Surah Al-Ahzaab (33): Read Online and Download - English Translation

Commentary

In verses previous to this, some peculiarities and distinctions of the Holy Prophet ﷺ were mentioned as an adjunct to which the command to observe Hijab was revealed while some injunctions of Hijab will also appear later on. In between, the present verse contains a command to do something for which all these peculiarities and distinctions have been instituted in his blessed person, that is, the recognition and expression of the greatness of the station of the Holy Prophet ﷺ as well as an invitation to imbibe into one's own self the virtues of reverence, love and obedience for him.

The real purpose of the verse was to obligate Muslims to send Salah (durood) and Salam upon the Holy Prophet ﷺ . But the command was given in a manner that, first of all, Allah Ta'ala pointed out that He Himself and His angels perform the act of Salah for the Holy Prophet ﷺ . After that, common Muslims were ordered to follow suit. By doing so, it is indicated that the station of the Holy Prophet ﷺ is so high that the act asked to be done by common Muslims in his respect is something already done by Allah Ta’ ala Himself as well as angels with Him. Now then, common believers who are indebted to so many favours done to them by as their noble Prophet should certainly give high priority to making this act their essential concern. Then there is yet another good outcome of this modality of expression. It proves the great merit accredited to Muslims who send Salah and Salam as Allah Ta'ala makes them share in doing what Allah Ta’ ala Himself does and so do His angels.

The Meaning of Salah (durood) and Sa1am

The word: صَلوٰۃ (Salah) is used in the Arabic language to convey the sense of: Mercy (rahmah), prayer (du a' ) and praise (madh مدح and ثناء thana' ). The Salah attributed to Allah Ta'ala in the cited verse means His sending of mercy, but Salah from the angels denotes their prayer for him, and the sense of Salah (durood) from common believers is a combination of dua' (prayer) and thana' (praise). Most commentators have given these very meanings and Imam Al-Bukhari has reported from Abu-l-` Aliyah that the Salah of Allah Ta’ ala means the honor accorded to him and the praise showered on him before the angels. As for the honor bestowed on him by Allah Ta’ ala within this mortal world, it translates as the high rank he was blessed with when, on many an occasion, his mention was joined with the mention of Allah Ta’ ala in adhan (the initial call for prayers) and iqamah (the call announcing the immediate start of the prayer) and elsewhere, and that Allah Ta’ ala made the religion brought by him spread and prevail throughout the world, and that He enjoined upon all people to keep acting in accordance with the Shari’ ah brought by him right through the last day of al-Qiyamah and, along with it, He has undertaken to keep his Shari’ ah stand perennially protected. Then, as for the honor bestowed upon him in the Hereafter, it can be said that his station was made to be the most exalted of the entire creation and, at a time when no prophet or angel could dare intercede on behalf of anyone, it was right at that time that he was blessed with the celebrated station of intercession called: مقام محمود (Al-maqam-ul- mahmud: Praised Station).

Given the interpretation that Allah's Sala in favour of the Holy Prophet ﷺ means praise, someone may raise a doubt that, according to the narrations of Hadith, Salah and Salam are also offered to the family and companions of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . If so, how can anyone other than him be made to share in the honor bestowed and praise done by Allah Ta’ ala? This doubt has been answered in Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani etc. by saying that the degrees of such honor and praise are many. The Holy Prophet ﷺ has it at its highest, while his family and companions and believers in general are included with him only to a certain degree.

As for the word: سلام (Salam), it is an infinitive in the sense of اَلسلامہ (as-salamah) and means staying in peace. And السلامُ علیک (As-sala mu'alaik: conveniently taken as 'peace on you' ) means: May the state of peace and security from losses, defects and calamities be with you. And since, according to the rule of Arabic grammar, this is not the occasion to use the word: عَلٰی ([ ala: on, upon), but since the word 'Salam' implies praise, hence the word: عَلٰی (` ala) is appended with it.

And some other early commentators have taken the word: Salam here to mean the sacred Being of Allah Taala, because Salam is among the beautiful names of Allah Ta’ ala. According to this view the sentence will mean that Allah is enough to take care of your security and well-being.

