The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 357
PT. 18 AN-NŪR CH. 24 a woman must wear when she goes out and which covers her whole body including the face will vary according to the customs, habits, social status, family traditions and usages of various classes of the Muslim community. The commandment with regard to "purdah" within the four walls of the house will also apply to mentioned in the verse are very near relations who generally visit the houses of their relatives. The special mention in it of four categories of persons besides near relatives, viz. decent women, old servants, female slaves and minor boys, lends additional weight to the inference that the commandment in this verse relates to "purdah" within the four shops, fields, etc. where women of walls of the house. The fact that the first commandment refers to "purdah" outside the house and the second commandment basically refers to "purdah" within the four walls of the house is also apparent from the different words that have been used to express the two forms of "purdah" in the relevant verses i. e. 33:60, and the verse under comment. Whereas in 33:60 the garment which a woman is to use when she goes out is the garment which she has to use inside the house when relatives visit is Moreover, whereas in 33:60 the words used are o i. e. they should let down over them their outer garments (for a detailed see 33:60); in the verse under comment certain sections of Muslim society have to work to earn their living. There a woman will not be required to veil her face. She will have only to restrain her eyes and to cover her a i. e. her ornaments and other embellishments, as women within the house have to do when their relatives visit them. The third commandment requires women to behave with dignity bordering on austerity when talking to stranger men; and they are also required to give their full attention to the discharge of their serious and important duties in regard to the affairs connected with the well-being of their own sex and the management of the household affairs and to looking after and bringing up of children and kindred matters. The commandment enjoins husband and wife to have, as far as possible, sleeping apartments separate from those of other members of the family which even minor boys are not allowed to enter at stated hours. يدنين and جلباب discussion of fourth | يضربن بخمرهن على جيوبهن the words used are i. e. they should cast their head- coverings over their bosoms. It is clear that in the former case the garment will cover the head, the face and the bosom while in the latter case only the head and the bosom will become covered and the face may remain uncovered. It may also be noted in passing that the shape and form of the outer- garment which, as mentioned above, 2271 ie they لا يبدين زينتهن In the expression display not their as (beauty), the word includes both natural and artificial beauty. It signifies the beauty of person, and includes the beauty of dress and ornaments which