ عَلَيْهِ الشَّفَاعَة When you hear the Mu'adhdhin, repeat what he says, then send Salah upon me, for whoever sends Salah upon me, Allah will send Salah upon him tenfold. Then ask Allah to grant me Al-Wasilah, which is a status in Paradise to which only one of the servants of Allah will be entitled, and I hope that I will be the one. Whoever asks Allah for Al-Wasilah for me, it will be permitted for me to intercede for him. This was recorded by Muslim, Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i. Other occasions when we should send Salah upon the Prophet include when entering or exiting the Masjid, because of the Hadith recorded by Imam Ahmad from Fatima, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah who said: When the Messenger of Allah entered the Masjid, he would send Salah and Salam upon Muhammad, and say, اللْهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي ذُنُوبِي وَافْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِك O Allah, forgive me my sins and open for me the gates of Your mercy When he exited, he would send Salah and Salam upon Muhammad, and say, اللْهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي ذُنُوبِي وَافْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ فَضْلِك O Allah, forgive me my sins and open for me the gates of Your bounty. We should also send Salah upon him during the Funeral prayer. The Sunnah is to recite Surah Al-Fatihah following the first Takbir, to send Salah upon the Prophet during the second Takbir, to make supplication for the deceased during the third Takbir, and in the fourth Takbir to say, O Allah, do not deprive us of his reward, and do not test us after him. Ash-Shafi`i, may Allah have mercy on him, recorded that Abu Umamah bin Sahl bin Hunayf was told by one of the Companions of the Prophet that the Sunnah in the funeral prayer is for the Imam to pronounce the Takbir, then to recite Surah Al-Fatihah silently after the first Takbir, then to send Salah upon the Prophet, then to offer sincere supplication for the deceased, but not to recite any Qur'an in any of the Takbirs, then to conclude by saying Salam silently. An-Nasa'i also recorded this from Abu Umamah, who said, This is from the Sunnah, and he mentioned it. According to the correct view, such a statement reported from a Companion carries the ruling of Marfu`. It is recommended to conclude supplications with Salah upon the Prophet At-Tirmidhi recorded that Umar bin Al-Khattab said: A supplication remains suspended between heaven and earth and does not ascend any further until you send Salah upon your Prophet. This was also narrated by Mu`adh bin Al-Harith from Abu Qurrah from Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib from Umar, as a saying of the Prophet. It was also recorded by Razin bin Mu`awiyah in his book, where he also attributed it to the Prophet reporting that he said: الدُّعَاءُ مَوْقُوفٌ بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالاَْرْضِ لَا يَصْعَدُ حَتَّى يُصَلَّى عَلَيَّ فَلَ تَجْعَلُونِي كَغُمْرِ الرَّاكِبِ صَلُّوا عَلَيَّ أَوَّلَ الدُّعَاءِ وَاخِرَهُ وَأَوْسَطَه A supplication remains suspended between heaven and earth and does not ascend any further until a person sends Salah on me. Do not treat me like a spare water container, send Salah upon me at the beginning of your supplication, at the end and in the middle. Sending Salah upon the Prophet is even more strongly encouraged in the Qunut supplication. Ahmad, the Sunan compilers, Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Hibban and Al-Hakim recorded that Al-Hasan bin Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said: The Messenger of Allah taught me some words to say during Al-Witr: اللْهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنِي فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنِي فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنِي شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ فَإِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلَا يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لَا يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ وَلَا يَعِزُّ مَنْ عَادَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْت O Allah, - guide me along with those whom You have guided, - grant me health along with those to whom You have granted health, - be an ally to me along with those to whom You are an ally, and bless me for that which You have bestowed. - Protect me from the evil You have decreed, for verily You decree and none can decree over You. - Verily, he whom You show allegiance to is never abased and he whom You take as