The method of Salah and Salam

There appears a Hadith in the Sahih of Bukhari and Muslim, as well as in other books of Hadith, where Sayyidna Ka'b Ibn 'Ujrah ؓ has been reported to have said: ' (When this verse was revealed), someone asked the Holy Prophet ﷺ (The verse orders us to do two things, Salah and salam.) We already know the method of saying salam, (being السلامُ علیکَ اَیُّھَا النَّبِیُّ that is, may peace and safety be on you. 0 Prophet) now tell us the method of Salah also." He said: Say these words:

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَی آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ کَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَی إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَی آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّکَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ

اللَّهُمَّ بَارِکْ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَی آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ کَمَا بَارَکْتَ عَلَی إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَی آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّکَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيد

"0 Allah, send mercy on Muhammad and on the progeny of Muhammad, as You sent mercy on Ibrahim and on the progeny of Ibrahim. Verily, You are Praised, Glorious. 0 Allah, send blessings on Muhammad and on the progeny of Muhammad as You sent blessings on Ibrahim and on the progeny of Ibrahim. Verily, You are Praised, Glorious."

Some other words in this respect have also been reported in other narrations of Hadith.

As for the reason why the noble Sahabah asked this question, perhaps it is that they had already been taught the method of offering their Salam in the تَشَھُّد : (tashahhud or saying of اَلتَّحِیَّت وَ رَحمَۃُ اللہِ وَ بَرَکَاتُہ، At-tahiyyat) where it is said: (as-salamu alaika aiyuhannabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh: Peace and safety on you, 0 Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings). Therefore, they did not like to determine, on their own, the precise words in the case of the saying of Salah. Instead of that, they wanted the exact words of saying the Salah to be determined by the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself. It is for this reason that صَلوٰط (Salah) has generally been adopted in these very words as part of the prescribed prayers, Namaz or Salah. But, it does not mean that the obligation of sending Salah (durud) is restricted to these specific words, because many different forms of Salah (durud), have been authentically reported from the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself. The requirement of sending Salah and Salam can be fulfilled by every such sentence that has the words of Salah and Salam in it. Then, it is also not necessary that those words should have been reported exactly as said by the Holy Prophet ﷺ . In fact, the obligation may be discharged and the reward of sending Salah may be achieved by any style of address that conveys the words of Salah and Salam. But, it is obvious that the exact words reported from the Holy Prophet ﷺ are certainly much more blessed and are the cause of bringing many more rewards. It was for this very reason that the noble Sahabah had asked the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself to determine the words of ; صَلوٰط (Salah).

In the Qa'dah (sitting position) of the prescribed prayer (Salah or Namaz), the saying of the words of Salah and Salam exactly in the manner reported above is masnun (per Sunnah) right up to the last day of Qiyamah, (even though these words are meant to address the Holy Prophet ﷺ by saying ' Salam on you, 0 prophet' ) As for occasions outside the prescribed prayers (Salah or Namaz), these exact words should have been employed when the Holy Prophet ﷺ was addressed during his lifetime. When, after his departure from this mortal world, one has the good fortune of standing before the sacred Rawdah (the holy tomb) of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and submitting his Salam to him, then, there too, it is masnun to employ the form of second person: السلام علیک (as-salamu 'alaik). Other than that, wherever Salah and Salam is recited in absentia, then, the use of the third person form has been reported from the Sahabah, Tabi` in and the Imams of the Muslim Ummah for example:... (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam i.e. May Allah send mercy and peace to him.- as fully demonstrated by books of Hadith at large.

The wisdom behind the aforesaid method of Salah and Salam

The outcome of the method of Salah and Salam which stands proved from the blessed words spoken by him and demonstrated practically through his deeds is no other but that all of us in the Muslim Ummah should pray to Allah Ta’ ala for mercy, peace and safety for him. At this point, a question is worth noting. Is it not that the verse required us to personally fulfill the right of the Holy Prophet ﷺ that he be revered and honored, but the method proposed was that we pray to Allah? Embedded here is the hint that fulfilling the due right of honoring and obeying the Holy Prophet ﷺ was not within the power and control of any of us, therefore, it was made mandatory for us that we should supplicate before Allah Ta’ ala. (Ruh-ul- Ma’ ani)

The injunctions of Salah and Salam

In the last Qa'dah (sitting position) of the prescribed prayers, (namaz or Salah), the saying of درود شریف (Salah, that is, the noble durud) is Sunnah Mu'akkadah (emphasized Sunnah) according to the majority of the Imams. But, with Imam Shafi` i and Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal (رح) ، it is wajib (necessary). If abandoned, it becomes necessary, according to them, to make namaz or Salah all over again.

