32. Now those directives are being given which are necessary to harmonies and civilise the domestic life and to put a stop to many acts of mischief. The first directive in this connection says that no one should enter the house of any other person without the owner’s permission. In the text the world ‘tastanisoo’ is used, which means to seek permission with regard, and here it signifies that one should introduce oneself to the owner and enter the house with the consent or the owner of the house. It means that only that person should enter the house whose entering the house is approved of by the owner and whom he had permitted to enter.

When permission is received, then while entering the house he should say salaam to the inmates of the house, as this is the etiquette while entering a house, and it is also an expression of the fact that he is entering the house with the prayer of peace and safety for the inmates, and therefore, only peace can be expected from him.

However, nowadays the customary method of seeking permission to enter the house should be adopted. In the modern times the customary way of entering the house is to knock at the door or to ring the bell that is provided for the purpose. If after this the owner of the house comes out, then first salaam should be offered to him, and when he would permit him to enter the house, then he should enter and while entering should salute or say salaam to those present.

33.That is: from the moral and religious aspect this is a very civilized or cultured way, and this instruction for good manners is being given to you so that you may take heed. In other words under the influence of this instruction in all domestic affairs and problems you should act with heed and sensibility. It also brings out a guiding principle that every one has a right of privacy and we should take due care of the same.

34. That is: In residential dwellings one should never enter without permission: even when there is nobody in the house or when the owner of the house does not permit you to enter for whatever reason. In such a case man should return quietly, and he should not indulge in any argument as to why permission was not given. It is very likely that there was a compelling and justifiable reason for that.

35.That is: from the moral point of view this is a clean and pure way.

36. Refers to those houses which are for general benefit. Therefore, entering such houses is covered general permission, for example hostels for travellers, shelters from the sun purposely built on the roadways, shops, hotels, offices of public bodies and utility concerns, etc.

37. Allah is fully aware of your intention with which you enter any house. Therefore, fear Him and set right your intentions.

38.’Ghaddi basar’ (lowering the sight) means that the things which are unlawful for a man to see should be avoided to be seen. If accidentally it comes into sight, the gaze should be turned away. Here, as is clear from the context. One should avoid seeing women other than one’s own wife or mahram (closely related) women. Since glances motive lust, and lust provokes immodesty. Qur’an has commanded that glances be kept under restriction. Lowered gaze is the symbol of modesty and the means of purity of the self and morals. Islam wants to see men of faith to be so sensitive in matters of modesty and shame that they should not even cast accidental glances at women. Peeping ogling and staring are immoral acts and means of evil. In the holy Qur’an, at one place it is stated.

“He knows the dishonesty of the eye.” -(Al- Mumin-19).It is a warning for those who peep and throw glances at women. This command of lowering the sight pertains to all places, inside and outside the house. When a Muslim should enter another person’s house, he should keep his gaze lowered and should not try to steal a glance, and should avoid seeing strange women. Although this is a difficult task, but the path to paradise passes through difficult passages. But it is not so difficult that it may be outside a man’s control, for Qur’an has commanded the gaze to be lowered and not for closing the eyes. As in Surah Luqman, ayah No.19, the command of ‘Ghaddi Saut’ means to lower the voice and not to stop it altogether, similarly here it means to lower the gaze and not to close the eyes. Therefore, without necessity to look at the beauties of a woman’s body is unlaw-ful and looking at her with lust is the unlawful sex of the eyes. The Prophet Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, has stated:

“The unlawful sex of the eye is sight.” - (Bukhari-Kitabul Isteizan).

In the Bible also it has been termed as the unlawful sex of the eyes.

If accidentally our gaze falls on a woman, it should be turned away. In the hadith it is stated that Jarir bin Abdullah asked the Prophet about accidentally seeing a woman:

He said to turn away the sight (eyes).” -(Muslim -Kitabul Adab).

39.In guarding the private parts are included keeping them (covered and also to avoid unlawful sex acts.