an enemy is never honored and mighty, O our Lord, blessed and Exalted are You. In his Sunan, An-Nasa'i has the addition, وَصَلَّى اللهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّد and may Allah bless Muhammad. at the end of this Qunut. It is also recommended to say plenty of Salah upon him on Friday and on the eve of Friday. Imam Ahmad recorded that Aws bin Aws Ath-Thaqafi, may Allah be pleased with him, said: The Messenger of Allah said: مِنْ أَفْضَلِ أَيَّامِكُمْ يَوْمُ الْجُمُعَةِ فِيهِ خُلِقَ ادَمُ وَفِيهِ قُبِضَ وَفِيهِ النَّفْخَةُ وَفِيهِ الصَّعْقَةُ فَأَكْثِرُوا عَلَيَّ مِنَ الصَّلَةِ فِيهِ فَإِنَّ صَلَتَكُمْ مَعْرُوضَةٌ عَلَي One of the best of your days is Friday; on this day Adam was created and died, on this day the Trumpet (Sur) will be blown and all will have swoon away. So on this day send plenty of Salah upon me, for your Salah will be presented to me. They said, `O Messenger of Allah, how will they be shown to you after your body has dispersed into the earth.' He said, إِنَّ اللهَ حَرَّمَ عَلَى الاَْرْضِ أَنْ تَأْكُلَ أَجْسَادَ الاَْنْبِيَاء Allah has forbidden the earth to consume the bodies of the Prophets. This was also recorded by Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah, and it was graded Sahih by Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Hibban, Ad-Daraqutni and An-Nawawi in Al-Adhkar.

Commentary These verses have laid down some etiquettes and rules of Islamic social behavior. The reason for mentioning them in the context of the previous verses is that these rules were initially revealed for the Holy Prophet's ﷺ household and his wives, although their applicability is not specific or exclusive to him. The First Injunction Etiquettes for hosts and guests يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَدْخُلُوا بُيُوتَ النَّبِيِّ إِلَّا أَن يُؤْذَنَ لَكُمْ إِلَىٰ طَعَامٍ غَيْرَ‌ نَاظِرِ‌ينَ إِنَاهُ وَلَـٰكِنْ إِذَا دُعِيتُمْ فَادْخُلُوا فَإِذَا طَعِمْتُمْ فَانتَشِرُ‌وا وَلَا مُسْتَأْنِسِينَ لِحَدِيثٍ (0 those who believe, do not enter the houses of the Prophet, unless you are permitted for a meal, not (so early as) to wait for its preparation. But when you are invited, go inside. Then, once you have had the meal, then disperse, and (do) not (sit for long) being keen for a chat. This (conduct of yours) hurts the Prophet, but he feels shy of (telling) you (about it). And Allah is not shy of the truth). (33:53) This verse has laid down three rules pertaining to a situation where a person is invited to have meal in someone's house. These rules are applicable to all Muslims in general, but since they were prompted by an incident which took place in the house of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، therefore the Prophet's ﷺ house has been mentioned in the text. The first rule is: لَا تَدْخُلُوا بُيُوتَ النَّبِيِّ إِلَّا أَن يُؤْذَنَ لَكُمْ "Do not enter the houses of the Prophet ﷺ ، unless you are permitted.." The second etiquette is that despite invitation to dine and permission to enter the house, one should not enter the house so early as to wait for the meal's preparation; rather he should go inside the house when he is invited to do so. The third etiquette is that once the invitees have had the meal, they should disperse and should not sit for long being keen for a chat. This direction is restricted to the general cases where guests' sitting for long after having the meal causes inconvenience to the host, either because the host wants to get busy with his own work, or because he has to serve meals to others after these guests. But where the practice and norm is that the guests remaining busy in conversation till late after they had their meals does not pose any problem for the hosts, as it has become customary in dinners and parties these days, this rule would not apply, because the next sentence of the verse has specifically highlighted the reason of this rule where it is said that this behavior brings discomfort to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . In the specific incident that was the cause of the revelation of this verse, the meals were served in the ladies apartments of the Holy Prophet t and the discomfort caused to the family members because of the guests staying till late is obvious. The verse also states that although such behavior of the guests hurts the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، yet since they are his own guests, he feels shy of telling and educating them about it, but Allah Ta’ ala is not shy of telling them the truth. The above sentence of the verse also tells us the extent