المحراب

المحراب — Page 156

QURANIC PURDAH Commentary (tafseer) on the Holy Quran Translation And say to the believing women that they restrain their eyes and guard their private parts, and that they disclose not their natural and artificial beauty except that which is apparent thereof, and that they draw their head-coverings over their bos- oms, and that they disclose not their beauty save to their husbands, or to their fathers, or the fathers of their husbands or their sons or the sons of their husbands or their brothers, or the sons of their brothers, or the sons of their sisters, or their women, or what their right hands possess, or such of male attendants as have no sexual appetite, or young children who have no knowledge of the hidden parts of women۔And they strike not their feet so that what they hide of their ornaments may become known۔And turn ye to Allah all together, O believers, that you may succeed۔Commentary: AL-NUR: 32 As a good deal of misunderstanding and lack of proper knowledge as to what constitutes Islamic "purdah" prevails even among Muslims, a somewhat detailed note on this much-vexed question is called for۔Here are the relevant Quranic verses that embody necessary commandments about "purdah"۔(1) O Prophet, tell thy wives and thy daughters and the women of the believers that they should let down over them their loose outer garments۔It is more likely that they will thus be distinguished and not molested (33: 60)۔بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَلْيَضْرِ بْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبَا بِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أو ابنَا بِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي أَخَوَاتِهِنَّ أَوْ نِسَا بِهِنَّ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُنَّ أَوِ التَّبِعِينَ غَيْرِ أُولِي الْإِرْبَةِ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ أَوِ الطِفْلِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يَظْهَرُوا عَلَى عَوْرَاتِ النِّسَاء وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِيْنَ مِنْ زِينَتِهِنَّ وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ The Arabic word used in this verse جلباب of which the singular is جلابیب is meaning, an outer or wrapping garm- ent; a head-covering; the garment with which a woman covers her head and bosom۔(it) And say to the believing women that they restrain their eyes and guard their private parts and that they disclose not their natural and artificial beauty except that which is apparent thereof, and that they cast their head-coverings over their bosoms, and that they disclose not their beauty۔۔۔۔(2432 Le the verse under comment۔) 9