Related Rulings

1. When someone mentions the name of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، or hears someone mentioning it, reciting the words of sending Salah (the noble durud) becomes wajib (obligatory) on him or her. This is a point of consensus among the majority of Muslim jurists. The reason is that there are warnings in Hadith against not reciting the noble durud when his blessed name is being referred. According to Jami' of Tirmidhi, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: رَغِمَ اَنفُ رَجُلِ ذُکِرتُ عِندَہ، فَلَم یُصَلَّ عَلَیَّ : "Disgraced is the man before whom I am mentioned, yet he does not send Salah (Durud) on me". (Tirmidhi calls this Hadith 'Hasan', and Ibn-us- Sunni reports it with strong authorities).

And in another Hadith it has been said: اَلبَخِیلُ مَن ذُکِرتُ عِندَہ، فَلَم یُصَلِّ عَلَیَّ “ A miser is he before whom I am mentioned yet he does not send Salam (Durud) on me". (reported by Tirmidhi who rated it as 'Hasan Sahih' ).

2. If his blessed mention is made repeatedly in a single sitting, reciting the Salah (Durud) only once may discharge the obligation. But, the desirable (mustahabb) thing is to recite the noble Durud every time one makes his blessed mention himself, or hears someone else make it. Who can claim to mention the name of the Holy Prophet ﷺ more frequently than the scholars of the Hadith? Their function is nothing but to narrate the ahadith of the Holy Prophet ﷺ in which they have to mention his name repeatedly. Still, their consistent practice was to recite or write the Salam each and every time. All books of Hadith bear testimony to this fact. In doing so, they never bothered about this incidence of repetition of Salah and Salam which would increase the volume of the book in a sizable measure, because fairly often, there come very short ahadith in which his blessed name finds mention after every one or two lines - and at places, it appears more than once within one single line - still, these respected scholars and experts of Hadith never abandon or ignore Salah and Salam anywhere.

3. The way it is Wajib (necessary) to say Salah and Salam vocally at the time one makes his blessed mention verbally, similarly, it is also wajib to write Salah and Salam with the pen when one uses it at the time of writing. In this case, there are people who would abbreviate its words and get away by writing صلعم (of which, "SAW" is a counterpart). This is not enough. One should write the full Salah and Salam (that is: ﷺ Sallallahu ` alaihi wa sallam).

4. At the time his blessed mention is being made, the better, higher and more desirable choice is no other but that both Salah and Salam be recited and written. But, should someone take one of these, that is, only Salah or only Salam, as sufficient, then, it is no sin in the sight of the majority of Muslim jurists. Shaykh-ul-Islam Nawawi and others have declared it as makruh (reprehensible) to take only one as sufficient. Ibn Hajar Al-Haithami said that by Karahah (reprehensibility) they mean its being Khilaf-ul-awla (contrary to the 'preferred choice) which is known as Makruh Tanzihi (not desirable). And the consistent practice of the ` ulama' of the Muslim Ummah bears testimony to the fact that they invariably put these together while, on some occasions, they would go by only one as well.

5. Using the word: صَلوٰۃ (Salah) for anyone other than prophets (علیہم السلام) is not permissible in the sight of the majority of ` Ulama'. In his Sunan, Imam Baihaqi has reported the fatwa of Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ as follows:

لَا یُصَلّٰی عَلٰی اَحَدِ اِلَّا عَلَی النَّبِّیِ ﷺ لٰکِن یدعیٰ للمُسلِمِین وَالمُسلِماَت بِالاِستِغفَار

(Salah is not sent upon anyone except the Holy Prophet but prayer is made for Muslim men and Muslim women to seek forgiveness for them.)

With Imam Shafi` i, using the word: صَلوٰۃ (Salah) for anyone other than a prophet is perennially Makruh (reprehensible, repugnant). Imam Abu Hanifah and his pupils also hold the same view. However, it is permissible that after saying Salah for the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، some other people are also included in the same sentence, like his family members ('Al آل ), Companions and all believers.

