Al-Ahzab 33:55
The Combined Forces · Juz 22 · Page 426
لَّا جُنَاحَ عَلَيۡهِنَّ فِيٓ ءَابَآئِهِنَّ وَلَآ أَبۡنَآئِهِنَّ وَلَآ إِخۡوَٰنِهِنَّ وَلَآ أَبۡنَآءِ إِخۡوَٰنِهِنَّ وَلَآ أَبۡنَآءِ أَخَوَٰتِهِنَّ وَلَا نِسَآئِهِنَّ وَلَا مَا مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَٰنُهُنَّۗ وَٱتَّقِينَ ٱللَّهَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ شَهِيدًا ٥٥
There is no blame upon them [i.e., women] concerning their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their brothers' sons or their sisters' sons or their women or those their right hands possess [i.e., slaves].1 And fear Allāh. Indeed Allāh is ever, over all things, Witness.
1 translator’s note
- It is permissible for a woman to appear before these people without complete covering and to be alone with them. The brothers of both parents (uncles) are included as "fathers" or "parents," according to ḥadīth. ↩
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Ibn Kathir (abridged)
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Commentary on 33:55
Relatives before Whom a Woman does not need to observe Hijab
When Allah commands women to observe Hijab in front of men to whom they are not related, He explains who are the relatives before whom they do not need to observe Hijab. This is like the exceptions stated in Surat An-Nur, where Allah says:
وَلاَ يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلاَّ لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ ءَابَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ ءَابَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِى إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِى أَخَوَتِهِنَّ أَوْ نِسَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَنُهُنَّ أَوِ التَّبِعِينَ غَيْرِ أُوْلِى الإِرْبَةِ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ أَوِ الطِّفْلِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يَظْهَرُواْ عَلَى عَوْرَتِ النِّسَآءِ
(And not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husbands' fathers, or their sons, or their husbands' sons, or their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or their right hand possessions, or the Tabi`in among men who do not have desire, or small children who are not aware of the nakedness of women.) (24:31). The Ayah contains more detail than this, which we have already discussed in the Tafsir of the Ayah and do not need to repeat here. Ibn Jarir recorded that Ash-Sha`bi and `Ikrimah said concerning the Ayah,
لاَّ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِنَّ فِى ءَابَآئِهِنَّ
(It is no sin on them before their fathers...) I said, "What about the paternal uncle and the maternal uncle -- why are they not mentioned" He said: "Because they may describe her to their sons, so it is disliked for a woman to remove her covering in front of her paternal uncle or maternal uncle."
وَلاَ نِسَآئِهِنَّ
(or their own women,) means that they do not have to observe Hijab in front of other believing women.
وَلاَ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُنَّ
(or their (female) slaves.) Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib said: "This means female slaves only." This was recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim.
وَاتَّقِينَ اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ شَهِيداً
(And (O ladies) have Taqwa of Allah. Verily, Allah is Ever All-Witness over everything.) means, and fear Him in private and in public, for He witnesses all things and nothing is hidden from Him, so think of the One Who is always watching.
Page 426
33:55
لَّا جُنَاحَ عَلَيۡهِنَّ فِيٓ ءَابَآئِهِنَّ وَلَآ أَبۡنَآئِهِنَّ وَلَآ إِخۡوَٰنِهِنَّ وَلَآ أَبۡنَآءِ إِخۡوَٰنِهِنَّ وَلَآ أَبۡنَآءِ أَخَوَٰتِهِنَّ وَلَا نِسَآئِهِنَّ وَلَا مَا مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَٰنُهُنَّۗ وَٱتَّقِينَ ٱللَّهَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ شَهِيدًا ٥٥
There is no blame upon them [i.e., women] concerning their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their brothers' sons or their sisters' sons or their women or those their right hands possess [i.e., slaves].1 And fear Allāh. Indeed Allāh is ever, over all things, Witness.
1 translator’s note
- It is permissible for a woman to appear before these people without complete covering and to be alone with them. The brothers of both parents (uncles) are included as "fathers" or "parents," according to ḥadīth. ↩
33:56
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَمَلَٰٓئِكَتَهُۥ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِيِّۚ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ صَلُّواْ عَلَيۡهِ وَسَلِّمُواْ تَسۡلِيمًا ٥٦
Indeed, Allāh confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [Allāh to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allāh to grant him] peace.
33:57
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤۡذُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ لَعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٗا مُّهِينٗا ٥٧
Indeed, those who abuse Allāh and His Messenger - Allāh has cursed them in this world and the Hereafter and prepared for them a humiliating punishment.
33:58
وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤۡذُونَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتِ بِغَيۡرِ مَا ٱكۡتَسَبُواْ فَقَدِ ٱحۡتَمَلُواْ بُهۡتَٰنٗا وَإِثۡمٗا مُّبِينٗا ٥٨
And those who harm believing men and believing women for [something] other than what they have earned [i.e., deserved] have certainly borne upon themselves a slander and manifest sin.
33:59
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِيُّ قُل لِّأَزۡوَٰجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَآءِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ يُدۡنِينَ عَلَيۡهِنَّ مِن جَلَٰبِيبِهِنَّۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدۡنَىٰٓ أَن يُعۡرَفۡنَ فَلَا يُؤۡذَيۡنَۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورٗا رَّحِيمٗا ٥٩
O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments.1 That is more suitable that they will be known2 and not be abused. And ever is Allāh Forgiving and Merciful.3
3 translator’s notes
33:60
۞ لَّئِن لَّمۡ يَنتَهِ ٱلۡمُنَٰفِقُونَ وَٱلَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٞ وَٱلۡمُرۡجِفُونَ فِي ٱلۡمَدِينَةِ لَنُغۡرِيَنَّكَ بِهِمۡ ثُمَّ لَا يُجَاوِرُونَكَ فِيهَآ إِلَّا قَلِيلٗا ٦٠
If the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is disease1 and those who spread rumors in al-Madīnah do not cease, We will surely incite you against them; then they will not remain your neighbors therein except for a little,
1 translator’s note
- Referring here to those who commit adultery or fornication. ↩
33:61
مَّلۡعُونِينَۖ أَيۡنَمَا ثُقِفُوٓاْ أُخِذُواْ وَقُتِّلُواْ تَقۡتِيلٗا ٦١
Accursed wherever they are found, [being] seized and massacred completely.
33:62
سُنَّةَ ٱللَّهِ فِي ٱلَّذِينَ خَلَوۡاْ مِن قَبۡلُۖ وَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّةِ ٱللَّهِ تَبۡدِيلٗا ٦٢
[This is] the established way of Allāh with those who passed on before; and you will not find in the way of Allāh any change.
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy