Woman in Islamic Shari‘ah
10. Hijab in Islam
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Ibn Mas’ud, Hasan, Ibn Sirin, and Abul Jawza’ have
interpreted this verse as referring to the kind of
beauty which depends on clothes, ornaments, etc.
They are of the opinion that when a woman goes
out, she should not display these deliberately.
However, if any part of such adornment is
unintentionally exposed, for instance, if a gust of
wind displaces the covering sheet momentarily, this
is deemed excusable.
The other point of view finds support from
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, ‘Ata’,
‘Ikrimah, Sa’id ibn Jubayr, Abu ash, Sha’tha’,
Dahhak, Ibrahim Nakh’i, etc. They infer from the
phrase ‘such as are normally displayed’ the
exemption of face and hands.
This interpretation is based on the tradition
recorded by Abu Dawud in his
Sunan:
‘Aishah says
that once Asma bint Abu Bakr came wearing a thin
garment. The Prophet turned his face away from
her and said: “Asma, it is not proper for a woman
after having reached puberty to expose any part of
her body except these.” Then he pointed to his
hands and face.
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