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Refutations

Tabarruj in Islam: What the Quran, Hadith, and Classical Scholars Say About Women's Modesty

14 min read 2942 words

Women in Islam — Chastity, Dignity & Protection

Table of Contents

Opening Praise

Basmalah & Opening Praise be to Allah and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. Then:

The Divine Command to Remain at Home

Qur’an — Al-Ahzab: 33 “And abide in your houses and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the times of ignorance. And establish prayer and give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger.”

Ibn Kathir on Surah Al-Ahzab 33

Ibn Kathir رحمه الله That is, stay in your houses and do not go out except for a need. Among the legitimate needs is praying in the mosque.

Aisha and Sawda — Testimonies of the Mothers of the Believers

Ibn Atiyah — Narration of Aisha رضي الله عنها Al-Tha’labi and others mentioned that whenever Aisha, may God be pleased with her, recited this verse, she would cry until her veil was soaked. Aisha’s crying was due to her travel during the Battle of the Camel, and at that time Ammar ibn Yasir said to her: God has commanded you to remain in your house.
Narration of Sawda رضي الله عنها It was said to Sawda, may God be pleased with her: Why do you not perform Hajj or Umrah? She said: I have performed Hajj and Umrah, and God Almighty has commanded me to remain in my house. The narrator said: By God, she did not leave the door of her room until her funeral procession left.

The Farewell Pilgrimage Hadith

Ahmad — Musnad | Chain: Hajjaj → Yazid bin Harun → Ishaq bin Sulayman → Ibn Abi Tha’lab → Salih (freed slave of Al-Taw’amah) → Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to his wives in the year of the Farewell Pilgrimage: { This is then the backs of the mats }

So they — all of them — performed the pilgrimage except Zaynab bint Jahsh and Sawdah bint Zam’ah, and they used to say: “By Allah, not a single animal will move us after we heard that from the Prophet.”

On Tabarruj — Displaying Adornments

Qur’an — Al-Ahzab: 33 “And do not display yourselves like that of the times of ignorance.”
Linguistic and Scholarly Notes on Tabarruj Displaying (tabarruj) is showing off one’s adornment and making it appear. From it is the word “buruj” — for its appearance and exposure to the eyes.
  • Mujahid and Qatadah said: Tabarruj is flaunting and coquetry.
  • Ibn Abi Nujayh said: It is strutting, and it was said that it is showing off adornment and displaying charms to men.
Contemporary Reality Displaying oneself was not known among women and going out of the house was [rare] in the time of our righteous predecessors, but it has only crept into us in this manner in this era to mix with the people of disbelief and those who resemble them from their followers, and this is the reason for opening the door to them under the name of education, upbringing, health centres, and others — so to Allah we complain.

Speaking with Non-Mahrams — The Veil of Speech

The Partition Verse

Qur’an — Al-Ahzab: 53 “And when you ask them for something, ask them from behind a partition. That is purer for your hearts and their hearts.”
Al-Baghawi — Tafsir Meaning from behind a curtain, so after the verse of the veil, no one was to look at any of the wives of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, whether she was veiled or not. That is purer for your hearts and their hearts from suspicion.

Softness of Speech Forbidden

Qur’an — Al-Ahzab: 32 “O wives of the Prophet, you are not like anyone among women. If you fear Allah, then be not soft in speech, lest he in whose heart is disease should covet, but speak with appropriate speech.”
Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما — via Ibn Jarir al-Tabari Be lenient in speech and do not be soft in speech.
Ibn Jarir — On “He in whose heart is disease” The one who has covetousness in his heart is weak because of the weakness of his faith in his heart. Either he doubts Islam and is a hypocrite, and because of this he takes the limits of Allah lightly — or he is careless in committing immoral acts.
Ibn Zayd — On “Speak a kind word” A beautiful, good, and well-known word in goodness.
Ibn Kathir — Summary The meaning of this is that she addresses non-mahrams in a way that does not include leniency — i.e. a woman does not address non-mahrams as she addresses her husband.