to which a host is required to show respect and give honor and regard to his guests, because despite the fact that it was one of the obligations of the Holy Prophet ﷺ to teach people how they should behave when they are invited as guests, he postponed to teach his own guests this etiquette (lest they should feel disgraced) till Allah Ta’ ala Himself taught this etiquette in the Qur'an. The Second Injunction - Hijab for Women وَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُنَّ مَتَاعًا فَاسْأَلُوهُنَّ مِن وَرَ‌اءِ حِجَابٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ أَطْهَرُ‌ لِقُلُوبِكُمْ وَقُلُوبِهِنَّ And when you ask anything from them (the blessed wives of the Prophet), ask them from behind a curtain. That is better for the purity of your hearts and their hearts. (33:53) This rule has also been prompted by a particular incident involving the blessed wives ؓ ، but the rule is general for the whole Ummah. Briefly, the rule states that if non-mahram men have to ask anything of common use from women, they should ask them from behind a curtain - not face to face. The reason stated for this rule is that it is better for the purity of the hearts of both. The special Importance of Women's Hijab It is worth noting here that the men and women who are the direct addressees of these rules of hijab are, on the one hand, the women who are the blessed wives ؓ of the Holy Prophet ﷺ the purification of whose hearts has been undertaken by Allah Ta’ ala Himself as mentioned in the verse preceding the present one, and on the other hand they are the men who are the noble companions ؓ ، of the Holy Prophet t many of whom have been exalted even above angels. Despite all these credentials, hijab was deemed to be necessary between men and women for the purity of their hearts and to protect them from sensual scruples. Who can claim that his inner-self is purer than those of the noble companions and the inner-selves of his women are purer than those of the blessed wives ؓ and thus believe that mixing of men and women would not have any bad consequences? The Background of the revelation of these verses Different incidents have been related by the commentators as the background for the revelation of the these verses. But there is no contradiction between these narrations, because it is likely that all these incidents combined together constitute the reason for the revelation. As for the first verse which lays down the etiquettes of guests, its background is mentioned by Sulayman Ibn Arqam, as reported by Ibn Abi Hatim, that it was revealed about some boorish people who would enter a house without being invited and keep waiting there for the preparation of a meal. And Imam ` Abd Ibn Humaid has reported the statement of Sayyidna Anas ؓ that this verse was revealed about some people who would look for an opportunity to enter and sit in the Holy Prophet's ﷺ house well before the time of dining, remain busy in conversation between themselves till the preparation of the meal and then would join the dining. These incidents took place before the injunction of hijab when men used to enter women's apartments. As for the second rule relating to the hijab of women, Imam Bukhari (رح) has cited two narrations about the reason for its revelation. One is narrated by Sayyidna Anas ؓ that Sayyidna ` Umar Ibn Khattab ؓ said to the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، "0 Messenger of Allah! you are visited by all sorts of people, and as such it appears advisable that you order your blessed wives ؓ to observe Hijab". At this, the verse of hijab was revealed. Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim both have reported the following statement of Sayyidna ` Umar Ibn Khattab: وافقتُ رَبِّی فی ثلٰث : قلت یا رسول اللہ ! لو اتخذت فی مقام ابراھیم مَصَلَّی، فانزل اللہ تعالیٰ وَ اتَّخذُوا مِن مَّقَامِ اِبرَھِیم مُصلَّی وَقُلتُ : یا رسول اللہ ! اِنَّ نِسَآَء کَ یَدخُلُ عَلَیھِنَّ البَرُّ وَ الفَاجِرُ فَلَو حجبتھن فَاَنزَلَ اللہُ آیَۃَ الحجَاب وَ قُلتُ لِاَزوَاجِ النَّبِیِّ ﷺ لَمَّا تمالأن عَلَیہِ فی الغیرَۃِ عَسٰی رَبُّہ، اَن طَلَّقَکُنَّ اَن یُّبدِلَہ، اَزوَاجاً حَیراً مِّنکُنَّ ، فَنَزَلت کَذٰلِکَ "My opinion appeared to be in consonance with my Lord in three things. One is that I asked the Holy Prophet to adopt the Station of Ibrahim (Maqam Ibrahim) as the place of your prayers (Salah). Then Allah Ta’ ala revealed the verse (And take the Station of Ibrahim as a place of prayer). And I said to the Holy Prophet that all sorts of good and bad people appear before your blessed wives ; it would be better if you ask them to