That part of the body which man feels ashamed to uncover before others it called ‘satr’ (in Arabic ‘aurah). Man’s satr or private part, according to the general run of jurists is from the navel to the knees, but the Quranic intention is not limited by the juristic measurements, but it awakens the human nature and stirs the moral sensitivity and says:

“And the raiment of righteousness is the best (raiment).” -(A’raf -26).

It is obvious that whoever would don the rainment of righteousness would put on a dress that would cover most of his parts. Qur’an has called the nudity as the mischief of Satan :” O children of Adam! Let not satan seduce you, as he seduced your parents out of Paradise, had stripped them of their garments to reveal them their private parts.” (A’raf-27)

40. The command for lowering the sight as given to men is also given to women. When any man may enter the house after taking permission, the women of the house should not stare at him, and whenever they go out of the house, they should keep their sight lower. They should avoid looking at strange men without necessity.

If the purpose of this command is understood and it is followed with sincerity, then the needs of men seeing women and women seeing men in connection with their daily life, are not disallowed to be met by Islam, because the purpose is not to create hindrances, for example to look at men for identification or for evidence or to look at the general gathering of men, etc.

41.Guarding of private parts is inclusive of covering the private parts of the body.

42.By adornment (zeenat) is meant clothing, as well as articles or aids for beautification. In the Qur’an clothing has been termed as adornment (zeenat):

“Dress well for attendance at every mosque.” -(A’raf-3l)

“We have sent down to you raiment that may cover your private parts and may (also be an adornment.” -(A’raf-26). And in the Lisanul Arab,

“zeenat (adornment) is described as a thing through which something is adorned.”

(Lisanul Arab, Vol. 13, page 202)

Examples of adornment are kohl, henna (menhdi), ring, etc.

The ayah commands that women should not display their adornments except what is apparent. This exception means that the adornment or the part which remain uncovered during working or moving about should be allowed to remain uncovered, for its purpose is not to display it for others but it is to keep them open for necessity. Although this exception is related to the display of adornment, but naturally it includes those parts which are the spots of adornment that is hands and face, because the adornment to be displayed are henna and rings, whose place or spot is hand and kohl and mascara whose place of application is the eye, which are the part of the face. Therefore, if the hands and the face are displayed with their adornments; women are permitted to do so. This permission has brought a balance in the commands for purdah and the hindrance which could have occurred in the daily work for women has been removed. From the ahadith it is proved that in the time of the Prophet, Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, women used to observe purdah of the face, and also did not observe purdah of the face. As an example a hadith from Sahih Muslim is quoted below.

“Abdullah bin Abbas Says that Fadhl (bin Abbas) was riding behind the Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam).A woman of the Bani Khash’am tribe came and Fadhl started looking at her and she also began looking at him. The Prophet turned Fadhl’s face to the other side. The woman said: ‘O messenger of Allah! Allah has made Hajj compulsory for His slaves, and it is compulsory for my father too, but he is very old and he cannot ride. Then can I perform it on his behalf ?’ The Prophet replied : ‘Yes.’ This event occurred at the time of the Last Hajj.” (Muslim Kitabul Manasik).

It is thus learnt that the face of the woman was open and the sight fell on it. There is another hadith of the Sahih Muslim only:

“Jabir bin Abdullah says that he was a participant in the salat with the Prophet on the occasion of Eed. He led the salat before khutba, without Azan and Aqamat. Then he stood up leaning on Bilal (R) and directed to adopt Allah’s taqwa (fear) and exhorted for His obedience. He advised people and explained to them. He said to women to give in charity as many of them would become the fuel of the Hell. On hearing this a woman, from amongst the women, who had dark deflated cheeks, stood up, and asked: ‘O messenger of Allah! Why will such thing happen?” He replied: “Because you complain too much, and you are ungrateful toward your companion.” The narrator says that on hearing this women began giving in charity their jewelry. They began dropping their earrings and rings in the cloth of Bilal (R)”. - (Muslim Kitab Salatul Eedain). It is obvious that the face of the woman who questioned was open. For this reason the narrator could see her cheeks deflated.

