Sunnats and Aadaab of Clothing – Part 4

1. Women should conceal their entire bodies by wearing loose-fitting and concealing clothing and by also donning the niqaab.

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُل لِّأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلَابِيبِهِنَّ ، ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰ أَن يُعْرَفْنَ فَلَا يُؤْذَيْنَ ، وَكَانَ اللَّـهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا (أحزاب 59)

O Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam)! Say to your wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should draw down their shawls over themselves. That will make it more likely that they are recognized and not abused. And Allah is All-Forgiving and All-Merciful.

عن عائشة رضى الله عنها أن أسماء بنت أبى بكر دخلت على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وعليها ثياب رقاق فأعرض عنها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وقال: يا أسماء إن المرأة إذا بلغت المحيض لم تصلح أن يرى منها إلا هذا وهذا ». وأشار إلى وجهه وكفيه. (ابو داود رقم 4106)

 Hazrat Aaisha(Radiyallahu Anha) relates thaton one occasion Hazrat Asmaa bint Abi Bakr (Radiyallahu Anhuma) (the respected sister of Hazrat Aaisha(Radiyallahu Anha)) entered the home of Rasulullah(Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) while wearing a thin garment. Rasulullah(Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) turned away from her and said: “O Asmaa, when a woman becomes baaligh (reaches the age of maturity), it is not appropriate that any part of her body be exposed except for these two. Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) indicated to his face and hands.

Note: From this Hadith it is established that the face and palms of a woman is not satr. However Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) instructed women in many Ahaadith to also cover their faces before non-mahrams as exposing their faces may become the cause of fithna coming about.

عن عائشة قالت كان الركبان يمرون بنا ونحن مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم محرمات فإذا حاذوا بنا سدلت إحدانا جلبابها من رأسها إلى وجهها فإذا جاوزونا كشفناه.(رواه أبو داود 1/254)

Hadhrat Aaisha (Radhiyallahu Anha) reports that (on the occasion of Hajj) the caravans of travelers would pass by us while we were with Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) in the state of ihram. When they would come alongside us, we would take a portion of the jilbaab (shawl) and lower it to cover our faces (in the manner that it did not touch their faces). When they would pass us we would remove it.”

عن أم سلمة قالت كنت عند رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وعنده ميمونة فأقبل ابن أم مكتوم وذلك بعد أن أمرنا بالحجاب فقال النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم احتجبا منه. فقلنا يا رسول الله أليس أعمى لا يبصرنا ولا يعرفنا فقال النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم أفعمياوان أنتما ألستما تبصرانه (رواه أبو داود 2/568)

Hadhrat Umme Salamah (Radhiyallahu Anha) reports: “I was with Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and Hadhrat Maymoonah (Radhiyallahu Anha). At that time Hadhrat ibn Makhtoom (radhiyallahu Anhu) had come in after the command of hijaab had been revealed. Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Observe hijaab from him.” We replied: “O Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), is he not blind? He can neither see us nor recognize us?” Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) replied: “Are the two of you blind? Aren’t the two of you able to see him?” (Therefore, observe purdah from him).