observe hijab. Then the verse of hijab was revealed. And when the blessed wives iii ~ of the Holy Prophet developed envy between themselves, I told them that if the Messenger of Allah divorces you, it is not unlikely that Allah Ta’ ala may provide him wives better than you. So Qur'an was revealed in the same very words." Sayyidna ` Umar's ؓ respectful speech is worth noting that instead of saying that his Lord accorded with him in three things, he said that his opinion was found to be in consonance with Him in three things. Another narration reported in Sahih of Bukhari, also from Sayyidna Anas رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ is that he said: "I know the facts about the verse of hijab more than anybody else, because I was present when Sayyidah Zainab hint Jahsh ؓ ، after her marriage with the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، entered his house and was present in the house with him, when some of the people whom he had invited for walimah (the dining arranged after consummation of marriage) which he ﷺ had got prepared for them, just kept sitting there and talking. The narration in Tirmidhi adds that the Holy Prophet was also present there along with Sayyidah Zainab ؓ and she had turned her face towards the wall due to modesty. The Holy Prophet ﷺ was displeased by the people sitting there so long; he went out of the house to meet and greet other blessed wives ؓ . When he came back, they were still there. And then they realized and dispersed. The Holy Prophet ﷺ entered the house, but came out after a little while. I was present there. He recited this verse of (hijab which had been revealed just at that time. The narrations of Hadith mention these three incidents as the causes for the revelation of the verses of hijab. There is no contradiction between them, because possibly all the three incidents combined together constitute the cumulative cause of the revelation of these verses. The Third Injunction وَمَا كَانَ لَكُمْ أَن تُؤْذُوا رَ‌سُولَ اللَّـهِ وَلَا أَن تَنكِحُوا أَزْوَاجَهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ أَبَدًا ("And it is not allowed for you that you hurt Allah's Messenger, nor that you ever marry his wives after him" ) (33:53) The first part of this verse has declared all such utterances and actions unlawful (haram) which cause anguish or hurt to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Then it is laid down that no one can marry his blessed wives after him. All the rules mentioned in this verse are though addressed to the Holy Prophet ﷺ or his blessed wives ؓ ، their application is general for the whole Ummah, except this last rule which is specific to the blessed wives ؓ that they cannot marry any one after him, while the rule for the Ummah in general is that after the death of the husband, his wife can marry another person after the expiry of the period of ` iddah. The reason may be that according to Qur'an, the blessed wives of the Holy Prophet ﷺ are mothers of the Muslims, and although their being mothers does not affect their spiritual offspring in the sense that, being brothers and sisters, they would not be able to marry each other, yet their motherhood was limited to their own-selves in the sense that they cannot marry anyone. It may also be said that they Holy Prophet ﷺ is alive in his honored grave, his t expiry being like a husband missing from his home. That is why his inheritance was not distributed, and that is why his blessed wives ؓ were not in the same situation as that of the wives of common men after the death of their husbands. Another reason for this injunction is that according to the rule of Shari` ah, every woman in Paradise would be with her last husband. Sayyidna Hudhaifah ؓ had told his wife at his death that if you wish to be my wife in Paradise, do not marry any one after me because in Paradise, a woman would go to her last husband. (Qurtubi) So, the honor that Allah Ta` la had bestowed upon the blessed wives ؓ in this world was thus preserved for them in paradise also by forbidding their marriage to anyone after him. Besides, no husband naturally likes that his wife should marry anyone, but for common people, the Shari` ah did not make it necessary to fulfill this desire. Allah Ta` ala, by respecting this natural desire of the Holy Prophet ﷺ bestowed an exclusive honour upon him. There is a consensus in the Ummah that the above rules apply to all the blessed wives ؓ ، who remained in the bond of marriage with the Holy Prophet ﷺ till his expiry. However there are different views about whether or not this