From the hadith it is proved that the face and the palms of the hands are not included among the private parts. Accordingly in the state of ‘Ihram , during the Hajj women are forbidden from covering their faces behind the veil and wearing gloves. A hadith in Bukhari states:

“A woman should not put on veil on her face in the state of Ihram nor should she wear gloves.” -(Bukhari, Kitabul Manasik). And comand has been given in the Hadith about prayer :-

“The salat of an adolescent woman is not acceptable without her using the head-covering cloth.” -(Tirmizi-Abwabus salat). And with the head-covering cloth (odhni) head, ears, neck and bosom are covered, the face is not covered. It is a proof of the fact that for a woman it is not necessary to cover the face. Accordingly the jurists have explained it. In ‘Mughni’ it is stated:

“In this school of Fiqh (Hanbli) there is no disagreement about this : that the woman has to keep her face uncovered during salat, and that except the face and the palms, it is not lawful to keep uncovered any other part of the body—— And on this point also scholars are agreed that a free woman should cover her head during salat.” -(Mughni, Vol.1 page601).

The ‘Hidayah’ states : “The whole body of a free woman is to be covered, except her face and her palms.” - (Hidayah, Vol.1, page 39).

Ibn Rushd writes: “Many ulema are agreed on this point that a woman’s whole body should be covered, except her face and palms.” -(Bidayatul Mujtahid, Vol. I page 111 ).

As for the feet, from Um Salma’s hadith it is learnt that if the clothing is so long that it may cover the apparent part of the feet, then it is sufficient.

From these arguments it has become clear that a woman’s face and palms are not among private parts which need to be covered, but it does not mean that it is lawful for the ‘ghair mahram ‘ to look at them without necessity. The command for keeping the gaze lower does not provide any reason for permissibility to look at women without necessity, nor does it mean that women should necessarily keep their face uncovered all the time. The holy wives of the Prophet used to observe the purdah of face, and it is better that women should, as far as possible, cover their faces under a veil. We have described the permission given by the Qur’an in this respect in greater detail so that people may not be under the wrong impression that Islam prescribes such restrictions of purdah on women that in the modern times they are not practicable. Under this wrong impression women generally give up the purdah. Therefore, it is necessary that this aspect of the permission should also be presented so that the minimum requirements of purdah which Islam has prescribed may be observed by women.

The fact is that in the present day the growing rate of traffic accidents has compelled women to keep their faces open. The journey by bus, rail, etc., for hours, and days together creates suffocation for a woman wearing veil. Therefore, there is no other alternative but to lift the veil. On the occasions of shopping and trading the uncovering of the palms of women is a well known fact. Therefore, to be unduly strict in the matter of enforcing the command for purdah in such a way that the permission given by the Shariah are also undermined is neither right nor profitable.

Allama Maqdisi writes in Mughni :

“Necessity demands that a woman should open her face while buying or selling a thing and should uncover her palms while giving or taking a thing.”

-(Mughni, Vol.1, page 601).

Allama Nasiruddin Albani has written a book of research on the problem of purdah ‘Hijabul Miratil Muslimah’, which has been published by Alkutubul Islami, Beirut. In this book he writes :

“The hadith of Ayesha, which is in Abu Dawood, is a clear proof of this point that for a woman it is lawful to keep open her face and palms. If in the sources of this hadith that point were not there which we have stated in our note (it is a hint at the hadith being ‘mursal’. In this hadith this saying is ascribed to the Prophet, who on seeing Asma (R) in clothes through which slight glimpses of her body could be seen, had said that after a woman becomes adult, it is not lawful to display any part of her body except the face and the palms) except that this narrative is valuable for having been narrated by different ways, therefore, in such a case it can become an argument for the lawfulness of the said thing, especially for this reason also that during the life time of the Prophet women followed this practice. Accordingly they used to keep uncovered, in the presence of the Prophet, their faces and palms, and the Prophet never used to stop them doing so. And this is proved from various ahadith.”