And Imam Juwaini said that the rule about the word: صَلوٰۃ (Salah) is the same as the rule about the word: سلام (Salam), since it is not correct to use it for someone other than a prophet - except that one says السلام علیکم (as-salantu-` alaikum) as a greeting while addressing someone. This is permissible, and Masnun. But, saying or writing: (علیہ السلام) (alaihissalam) with the name of someone absent is not correct in the case of someone other than a prophet (Al-khasa is-ul-kubr, by Suyuti, v.2, p. 262)

` Allamah Liqa'i has quoted Qadi ` Iyad saying: Major authentic scholars of the Muslim Ummah have gone by this view, and this is the view of Imam Malik, Sufyan and many Muslim jurists who hold that its use is not permissible for anyone other than a prophet. This is similar to the case of the use of اللہُ سبحانَہُ و تعالیٰ (Subhanahu wa Ta’ ala) which is particular to Almighty Allah. Thus, in the case of common Muslims - with the exception of prophets - there should be a prayer for forgiveness and pleasure from Allah. This is as it appears in the Qur'an: رَّ‌ضِيَ اللَّـهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَ‌ضُوا عَنْهُ (Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him - 5:119, 9:100, 98:8). (Ruh-ul- Ma’ ani)

A detailed discussion about the injunctions of Salah and Salam appears in the treatise Tanqih-ul-kalam fi Ahkam-is-Salah was-salam written by this humble author. It was published as part of the commentary on Surah Al-Ahzab in the major work Ahkam-ul- Qur'an in Arabic.

Commentary

In the previous verses, Muslims were warned against doing what caused pain to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . But, some Muslims used to get involved into doing such things unintentionally simply because of their lack of knowledge or attention. For example, walking into his living quarters without having been invited or, in the event of an invitation to eat at the house, coming in and sitting there much earlier than the time set for it or, once the meals were over, just keep hanging at the house talking to each other and keep delaying their due departure. Upon this, a warning has been served in the verse: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَدْخُلُوا بُيُوتَ النَّبِيِّ (0 those who believe, do not enter the houses of the Prophet - 33:53). This was the pain caused to the Holy Prophet ﷺ without any volition or intention, simply by negligence. On this, only a warning was considered sufficient. Mentioned in the two verses cited above is the pain that was caused to him intentionally by the disbelievers and hypocrites. It is for this reason that Maulana Ashraf Thanavi (رح) has parenthetically added the word: قَصدَاً (qasdan: intentionally) at this place in his abridged summary which includes many a physical pain caused to him at the hands of disbelievers on different occasions as well as the emotional ones that were caused to him in the form of taunts and insults and false accusations against his blessed wives. The cited verses also gives a warning of Divine curse and punishment to those who cause such pains to him by intention.

Although, in the beginning of the verse, warning is given to those who cause pain to Allah (Surely, those who cause pain to Allah... 33:57), while Allah Ta’ ala is beyond any effect or impression, and no one can cause pain to Him in real terms, yet the deeds that usually cause pain to others have been referred to as 'causing pain to Allah.'

Leading authorities of Tafsir, however, differ in defining the acts that are termed here as 'causing pain to Allah'. Some of them have maintained that these are the words and deeds about which it has been specifically declared in the spoken ahadith of the Holy Prophet ﷺ that they cause pain to Allah Ta’ ala. For example, it is mentioned in a Hadith that those who curse the 'time' cause pain to Allah. The background of this Hadith is that the people in the days of ignorance used to blame the 'time' for all sorts of accidents and sufferings, because they believed that the 'time' is the real cause of all happenings in this world. Therefore whenever they faced a suffering, they used to curse and hurl abuses to the 'time', while in fact the real doer of all acts is none but Allah Ta’ ala, and in this context their curse and abuses would turn to Him. It is therefore mentioned in the of Divine curse and punishment Hadith that this behavior causes pain to Allah Ta’ ala. Moreover, as it appears in Hadith narrations, making pictures of living creatures cause pain to Allah Ta’ ala. the expression of 'causing pain to Allah' would be referring to these very words and deeds.