rule is applicable to those of his wives who were either divorced by him or who separated from him for some other reason. Qurtubi has detailed these views. إِنَّ ذَٰلِكُمْ كَانَ عِندَ اللَّـهِ عَظِيمًا (Indeed, it would be an enormity in the sight of Allah - 53). It means that causing any harm to or to hurt the Holy Prophet ﷺ in any way or to marry his wives after him would be an enormity in the eyes of Allah. Injunctions of Hijab And the Islamic system for prevention of misdeeds Immodesty, adultery and the overtures leading to them are some of those destructive evils of this world which do not only affect the individuals, but also ruin families and tribes, and sometimes destroy large countries as well. If the cases of murder and plunder in this world are thoroughly investigated, sexual emotions would be found behind the scenes. This is the reason that ever since this world came into existence, there has been no nation, religion or region that has not unanimously believed in the evil and destructive nature of these misdeeds. The European nations in the present age, after doing away with the religions limits and breaking away from their ancient and entrenched customs and traditions, do not consider adultery a crime in itself and they have moulded their culture and society in such a fashion that sexual anarchy and immodest acts are permitted freely, but even they could not exclude the consequences of these evil acts from the list of the crimes - prostitution, rape and obscenities in public had to be declared punishable offences. This is really comparable to somebody collecting inflammables, sprinkling oil on them, then setting them on fire and when it bursts into flames, then prohibiting the flames and taking measures to stop them. Another example would be to kindle a fire under a cooking pot and then try to stop it from steaming and boiling. Islam, on the other hand, when declares some harmful acts as punishable offences, it also imposes restrictions on the overtures leading to them and declares them forbidden also. In the present case the real objective was to prevent adultery and fornication. So the start was made by the rule to keep one's eyes down, by preventing free mixing of men and women, by directing women to stay inside the four walls of houses; by requiring women to cover their bodies from head to feet by means of a covering dress called' burqa' or simply by a longish shawl when they have to go out due to some need, and to walk on the side of the street and not to wear perfume or to wear a ‘ringing ornament when going out. If someone crosses all these limits, breaks all these barriers and defies all the restrictions to do what is forbidden, then the punishment is so severe and terrifying that once it is given to some adulterer or fornicator, the whole nation would learn an unforgettable lesson. The Europeans and their camp-followers have put forward arguments justifying their obscenities by trying to prove the hijab for women to be harmful for the society in regard to women's health, economic and social status and by trying to prove the benefits for women being without hijab. Their detailed rejoinder has been given by many modern scholars in their books. Here it would be adequate to understand that no crime or sin is devoid of some gain or benefit. Even stealing, robbery, cheating are very profitable in some respects. But when the destructive harms that take place as a result and consequence of these acts come to view, nobody 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 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 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 religion. The Holy Qur'an's open declaration in this matter is: مَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَ‌جٍ. It means that no difficulty has been placed on you in religion. 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). 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 the Holy Prophet ﷺ . 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 ﷺ ، realized that going of women to mosques, even if they are covered 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 ؓ stated that if the Holy Prophet t 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 ﷺ ، rather the rule itself changed according to the change in conditions as laid down by the Holy Prophet ﷺ . 