Hijab of the righteous women
(Except to their husbands ): Scholars provided two different views regarding the permissibility of the husband looking at the woman's private parts. The first is that it is permissible to look at it, arguing that when it is permissible to enjoy it, then looking at it is worthier of being permissible. The second is that it is impermissible because of the Hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, describing her status with the Messenger of Allah, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, she said, "I did not see that (his sexual organ) from him, and he did not see mine." The first opinion, however, is the preponderant view. The Hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, is interpreted that it was out of shyness.
Ibn Khuwayz Mindaad said, "The husband is permitted to look at his wife's entire body as well as the apparent part of her private parts, not from the inside, and likewise does a master with his female slave. At the same time, a woman is permitted to look at the sexual organ of her husband, and likewise a female slave with her master."
(Their women ): This refers to the Muslim women including the female slaves. Polytheist women, including the Jews, the Christians and others, are excluded. It is impermissible for a believing woman to uncover her body before a polytheist woman, unless she is her slave, and this is the meaning of the part of the verse that reads: "that which their right hands possess".
Ibn Jurayj, ‘Ubaadah ibn Nasiyy and Hishaam Al-Qaari’ are of the view that it is disliked that a Christian woman kisses a Muslim woman or sees her ‘Awrah (private parts), quoting the part of the verse which reads: "or their women". ‘Ubaadah ibn Nasiyy said,
‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, wrote to Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn Al-Jarraah, may Allah be pleased with him, saying, “I have learnt that the female Thimmis (free non-Muslim subjects living in a Muslim country) enter public bathrooms along with the Muslim women. So, prevent this, for it is impermissible for the Thimmi woman to see the Muslim woman's ‘Awrah.” Thereupon, Abu ‘Ubaydah, may Allah be pleased with him, stood up and invoked Allah saying, “A woman who enters the bathroom without an excuse but to whiten her face, I ask Allah to blacken her face at time when faces are turned white.” Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “It is impermissible for a Muslim woman to reveal her ‘Awrah before a Jewish or a Christian woman so as not to enable her to describe her to her husband.”
There is a difference of opinion among the scholars of Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) in this issue. If a non-Muslim woman is a female slave of a Muslim woman, then it is permissible for the second to reveal her ‘Awrah before her; otherwise, it is impermissible because there is no allegiance between Muslims and non-Muslims which prevent the latter from harming the first.
(And let them not stamp their feet ): It means that a woman must not stamp her feet to make audible the sound of her anklets. Making heard the sound of adornments is similar to displaying them; it is even a much graver sin. The purpose behind this is protection and concealment.
Al-Qurtubi added, "It is disliked for women to do so out of joy for wearing jewelry. It is prohibited and dispraised for a woman to do so out of impermissible exposure of her adornment. Likewise, it is impermissible for men to stamp their feet. If one does so out of self-conceit, this will be unlawful because self-conceit is one of the grave major sins. If he does so out of impermissible exposure of his adornment, this will be impermissible."
Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {O wives of the Prophet, you are not like anyone among women. If you fear Allah, then do not be soft in speech [to men], lest he in whose heart is a disease should covet, but speak with appropriate speech.} [Quran 33: 32]
Al-Qurtubi said:
(Do not be soft in speech ): Do not speak softly. Allah ordered the wives of the Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to speak with a strong and clear voice. Their speech must not plant in the heart any feeling that it is soft, as it was the custom of the Arab women in addressing men using a soft voice, like immoral women. Allah The Almighty forbade them from that.
(Lest he in whose heart is disease should covet ): To avoid their hearts inclining to lewdness, which is dissolution and flirtation.
(But speak with appropriate speech) : Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Allah commanded them to enjoin good and forbid evil. When the woman addresses non-Mahram men as well as her Mahrams by marriage relation, it is recommended for her to talk with a strong voice but without making it high, for women are required to lower their voice. In general, the appropriate speech is sound speech which is acceptable by both the Sharee‘ah and humans."
'And stay in your homes…'
Allah The Almighty has commanded women to do what makes them like preserved pearls, honored and precious. He also alleviated their religious assignments, compared to men, and granted them abundant rewards in return for little work.
Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {And abide in your houses and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of the pre-Islamic era. And establish prayer and give Zakah (obligatory poor-due) and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah intends only to remove from you the impurity [of sin], O people of the [Prophet's] household, and to purify you with [extensive] purification.} [Quran 33: 33]
Commenting on the verse, Al-Qurtubi explained:
(And abide) : The Arabic equivalent of the verb is pronounced in two different ways with a slight difference in inflectional positions. According to the first way, there are two possible meanings: the first is that it is derived from veneration and the second is abidance and staying. The verse implies a command for women to stay in their houses. Even if the address is directed to the wives of the Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, other women are implicitly included as well. This is said when there are no other proofs to specify all women with the ruling. However, the Sharee‘ah is full of orders to women to abide in their houses and refrain from going out unless there is a necessity.
Allah The Almighty commanded the wives of the Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to abide in their houses and specified them in the address out of honor and forbade them from the impermissible exposure of adornment, by saying that it is one of the habits of the pre-Islamic era {do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of the pre-Islamic era} . Abu Al-‘Abbaas said, “During the pre-Islamic era, women used to expose their bodies in a shameful manner. Some of them would even sit with her husband and paramour together. Her paramour would have the upper part of her body starting from the waist sheet, and her husband would have the lower part of her body. One of them would even ask the other for exchange.”
Mujaahid said, “It was the women's habits to walk among men and this is the intended display.” Ibn ‘Atiyyah said, “To me, the apparent meaning is that the verse is referring to the pre-Islamic era in which they lived and then they were commanded to abandon the practices they adopted during this period. This was the approach of the disbelievers because they were not jealous concerning women exposing their bodies."
Al-Qurtubi added,
This is a good interpretation. The verse means contradicting those women who were before them who used to walk with coquetry and swinging to show their bodies and adornments before other men, as well as other matters that are impermissible under Sharee‘ah. This is general and includes all the views. Women are required to abide in their houses. When there is a necessity to go out, one is required to abide by the Sharee‘ah-approved Hijab (Covering that abides by the rules of Islamic legislation).
Ath-Tha‘labi and others mentioned that ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, used to weep until her veil was wet whenever she would recite this verse. Ibn ‘Atiyyah said, "‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, used to weep out of regret for her travel during the incident of Al-Jamal. ‘Ammaar, may Allah be pleased with him, said to her then, ‘Allah has commanded you to abide in your house.’"
Ath-Tha‘labi also mentioned that it was said to Sawdah, may Allah be pleased with her, "Why do you not perform Hajj (greater pilgrimage) and ‘Umrah (lesser pilgrimage) as your sisters do?" She replied, "I have already performed Hajj and ‘Umrah, and Allah commanded me to abide in my house." The narrator said, "By Allah, she did not leave her house until her death."
Ibn Al-‘Arabi said, "I visited more than one thousand villages and I never saw women who look after their children better and who are more chaste than the (Muslim) women of Naples, the place where the intimate friend of Allah, Ibraaheem, may Allah exalt his mention, was thrown in the fire. I stayed there and I never saw a woman in the road but on Friday. They used to go out for prayer until they would fill the Masjid. After ending the prayer, they would return to their houses and I did not see anyone but on the following Friday. In Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, I also saw chaste women who did not leave their place of I‘tikaaf (seclusion) until they fell martyrs therein."