-(Hijabul Miratil Muslimah, p. 24).

Further on he writes:

“From whatever we have said this conclusion can be drawn that a woman’s covering her face with a burqa, etc, which is customary in the present day, is for modest women quite according to the Shariah and desirable, though it is not compulsory for her, but that the one who has done it has done well, and who has not done it, nothing wrong has been done.” (ibid-p.53).

Shaikh Ali Tantawi writes :

“To sum up a woman’s face is not her private part and many jurists (scholars or the four schools of Fiqh) agree to its not being private part (satr), but not to uncover the face is better and is more commendable.”

- (Fatawa Ali Tantawi-page 155).

Syed Qutub writes :

“As for the display of the adornment of the face and the hands, its uncovering is lawful, for uncovering face and hands is ‘mubah’ (lawful)”

-(Fi Zilalil Qur’an. Vol. 4. p. 2512).

Dr. Yusuf Qarzawi states:

“This concession has been granted in the case of the face and the palm, because to cover them is a source of hindrance for women, especially in cases where they are to go out for lawful necessities, e.g. for the widows for the needs of their children and for the poor women to go out to assist their husbands. In such cases covering their faces behind a veil and covering their palms will create difficulties and inconveniences. -(Islam men Halal-o-Haram. p. 208).

And Maulana Shabbir Ahmed Usmani has to say: “From the hadith and other sources it is proved that the face and the palms are included in ‘what is apparent’ because many necessities of the world and the religion compel women to keep them uncovered. If an absolute command is given to cover them, it would create severe difficulties and hardness for women in daily dealings. Further the jurists have considered the feet to be on the same lines as these parts, and when these parts are taken as exceptions, then their connected adornments, e.g. rings, henna, (mehndi) and mascara, etc. will also have to be counted among the exceptions;”

-(Tafseer Maulana Shabbir Ahmed Usmani. p. 458).

Some ulema have taken the words ‘Ma zahara minha’ (what is apparent) to mean that chadar or sheet which is worn over the clothes, the hiding of which is not possible, or they have taken it to mean displacement of the chadar by blowing of wind, but this is too far-fetched, and as Allama Jussas has written that it is a senseless thing, because if this were the purport, Qur’an would not have mentioned it so elaborately. - (Ahkamul Qur’an Vol.3, P. 389 - 390 ) .

43.’ Khimar’ or odhni (head-cover) is that cloth which covers the head, and by ‘juyub’ is meant that part of the clothing which is cut near the neck and the bosom. To place the veil or the head cover over the bosom means that a women should put on the head cover in such a way that it may cover her head and should cover ears, neck and bosom fully. Neither the adornment of the head, nor of the ears, nor of the neck, nor the elevation of the bosom be displayed.

This command for the head cover is applicable inside the house as well as outside. And for the outdoors there is an extra command for the use of ‘jilbab’ (chadar). But since chadar is likely to be accidentally uncovered, which would display the neck and the bosom, therefore, head cover (odhni) is also necessary. In the present day the use of Burqa is customary. If burqa can meet the object of the head cover, i.e. if there is no danger of the display of the neck and the bosom, then burqa is adequate. (God knows best).

If a ‘ghair mahram’ (strange person) enters the house with the permission of the owner of the house, the minimum permissible limits for purdah from him are that women should be in such clothes as cover the private parts and with the head cover should cover their heads, necks, ears and bosom, and except for the faces and the hands and their adornments, no part of the body or adornment be displayed. But if in the middle a curtain is hung, or if there is arrangement of a separate room for men, then that would be a more desirable form. For the holy wives of the Prophet there were special restrictions, one of which was that there should be curtain between them and the ‘ghair mahram’ (strange ) men. If anything is demanded, it should be done from behind the curtain. (Surah Ahzab, ayah No. 53). But for the general Muslim women some concession is given in the matter of purdah at home. The great advantage of this concession is that ‘ghair mahram’ male relatives can also be treated with due deference. If on their coming a curtain is hung in the middle, it is better, but if that is inconvenient then the minimum limits of purdah mentioned above would suffice. But it does not mean that the ghair mahram ‘male even if he is a relative, is allowed to meet women in private, but that in the presence of their husbands or other ‘mahram’ relatives they can meet their ‘ghair mahram’ relatives with the minimum limitations of purdah mentioned above.

