The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 412
Seal of the Prophets - Volume II 412 Prophet sa to observe Pardah were revealed, and those who were beyond the permissible bounds were restricted from freely entering the apartments of the Holy Prophet sa. 1 After this, gradually and slowly, injunctions relevant to Pardah continued to be revealed, until it finally assumed the form, which is present in the Holy Qur’ān and Aḥādīth today. 2 In this light, whilst upholding the legitimate and necessary freedom of a Muslim woman, she has been forbidden from openly exhibiting the beauty of her body and clothing to such men who are beyond the permissible bounds. Furthermore, a man and woman who are beyond the permissible bounds for one another, have been prohibited from meeting each other in seclusion. If one contemplates with an objective heart, these limitations do not become a hindrance at all in the legitimate freedom of a woman in terms of health, academic progress, participation in tasks of country and nation, or in other affairs. Furthermore, these limitations prevent the free and open intermingling of such men and women who are beyond the permissible bounds, which can lead to immoral and harmful outcomes, and which generally tend to arise in countries where Pardah is not observed. At this instance, it is also necessary to mention that the manner in which Pardah is prevalent among the Muslims in this day and age, generally deviates from the true Islāmic teachings. In certain countries, a poor lady is subjected to unjust strictness and more or less confined to the four walls of her home as if she were a prisoner, which destroys her health, education, training, and culture, etc. In other countries, the West has been followed blindly, where women have established improper freedom, which is resulting in a detrimental effect upon the morals and values of society. Both of these avenues are extreme, and they are forbidden in Islām. In light of the Islāmic teaching, whilst abstaining from the public exhibition of her beauty, a woman is permitted to participate in all sorts of reasonable recreation and tasks. 1 Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābut-Tafsīr, Tafsīru Sūratil-Aḥzāb, Bābu Qaulihī Lā Tadkhulū Buyūtan- Nabiyyi sa. . . . . , Ḥadīth No. 4791-4792 2 * An-Nūr (24:32) * Al-Aḥzāb (33:34,60) * Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābut-Tafsīr, Tafsīru Sūratin-Nūr, Bābu Qaulihī Wal-Yaḍribna Bi-Khumurihinna ‘Alā Juyūbihīnna, Ḥadīth No. 4758-4759 * Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābut-Tafsīr, Tafsīru Sūratil-Aḥzāb, Bābu Qaulihī Lā Tadkhulū Buyūtan- Nabiyyi sa. . . . . , Ḥadīth No. 4791-4794 * Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābut-Tafsīr, Tafsīru Sūratil-Mumtaḥinah, Bābu Qaulihī Idhā Jā’akumul- Mu’mināt Yubāyi‘naka, Ḥadīth No. 4894 * Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābun-Nikāḥ, Bābu Lā Yakhluwanna Rajulun Bimra’atin Illā Dhū Maḥramin. . . . . , Ḥadīth No. 5232-5233