And other authorities of Tafsir said that the real purpose at this place is to warn against causing pain to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . But, it has been termed in the verse as causing pain to Allah Ta’ ala, because causing pain to the Prophet ﷺ is tantamount to causing pain to Allah Ta’ ala Himself. This interpretation is supported by the context of the Qur'an, because it is the subject of causing pain to the Holy Prophet ﷺ that was mentioned in the text earlier and the same subject is repeated again in the forthcoming words. And that the pain caused to the Holy Prophet ﷺ turns out to be pain for Allah Ta’ ala stands proved from the narration of Sayyidna ` Abdur-Rahman Ibn Mughaffal al-Muzani given below:

قاَلَ رسول اللہ ﷺ : اللہَ اللہَ فِی اَصحَابِی لَا تَتَّخِذُوھُم غَرَضاً مَن بَعدِی فَمَن اَحَبَّھُم فَبِحُبِّی اَحَبَّھُم ومَن اَبغَضَھُم فَبِبُغضِی اَبغَضَھُم وَ مَن اَذَبھُم فَقَد اٰذَنِی و مَن اٰذَنِی فَقَد اٰذی اللہَ وَ مَن اٰذَی اللہَ یُوشِکُ اَن یَّاخُذَ (ترمذی)

The Holy Prophet ﷺ said: "Fear Allah, fear Allah in the matter of my Companions. Do not make them the target of your objections and criticisms because whoever loves them loves them because of his love for me, and whoever dislikes them dislikes them because of his disliking against me, and whoever caused pain to them has definitely caused pain to me and whoever caused pain to me has definitely caused pain to Allah, and whoever caused pain to Allah, it is likely that he will be seized by Him. (Tirmidhi)

Just as this Hadith tells us that the pain inflicted on the Holy Prophet ﷺ causes pain to Allah Ta’ ala, very similarly, it also tells us that inflicting pain on any of the noble Companions or being audacious enough as to speak ill of them becomes pain caused to the Holy Prophet ﷺ .

There are several narrations relating to the background in which this verse was revealed. According to some of these, it was revealed about the false accusation made against Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ . For example, a narration from Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہما says: When false accusation was made against Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ ، some people gathered at the home of the hypocrite, ` Abdullah Ibn 'Ubayy and indulged in the conspiracy of giving currency to this false accusation. At that time, the Holy Prophet ﷺ complained before his noble Companions ؓ saying that the man was causing pain to him - (Mazhari).

According to some other narrations, this verse was revealed when some hypocrites had thrown taunts at the time of the marriage of Sayyidah Safiyyah ؓ . However, the fact of the matter is that this verse has been revealed concerning each such case which caused pain to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Thus, included here is the false accusation made against Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ the taunts thrown by the hypocrites on the occasion of the marriages of Sayyidah Safiyyah and Zainab ؓ as well as calling other noble Companions ؓ bad, passing ill remarks against them or maligning them in any other way, public or private تَبَرَّاء (tabarra).

Causing pain to the Holy Prophet ﷺ in any form or manner is kufr (infidelity)

Ruling

A person who inflicts any pain on the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، suggests any fault in his person or attributes, whether expressly or in an implied manner, becomes a kafir - and according to this verse (57), the curse of Allah Ta’ ala will be upon him in this world as well as in the Hereafter. (As stated by Qadi Thana'ullah in at-Tafsir al-Maz hari).

The second verse has declared that causing pain to any believer is also forbidden (haram) as being a grave sin a manifest slander, but in the case of common believers the prohibition of causing pain is subjected to a condition that they should not have deserved it by committing a wrongful act. This is because, in their case it is possible that they have done something as a consequence of which causing pain to them is permissible under the dictates of the Shari'ah, while in the case of the Allah and the Holy Prophet ﷺ it is simply impossible that causing pain to Allah and His Messenger may be justified on any ground. Therefore, no such condition is mentioned in verse 57.

