Revelation of Hijab
O Ye who believe! Enter not the dwellings of the Prophet for a meal without waiting for the proper time, unless permission be granted you. But if ye are invited, enter, and, when your meal is ended, then disperse. Linger not for conversation. Lo! That would cause annoyance to the Prophet, and he would be shy of (asking) you (to go); but Allah is not shy of the truth. And when ye ask of them (the wives of the Prophet) anything, ask it of them from behind a curtain. That is purer for your hearts and for their hearts. And it is not for you to cause annoyance to the messenger of Allah, nor that ye should ever marry his wives after him. Lo! That in Allah’s sight would be an enormity. (Al-Ahzab: 53)
The Hijab was revealed in Madinah. It was during the prophet’s sa.w. walimah with Zaynab binti Jarsh, where the companions stayed up too late until the prophet was tired, but he was too shy to tell them to go away. Literally the word hijab means curtain/partition. The coming down of the hijab refers to the verse that requires curtain to be put in the apartment of the prophet to separate his wives from other people.
Social and public space is shared. There is not even separation between public space and private space during the prophetic time. Houses during that time sometimes didn’t have doors, sometimes no curtain at the doors, and cooking are done outside at times. There was no partition of space.
The coming of hijab is first of all the distinction between private and public space: In the household of the Prophet s.a.w. there will be privacy. So guests coming from outside, they don’t see everything in his household.
Other verse on Hijab:
O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them (when they go abroad). That will be better, so that they may be recognised and not annoyed. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful. (Al-Ahzab: 59)
Seclusion of Women
Seclusion of women to the house in terms of they never being allowed to leave is also mentioned in the Qur’an. The question is, in what context is it mentioned? (more…)