Women as Shepherdesses — Hadith of Responsibility

Al-Bukhari & Muslim — Ibn Umar رضي الله عنهما The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock. The greatest leader who is over the people is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock. A man is a shepherd over his family and is responsible for his flock. A woman is a shepherd over her husband’s family and children and is responsible for them. A man’s slave is a shepherd over his master’s property and is responsible for it. So each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock.”

Imam al-Bukhari’s Chapter Heading “A woman is a shepherd in her husband’s house.”

This hadith shows that a woman has a place to look after, which is her husband’s house. If she goes out of this door, she has wasted what Allah has entrusted her with. Allah will ask her about that — so what is her answer? A woman’s righteousness, religion, and honour are inside her house.

Qur’an — Al-Ahzab: 34 “And remember what is recited in your houses of the verses of Allah and wisdom. Indeed, Allah is Kind and Aware.”

The Devil’s Form — Warning Against Going Out

Muslim — Sahih | On the authority of Jabir رضي الله عنه The Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw a woman, so he went to his wife Zainab while she was kneading the dough for her. He satisfied his need, then went out to his companions and said:

“A woman comes in the form of a devil and goes in the form of a devil. So if one of you sees a woman, let him go to his wife, for that will repel what is in his mind.”

Reflection It means referring to desire and calling for temptation in its entirety and what Allah has placed in men’s natures of inclination towards it.

If it accepts the image of a devil and turns away in the image of a devil, then it is a temptation for the observer at that time — so how about this time when women have taken off the cloak of modesty and have become frivolous with their flaunting and unveiling? One of the ugliest of evils, the ugliest of calamities, the greatest of temptations, and the cause of the downfall of kings and nations is for a woman to flaunt herself and show her adornments to strange men in the streets, markets, and places of trade.

Hadith — Women Clothed Yet Naked

Muslim — Sahih | Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“There are two types of the people of Hell whom I have not seen! Women who are clothed yet naked, seducing and enticing [others] with heads that are like the leaning humps of camels will not enter Paradise or even smell its fragrance, although its fragrance can be detected from such-and-such a distance.”

Al-Bukhari — Sahih | Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها The Prophet ﷺ woke up at night saying:

“There is no god but Allah! What trials have been sent down tonight? What treasures have been sent down? Who will wake the companions of the rooms? How many women in this world will be naked on the Day of Resurrection?”

Rhetorical Reflection Would anyone be pleased for his female slave to be among the people of Hell, or to be naked on the Day of Resurrection — or would a woman be pleased with that for herself?

Perfume and the Streets — A Severe Warning

Al-Nasa’i | Chain: Ismail bin Mas’ud → Khalid bin Al-Harith → Thabit bin Amara → Ghanim bin Qais → Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari رضي الله عنه The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Any woman who puts on perfume and passes by people so that they can smell her fragrance is an adulteress.”

Grading And it is a saheeh chain of narration.

The Greatest Temptation — Hadith of Usamah ibn Zayd

Al-Bukhari & Muslim | Usamah bin Zayd رضي الله عنهما The Prophet ﷺ said:

“I have not left behind me any temptation more harmful to men than women.”

The First Temptation of Bani Israel

Muslim — Sahih | Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri رضي الله عنه The Prophet ﷺ said:

“The world is sweet and green, and God has made you successors in it to see how you act, so beware of the world and beware of women, for the first temptation of the Children of Israel was with women.”

Call to Men — Jealousy as a Mark of Faith

Exhortation to Men Know this virtue, O men, and fulfil its right. Do not deprive yourselves of your right and forget the virtue. Do not let women overcome your manhood, and do not let Satan distract you from taking care of your families, and do not be preoccupied with your money instead of your values, morals, and preserving your private parts and honour.
Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه — On Divine Jealousy The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Allah is jealous, and the believer is jealous, and Allah’s jealousy is that the believer should do what He has forbidden him.”

Sa’d ibn Ubadah and the Prophet’s Response

Narration of Sa’d ibn Ubadah رضي الله عنه Abu Hurayrah said: Sa’d bin Ubadah said: O Messenger of Allah! If I find a man with my family, I will not touch him until I bring four witnesses! The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: {Yes}

He said: No, by Him who sent you with the truth, I would have rushed him with the sword before that.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Listen to what your master says, he is jealous and I am more jealous than him, and Allah is more jealous than me.”

Narration of Al-Mughira bin Shu’ba رضي الله عنه Sa’d bin Ubadah said: If I saw a man with my wife, I would strike him with the sword without hesitation. So that reached the Prophet ﷺ and he said:

“Do you wonder at Sa’d’s jealousy? I am more jealous than him, and Allah is more jealous than me.”

Comment These are the men whom Muhammad ﷺ raised.

So a woman respects a jealous man and elevates his status, and she even knows that behind her is a man who is manly and jealous.

Al-Qahtani’s Lines of Poetry

Al-Qahtani — Poetry Men who look at women are like dogs that roam around meat, if that meat is not protected by its lions, it will be eaten without compensation or price.

Prohibition of Entering Upon Women

On the authority of Uqbah ibn Amir رضي الله عنه The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Beware of entering upon women.”

A man from the Ansar said: O Messenger of Allah, what do you think of the father-in-law?

He said: “The father-in-law is death.”

Implication Do you think that the Messenger would forbid that and be pleased for a woman to travel without a mahram or to ride with drivers in the country? Rather, the Prophet made it clear that the presence of a man with his wife must clear his name.

Paradise Beneath the Mother’s Feet

Ahmad — Musnad | Chain: Ruh → Ibn Jurayj → Muhammad ibn Talhah ibn Abdullah → Talhah ibn Abdullah → Muawiyah ibn Jahimah Jahimah came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: O Messenger of Allah, I wanted to go on a military expedition and I came to you to consult you. He said: “Do you have a mother?” He said: Yes. He said:

“Stick to her, for Paradise is at her feet, then the second, then the third, in various places, like this statement.”

Precedence of the Mother in Companionship

Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه A man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: O Messenger of Allah! Who among people is most deserving of my good companionship?

He said: “Your mother.” He said: Then who? He said: “Then your mother.” He said: Then who? He said: “Then your mother.” He said: Then who? He said: “Then your father.”

The Sermon of Arafah — Rights and Responsibilities

The Sermon of Arafah — Rights of Women The Prophet ﷺ said in the greatest of gatherings:

“So fear Allah with regard to women, for you have taken them with the trust of Allah and you have made their private parts lawful for you with the word of Allah. And you have a right over them that they not allow anyone to share your bed whom you dislike. But if they do that, then strike them, but not severely. And they have a right over you to provide for them and clothe them in a reasonable manner.”

The Most Perfect in Faith

Ahmad — Musnad | Chain: Ibn Idris → Muhammad ibn Amr → Abu Salamah → Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“The most perfect of the believers in faith are those with the best character, and the best of them are those who are best to their women.”

Rebuke of the Advocates of Mixing

Address to the Advocates of Vice Listen to these texts, you advocates of mixing, you advocates of vice, you advocates of debauchery and immorality, and you who love for immorality to spread among Muslims with the lie of women’s freedom, and you breach the barrier of means to vice, and you claim to weep over women and defend them and their rights. You are tyrannical wolves and wailing dogs.
Qur’an — An-Nur: 19 “Indeed, those who like that immorality should be spread among those who have believed will have a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter. And Allah knows, while you do not know.”
Qur’an — An-Nisa’: 89 “They wish that you would disbelieve as they disbelieved so you would be alike.”
Qur’an — An-Nisa’: 27 “Allah will turn to you in forgiveness, but those who follow their lusts want you to deviate with a great deviation.”
Ibn Zayd — Tafsir of An-Nisa’: 27 The people of falsehood and the people of lusts in their religion want you to deviate with a great deviation in your religion, following the commands of their religion and abandoning the commands of Allah and the commands of your religion.
Mujahid — Tafsir They are the adulterers who want you to deviate from the truth and commit adultery as they do.

Quranic Characterisation of the Corrupters

Qur’an — Al-Baqarah: 11–12 “And when it is said to them, ‘Do not cause corruption on the earth,’ they say, ‘We are only reformers.’ (11) Unquestionably, it is they who are the corrupters, but they perceive [it] not.” (12)
Application A description of the preachers on the gates of Hell — among whom are the preachers of mixing, freedom, and equality between women and men.

And Allah is the source of help. We seek refuge in Allah from temptations.