Hurting or causing pain to any Muslim without a valid Islamic legal justification is forbidden (Haram)

It stands proved from the cited verse (58): الَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (And those who hurt believing men and believing women without their having done anything (wrong), they shall bear the burden of slander and a manifest sin.) that it is forbidden (Haram) to cause any pain, harm or hurt any Muslim without a justification recognized by Shari’ ah. The Holy Prophet ﷺ has said:

اَلمُسلِم مَن سَلِمَ المُسلِمُونَ مِن لِّسَانِہٖ وَیَدِہٖ وَالمُؤمِنُ مَن اَمِنَہُ النَّاسُ عَلٰی دِمَآیٔھِم وَاَموَلِھِم ، رواہ الترمذی عن ابی ھُریرۃ ؓ (مظھری)

A (true) Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hands all Muslims remain unharmed and safe. And a (true) mu'min (believer) is the one from whom people remain unaffected and safe in the matter of their lives (lit., bloods) and their properties (being his or her duty to ensure that so these do) - reported by Tirmidhi from Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ . (Mazhari)

Commentary

The previous verses have maintained that causing pain to any Muslim, man or woman, is forbidden and is a major sin, and in particular, inflicting pain on the Holy Prophet ﷺ is an act of infidelity, liable to Allah's curse. Now, there were two kinds of pain caused by the hypocrites to all Muslims and to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Preventive measures against these have been provided in the verses cited above. As a corollary, stated there are a few additional injunctions in a certain congruity to be unfolded later on. One of these two kinds of pain caused was at the hands of vagabonds from among the general run of hypocrites who used to molest bondwomen from Muslim homes when they came out to take care of family chores. Then on occasions, they would mistreat free women under the impression that they were bondwomen because of which pain was caused to Muslims at large and to the Holy Prophet ﷺ .

On the other hand, the Shari’ ah of Islam has maintained a difference between free women and bondwomen in the matter of Hijab. The limits of Hijab prescribed for bondwomen are the limits observed by the free women before their mahrams (marriage with whom is forbidden), for example, as leaving the face open before their mahrams is permissible for free women, the same was permissible for bondwomen even when they went out of their homes, because their very job was to serve their masters, an occupation that took them out of the home repeatedly which made it difficult for them to keep their face and hands hidden. This is contrary to the case of free women who, even if they have to go out for some need, would be doing so rarely, an eventuality in which the observance of full Hijab should not be difficult. Therefore, the command given to free women was that the long sheet with which they cover themselves when going out should be pulled from over their head downwards before their face, so that it does not get exposed before male strangers. Two things were accomplished thereby. It made their own Hijab come out perfect while covering their faces served another purpose of distinguishing them from bondwomen, because of which they automatically became safe from being teased by wicked people. As for the arrangements made to keep bondwomen protected, the hypocrites were served with a warning to the effect that, should they fail to abstain from their low behavior, (the torment of the Hereafter aside) Allah Ta’ ala would have them punished at the hands of His Prophet ﷺ and Muslims in this world as well.

The words used in the command about the Hijab of free women in the verse under study (59) appear as follows: يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلَابِيبِهِنَّ in which the word: يُدْنِينَ (yudnina) has been derived from: اِذنَا (idna) which literally means to draw, pull or make come closer. The second word: عَلَيْهِنَّ (` alaihinn) means 'on' or 'over themselves' (hanging as a screen for the face). The third word: جَلَابِيبِ (jalabib) in: جِلبَاب (jalabibihinn) is the plural form of: جِلبَاب (jilbab) which is the name of a particular long sheet. Sayyidna Ibn Masud identified the form of this sheet as the one that is worn over the scarf (Ibn Kathir) and Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ` ؓ described its form in the words given below:

اَمَرَ اللہُ نِسَاَء المُؤمِنِینَ اِذَا خَرَجنِ مَن بُیُتِھِنَّ فِی حَاجَۃِ اَن یُّغَطِّینِ وُجُوھَھُنَّ مِن فَوقِ رُؤسِھِنَّ بالجَلَابِیبِ وَیُبدِینَ عَیناً وَاحِدَۃَ (ابن کثیر)

"Allah Ta’ ala commanded women of the believers that, when they go out of their homes to take care of some need, they hide their faces with the long sheet (hanging down) from over their heads leaving only one eye open (to see the way)." - (Ibn Kathir)

And Imam Muhammad Ibn Sirin says: 'When I asked ` Ubaidah Salmani ؓ about the meaning of this verse and the nature of Hijab, he demonstrated it by hiding his face with the long sheet pulled from the top of his head and left to hang in front of it - and thus, by keeping only his left eye open to see, he explained the words: idna': (bring close) and: jilbab (long sheet or shawl) practically .'

