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THE LEGISLATED HIJAAB
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EPISODE 2️⃣: WHO CAN SEE HER ADORNMENTS?
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Allāh (ﷻ) says:
“Tell the believing women to lower their eyes, guard their private parts, and not display their charms except what is apparent outwardly, and cover their bosoms with their veils and not to show their finery except to their husbands or their fathers or fathers-in-law, their sons or step-sons, brothers, or their brothers’ and sisters’ sons, or their women attendants or captives, or male attendants who do not have any need (for women), or boys not yet aware of the ‘awrah. They should not walk stamping their feet lest they make known what they hide of their Ornaments. O believers, turn to Allāh, every one of you, so that you may be successful.”
(An-Noor, 24:31)
It is said that every Ayah of the Qur’an in which protecting the private parts is mentioned means protecting them from Zina, except for this Ayah — in which it means protecting them from being seen by anybody.
‘Awrah means the intimate parts of the body which shouldn’t be seen.
Juyoob, (Arabic: جيوب; Singular: Jayb, Arabic: جيب), refers to the breast pocket of a shirt. Some say it is the neck slit (of the dress).
Al-Qurtubi said in his tafseer of this Ayah:
“Women in those days (the Jaahiliyyah period) used to cover their heads with the khimar, throwing its ends upon their backs. This left the neck and the upper part of the chest bare, along with the ears. Then Allāh commanded them to cover those parts with the khimar.”
Ibn Katheer says in the tafseer of this Ayah; (and to draw) means to pull it around and tie it securely.
Allāh commands women to not show anything of their adornment to non-Mahram men except for whatever is exempted.
What is meant by adornment is the places where adornments are worn: the place for a ring is the hand, for a bracelet is the forearm, for an earring is the ear, for a necklace is the neck and chest, for an anklet is the leg and for henna on the foot. This is because it is possible to either show or cover the body.
Under this heading, scholars include everything that can announce one’s presence and attract attention, including perfumes and makeup.
As for what appears accidentally, she has no blame if she hastens to cover it.
Therefore if she wears a hijaab and raises it intentionally, she has violated the verse.
Allāh then mentioned the people to whom a woman may reveal her adornment:
1️⃣ Her husband,
2️⃣ her father,
3️⃣ her husband’s father,
4️⃣ her sons,
5️⃣ her husband’s sons,
6️⃣ her brothers,
7️⃣ her brother’s sons,
8️⃣ her sister’s sons.
The above are a woman’s close relatives whom she can never marry (Mahram) and it is permissible for her to show her adornments to them, but without making a wanton display of herself.
‘IIkrimah commented on this Ayah,
“The paternal uncle and maternal uncle are not mentioned here, because they may describe a woman to their sons, so a woman should not remove her Khimar in front of her paternal or maternal uncle.
(Tafseer Ibn Katheer)