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 ﷺ ، 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 Tafsir '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 (علیہ السلام) to the last prophet, Sayyidna Muhammad al-Mustafa ﷺ ، 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. At the time when Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) 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 ؓ . Even before its revelation, a narration appearing in the Jami' of Tirmidhi describes the position in which she was sitting in the house: وَ ھِیَ مُوَلِّیَۃُ وَجھِھَا اِلَی الحَآیٔطِ (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 ﷺ 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. The particularly kind of Hijab of women – that the real place for 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 Shariah, 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: لَا تَدْخُلُوا بُيُوتَ النَّبِيِّ (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 ؓ 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 ؓ ، This very view seems to be the preferred one from some narrations of Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ as well. And Allah knows best. 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 first verse to have been revealed about Hijab is this very verse: لَا تَدْخُلُوا بُيُوتَ النَّبِيِّ إِلَّا أَن يُؤْذَنَ لَكُمْ (Do not enter the houses of the prophet, unless you are permitted for a meal - 53). The three verses of Surah An-Nar 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 Holy Prophet ﷺ ، 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 hint Jahsh ؓ 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 Ilk 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 ؓ . 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 in Arabic, satr (سَتَر) 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 (علیہم السلام) In fact, even before the advent of religious codes when, because of the tasting of the forbidden fruit in Jannah, the Paradisiacal apparel of Sayyidna 'Adam and Sayyidah Hawwa' (علیہما السلام) came off leaving the cover-worthy parts of the body uncovered, even in that situation which was beyond his control, Sayyidna 'Adam (علیہ السلام) did not take it as permissible. Therefore, both of them, Sayyidna 'Adam and Sayyidah Hawwa' (علیہما السلام) ، 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: طَفِقَا يَخْصِفَانِ عَلَيْهِمَا مِن وَرَ‌قِ الْجَنَّةِ (and they began to patch together upon themselves some leaves of Paradise - 7:22). From the coming of Sayyidna 'Adam (علیہ السلام) into this world right up to the last of the prophets, Sayyidna Muhammad al-Mustafa ﷺ ، 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, (A1-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 (علیہ السلام) 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 (علیہ السلام) ، who was passing by as a traveler, ﷺ the 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 (علیہ السلام) 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 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: (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 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: وَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُنَّ مَتَاعًا فَاسْأَلُوهُنَّ مِن وَرَ‌اءِ حِجَابٍ And when you ask anything 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: وَقَرْ‌نَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ (And remain in your homes.) The manner in which the Holy Prophet 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 ؓ . As in the narrations of Hadith, Sayyidna Anas ؓ 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 ﷺ . 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 ؓ 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 ؓ عنہ appearing under the Background of Revelation described earlier also seems to indicate that Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ عنہ 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: یَدخُلُ عَلَیکَ البِرُّ وَ الفَاجِرُ (among those coming to you there are [ all sorts of people ] the righteous and the sinning). According to a narration of Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ appearing in the chapter of the battle of Mutah in the Sahih of al-Bukhari, when the Holy Prophet ﷺ was informed of the Shahadah (martyrdom) of Sayyidna Zayd Ibn Harithah, Ja'far and ` Abdullah Ibn Rawahah ؓ ، 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 people, instead, witnessed the proceedings from a crack in the door. And in the chapter on ` Umratul-Qada' in Kitab- ul-Maghazi of the Sahib of al-Bukhari, it appears that the nephew of Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ ، Sayyidna ` Urwah Ibn Zubayr ؓ ، and Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn 'Umar ؓ were sitting in the Mosque of the Prophet ﷺ 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 ﷺ . Sayyidna Ibn ` Umar ؓ 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 ﷺ . 