'To have the long sheet come from over the head and hand on, or in front of, the face' which appears in the statement of Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas and ` Ubaidah Salmani is the explanation (Tafsir) of the Qur'anic word: عَلَيْهِنَّ (alaihinn: over them), that is, the sense of bringing the sheet close over them is to let the sheet come from over the head and hang on, or in front of, the face.

This verse commands the hiding of the face with ample clarity which comprehensively supports what has been stated under the commentary on the first verse of Hijab appearing earlier. There it was said that, though the face and the palms of the hands are not included under satr as such but, under the apprehension of fitnah, hiding these too is necessary. Only situations of compulsion stand exempted.

A necessary point of clarification

This verse instructs free women to observe Hijab in a particular manner, that is, they should hide their face by bringing the sheet from over the head to hang on, or in front of, the face so that they could be recognized as distinct from bondwomen in general, and thus could stay protected from the fitnah of wicked people. The statement referred to immediately earlier has already made it very clear that it never means that Islam has allowed some difference to exist between free women and bondwomen in the matter of providing protection to the chastity and honor, and has protected free women and left bondwomen (to fend for themselves). Instead, the truth of the matter is that this difference was made by these wicked and low people themselves, as they simply did not dare act high-handedly against free women, but chose to tease bondwomen. The Shari’ ah of Islam took a functional advantage from this difference put into practice by them by ordering the free women to distinguish themselves, so that the majority of women becomes automatically protected through their own standing conduct in this matter. As far as the matter of bondwomen is concerned, the protection of their chastity and honor is as much necessary in Islam as that of free women. But, it could not be carried out except by using the legal authority. So, the next verse spells out that those who violate the law will not be forgiven - in fact, as and where they are found, they will be caught and killed. This is what provided a security shield for the chastity and honor of bondwomen as well.

This submission makes it clear that the interpretation offered in this verse by ` Allamah Ibn Hazm and others - as different from the majority of scholars and in an effort to escape the doubt mentioned above - is something just no necessary. A doubt could have come up only when no arrangement was made for the protection of bondwomen.

A person who turns an apostate (murtadd) after having embraced Islam is killed in punishment

Two mischiefs made by the hypocrites have been mentioned in the cited verse and it has been said that should they fail to abstain from indulging in these any further, the punishment they shall face will be: مَّلْعُونِينَ ۖ أَيْنَمَا ثُقِفُوا أُخِذُوا وَقُتِّلُوا تَقْتِيلًا (Wherever they are found, they shall be seized, and shall be killed thoroughly - 61). This punishment is not meant for disbelievers at large. Numerous textual authorities from the Qur'an and Sunnah bear it out that this is not the law of the Shari’ ah of Islam for disbelievers. In fact, the law is that they should first be invited to embrace Islam along with sincere efforts to remove any doubts they may have. If, even then, they elect not to enter the fold of Islam, they should be asked to live as Dhimmi subjects of the Muslim state. If they accept that, the protection of their life, property and honor becomes obligatory on Muslims very much like that of Muslims themselves. Yes, if there are those who do not accept this too, and choose the option of fighting, then, the command is to fight back against them.

The reason why this punishment to seize and kill them has been awarded in an absolute sense in the present verse is because this matter related to the hypocrites who used to call themselves Muslims - and when a Muslim starts demonstrating open hostility to and denial of Islam, such a person is called: Murtadd: apostate) in the terminology of the Shari` ah. With such a man, there is no compromise in the Shari’ ah of Islam - except that he repents and reverts to Islam and accepts the injunctions of Islam in word and deed. Otherwise, this person will be killed as it stands proved from clear statements of the Holy Prophet A and the collective practice of the noble Sahabah. The Jihad waged against the Liar Musaylimah and his cohorts with the collective approval of the Sahabah and the consequent killing of Musaylimah is sufficient as its proof. Then, in the last verse as well (62), this has been cited as the customary law and practice of Allah Ta’ ala which tells us that the punishment of an apostate (murtadd) in the religious laws of past prophets was no other but killing.

Some Rulings:

This verse proves that:

(1) When women have to go out of the house to take care of some need, they should go with their whole body covered with a long sheet and walk face-hidden with this sheet brought from over the head to hang on, or in front of, the face. The common 'burqa' also serves the same purpose.

(2) Spreading rumors among Muslims that subject them to anxiety or worry or cause harm is haram (forbidden, unlawful).