It may also be noted that the head cover should not be so thin that the body may be seen through it, for the head cover is for hiding the parts and not for putting it merely across the neck and not to display a style in fashion. Therefore, the head cover should be of such a cloth as would serve the desired purpose.

44. In this verse the permission for the woman to display adornment means a woman’s appearing with adornment and the persons before whom a woman can appear with adornment are detailed below:

(1) Husband,

(2) Father,. father-in-law, sons, sons of the husband, i.e. step sons, brother, nephews. All these are ‘mahram’ for the woman (that is for the woman, nikah with them is forbidden). Therefore, before them a woman can appear with adornment (Well-dressed and with ornaments) unhesitatingly. Besides them there are to her “Mahram” e.g. uncle, maternal and paternal, son-in-law, Razai brother (who shared the milk of the same foster mother),etc., who have not been mentioned here. By not mentioning it Qur’an might be hinting at the point that a woman may come before them but she should display her adornment to the permitted limit only.

(3) By their woman means those who are friends and acquaintances and female servants. Permission is given to women to appear with full adornment before such woman only. As for the other women, the Qur’an might be hinting at the point that before them a woman should appear with the minimum permitted adornment, which may not create any mischief.

(4) Among the slaves are included male and female slaves both. The male slave has been given the position of a member of the family by Islam, and by virtue of the service that he renders it is necessary that the women of the house should not be restricted to observe purdah from the slaves. Now the slave system has disappeared, so the problem of purdah from, the slaves now does not exist.

(5) By male attendants who lack natural vigour, means those servants who may lack sexual vigour on account of old age or mental deficiency. For youthful attendants this permission is not given.

(6) Those children who may not be conscious of the hidden parts of the woman or of sex. It means those children who may not know about the sexual charms of women and in whom the sexual urge may not have awakened.

45. That is : A woman should not walk stamping her feet in such a way that the sound of the ornaments worn by her in the feet may be heard by others. This is a hint at particular ornament of feet known as ‘pazeb’in such an ornament there should not be any ringing device (ghungroo), nor the style of walk should be such that by the movement of the ornament ringing sound may emanate.

The words of the ayah ‘what they hid of the adornment’ signifies that the trinket worn in the feet-pazeb-should be covered and not openly displayed. They should not be seen by strange men. The directive of not stamping the feet is meant to be followed within the house as well as without. When a ‘ghair mahram’ man may enter the house, the female inmates of the house should take care to see that they do not walk stamping their feet, and when they may go out they should also keep this point in mind.

From this it can be realised that a religion which teaches to be careful in the matter of making sounds of the jewelry worn and forbids women to stamp their feet while walking, how can it tolerate the hip-swinging style of walking of women and their singing and dancing in gatherings of males ?

46.’Taubah’ means to turn towards a thing, and also to repent for the sin committed. On this occasion all the people of faith are directed to turn towards Allah and to repent and give up the past sins. It means that they should strictly follow the directions that have been given strictly and pray for Allah’s forgiveness for the faults committed concerning moral purity, and mend their ways for future.

47. It has become clear that prosperity lies in observing the Quranic directives and not to neglect them to become modern and fashion-conscious.

48. The word used in the text. ‘Ayama’ does not only mean widows but it also means those men and women who are single, i.e. those men who have no wives and those woman who have no husbands. Arranging for their nikah means that their relatives should persuade them to marry and in this matter they should help them. It also becomes clear from this that Islam does not only consider re-marriage of widows lawful but also encourages it. It is therefore, not proper to think that remarrying of widows is objectionable. In connection with the male and female slaves Islam has also taken a step forward for their reform and a given directions that those of them who may be leading a pious life should be helped to marry. This responsibility devolved particularly on their masters.

This is a link in the chain of directives that are being given to root out unlawful sex.

49.That is: In the matter of nikah poverty should not be a hindrance, but putting trust in Allah this virtuous act should be executed. Whoever will obey Allah’s command, Allah will definitely bless him with His bounty. And it is our observation that after marriage many a man hold their income increased and quite a number of people lived happily. But the condition of the youths of the modern age is strange, who try to avoid the responsibilities of married life under the influence of the modern civilistion. Till the age of twenty-five they are busy getting education; thereafter they spend five years for getting a lucrative job or settling in a lucrative profession and they strive to establish a high standard of living and earn so much and save a lot of money to marry thereafter in a grand manner. Thus their youth passes off singly, and after they pass the half way mark of their life they seek their life partner. On the one hand modern civilisation has created an environment which is too exciting, hastening the process of adulthood, and on the other hand it creates a tendency in the young men to avoid shouldering the responsibilities of married life. This results in innumerable youths falling a prey to sexual straying, and secondly the grown up girls of the community remain unmarried throughout their marriageable age for non-availability of young suitors. This situation needs to be reformed and demands acting on the directions of the Qur’an.

50. Allah is Bounteous, of ample means, therefore, put your trust in Him: He will increase your provision and widen your resources: He is Knowing therefore, He fully knows who is leading a modest life and inspite of being poor has shown readiness to shoulder the responsibility of married life.

51. Those who are unable to marry due to compulsions, e.g. non-availability of a suitable match or scarcity of accommodation and are therefore compelled to delay their marriage, such persons should not give up their chastity and modest way of living, and Allah may remove their difficulties should they get married.

52.It refers to that written deed between a slave and his master according to which the slave is enjoined to work elsewhere and pay to his master a fixed amount in instalments, and after a fixed time and amount the slave is freed.

As for ‘if you are aware of anything of good in them’, it means that if their freedom would not result in any corrupt practice in society but would only result in good, then a written deed be executed with such slaves. This precaution was particularly necessary because in those days most of the slaves were war prisoners.

The methods Islam adopted to free slaves, among them this written deed with the slaves was an important means of achieving it.

53. This is an inducement for helping the slaves so that they may, as provided in the deed, get freedom. Those whom Allah has given wealth should spend it in freeing necks of the slaves from slavery.

54. The sentence ‘if they want to preserve their chastity’ expresses the situation then obtaining, that is, it was a very tyrannical act that the female slaves were being compelled to act as prostitutes against their own will. In those days, their masters used to force the female slaves to work as whores so that whatever they earned by that shameful profession they would enrich the coffers of their masters. Here the direction is to stop this forbidden practice.

55. That is: If the female slaves are compelled to be whores then Allah, looking to their helplessness, will forgive them and will show mercy to them. From this a principle has become clear that if a modest and chaste woman is forced to do an unlawful sexual act or is raped, whether she is a female slave or a free woman, she can neither be called an adulteress nor can she be liable for punishment. For her there is a promise of forgiveness and mercy from Allah, provided she has tried fully to resist the wrong act.

As for those who force women to unlawful sex. Qur’an declares them to be liable for punishment not only in the next world but in this world also, as is clear from the ayah No. 19 of this Surah. Besides according to ayah No.33. Surah Maidah, the penalties which have been prescribed for those who spread corruption in society under that divine command the state has the authority to subject those, who kidnap women, rape them and compel them to be whores, and who establish brothels, to very severe punishment, amounting even to death, in order to give them a lesson.

56. Refers to those corrupt nations’ fate who did not pay heed to the commands of Allah and only cared for collecting evils under the influence of their carnal desires.