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 Sahih of al-Bukhari saying that the Holy Prophet ﷺ gargled in a utensil of water and gave it to Sayyidna Abu Musa and Bilal to drink and wipe their faces with. Ummul-Mu'minin, Sayyidah Umm Salamah ؓ 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 ﷺ 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 ؓ in Kita-b-ul-'Adab of the Sahih of al-Bukhari, he and Sayyidna Abu Talhah ؓ were once going somewhere with the Holy Prophet ﷺ . He was riding a camel. Ummul-Mu'minin, Sayyidah Safiyyah ؓ was also riding with him. En route, the camel stumbled all of a sudden and, according to the report of Sayyidna Abu Talhah ؓ ، when he and Sayyidah Safiyyah ؓ 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 Sahabah 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 Masud ؓ in Jami' of Tirmidhi reports that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: اِذَا خَرَجَتِ المَرآۃُ استشرَفھَا الشَّیطانُ (قال الترمذی ھٰذا حدیث حسن صحیح غریب) 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 following additional words in this Hadith: وَ اَقرَبُ مَا تَکُونُ مِن وَّجہِ رَبِّھَا وَ ھِیَ فِی قَعرِ بَیتِھَا (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 ﷺ has said: لیسَ لِلنِّسآءَ نَصِیبُ فِی الخُرُوجِ (For women, there is no share in going out except when inevitable) - reported by Tabarani, as quoted by Kanz, p. 283, v. 8) And says a narration from Sayyidna ` Ali: ؓ Once I was present in the company of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . He asked the noble Sahabah اَیُّ شَیءِ خَیرُ لِلمَرأۃِ What is better for women? The Sahabah kept silent. They said nothing in response. Later, when I went home, I repeated the same question before Fatimah ؓ . She said, لَآیرَینَ الرِّجال وَ لَا یَرَونَھُنَّ [ 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 ﷺ ، he said, صَدَقتُ اِنَّھَا بِضعَۃُ مِنِّی (She said it right. Of course, she is a part of me). The reason why Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ 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 ﷺ 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: يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُل لِّأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلَابِيبِهِنَّ (0 prophet, tell your 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 Sayyidaa Ibn ` Abbas ؓ Ibn Jarir has, citing his own chains of authority, has reported from Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas ؓ 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 Sahib (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 wordsإِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ‌ (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. 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 Hanafi jurists 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 : اِعلَم اَنَّہ، لَا مُلَازَمَۃَ بَینَ کَونِہٖ لَیسَ عَورَۃً وَ جَوَازِ النَّظَرِ اِلَیہِ ، فَحَلُّ النَّظَر مَنُوطُ لِعَدَمِ خَشیَۃِ الشَّھوَۃِ مَعَ انتِفَآءِ العَورَۃِ ، ولِذَا ھُرِّمَ النّظَرُ اِلَی وَجھِھَا وَوَجہِ الاَمرَدِ اذاشَکَّ فِی الشَّھوَۃِ وَلَا عَورۃ ۔ (فتح القدیر ص 181 ج 1) "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, 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 ﷺ ، when he ﷺ 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: وَ ھٰذَا کُلُّہ ، اِذَا لَم ی۔ کُنِ النَّظَرُ عَن شَھوَۃ ، فَاِن کان یَعلَمُ اَنَّہ ، اِن َظَرَ اشتَھٰی لم یَحِلّ لَہُ النَّظَرُ اِلٰی شَیءِ مِّنھَا۔ (مبسوط، ص 152 ، ج 10) 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: فَاِن خَافَ اشَّھوَۃَ او شَکَّ اِمتنَعَ النَّظَرُ اِلٰی وَجھِھَا ، فَحِلُّ انَّظَرِ مُقَیَّدَۃُ الشَّوَۃِ وَ اِلَّا فَحَرَامُ ، وَ ھٰذَا فِی زَمَاِھِم، وَاَمَّا فِی زَمانِنَا فَمُنِعَ مَنِ الشابَّۃِ اِلَّا النَّظَرُ لِحَاجَۃِ کَقاضِ وَ شِاھِدِ یحکُم وَ یَشھدُ وَ اَیضاً قالَ فِی شُرُوطِ الصَّلٰوۃِ وَ تُمنَعُ الشَّابۃ م، ن کَشفِ الوَجہِ رِجَالِ لا لِاَّنَّہ، عَورَۃُ بَل لِّخَوفِ الفِتنَۃِ ۔ "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 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 Alhmad 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 (رح) 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 outcovered 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-Al-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'n under the section dealing with the TafsIr of Surah Al-Ahzab. (And Allah, the Pure, the High, knows best).

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