353 Page Notes

24 Surah An-Nur (continued)

Page 353 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 353 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 353 of the standard Uthmani codex continues the foundational societal legislation of Surah An-Nur (Chapter 24), covering verses 28 through 31.

This page begins by concluding the strict rules of home privacy and public courtesy (Verses 28–29), explicitly telling believers to turn back from a door if the occupants ask for privacy. It then transitions directly into what is widely considered the primary legislative core of public interaction and modesty in Islamic law: the command for both believing men and women to lower their gaze and guard their private parts, alongside the comprehensive structural guidelines for the Hijab and interpersonal boundaries (Verses 30–31).

The Sunnah provides vital legal execution, real-life applications, and historical clarity for how these behavioral codes shaped the Madinan community.

1. Hadiths Related to Verse 28: The Dignity of the Turnback

Allah provides a clear path of courtesy when permission to enter a space is not granted:

"And if you do not find anyone therein, do not enter them until permission has been given you. And if it is said to you, 'Go back,' then go back; it is purer for you..." (Quran 24:28).

Accepting Boundaries Without Offense

The Sunnah emphasizes that being turned away from a home should be met with peace and spiritual maturity, rather than frustration or offense.

• The Companions' Aspiration: The early generations viewed this verse as a massive test of ego and heart purification. It is recorded that several prominent companions, including Qatadah, used to say: "I spent my whole life seeking a moment where I would visit a brother, he would tell me 'Go back,' and I could go back happily, just so I could fulfill this verse and attain the purity promised by Allah!"

• Preventing Intrusive Behavior: The Prophet ﷺ taught that a person's home is a sanctuary. He fiercely condemned actions like peeking through keyholes or windows when permission was delayed. Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "If a person looks into your house without your permission, and you throw a pebble at him and poke out his eye, there would be no sin or legal blame upon you."

Source Citations:

• Sahih al-Bukhari: Book 79, Hadith 6242 (Book of Seeking Permission / Isti'dhan).

• Sahih Muslim: Book 38, Hadith 42 (Chapter on the Prohibition of Looking into Someone's House).

2. Hadiths Related to Verse 30: The Mandate for Men to Lower the Gaze

The divine protocol for modesty in public spaces begins, crucially, with men:

"Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what they do." (Quran 24:30).

Managing the Accidental First Glance

The Sunnah addresses the realities of walking through public spaces, differentiating between a passing glance and a deliberate look.

• The Sudden Look: Jarir ibn Abdullah narrated: "I asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about the accidental, sudden glance (at an unrelated woman). He instructed me: 'Turn your gaze away immediately.'"

• The Danger of the Second Look: The Prophet ﷺ categorized this behavior in his advice to his cousin Ali ibn Abi Talib: "O Ali! Do not follow a first glance with a second one. For indeed, the first glance is forgiven for you (as an accident), but the second one is not."

• The Adultery of the Eye: Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet ﷺ explicitly connected the gaze to spiritual health: "The adultery of the eyes is the look (with desire)... and the heart desires and wishes, and the private parts either confirm it or deny it."

Source Citations:

• Sahih Muslim: Book 38, Hadith 45 (Book of Manners).

• Jami` at-Tirmidhi: Hadith 2777. Graded Authentic.

• Sahih al-Bukhari: Book 79, Hadith 6243.

3. Hadiths Related to Verse 31: The Practical Details of Modesty (Hijab)

Allah details the standards of public dress and lists the specific male relatives (Mahram) in whose presence a woman can fully relax her outer attire:

"And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers (Khumur) over their chests (Juyub)..." (Quran 24:31).

The Immediate Response of the Ansar Women

The Sunnah preserves the exact moment this verse was revealed, highlighting the profound devotion of the women of Madinah.

• Tearing the Sheets: Aisha narrated: "May Allah have mercy on the early emigrant women (Muhajirat). When Allah revealed the words: 'and to wrap their headcovers over their chests,' they immediately took their thick outer waist sheets (Murut), tore them at the borders, and used them to cleanly cover their heads and chests." Safiyyah bint Shaybah added that they instantly looked like a flock of crows due to the dark, secure wraps they constructed on the spot.

• Defining "What Necessarily Appears": The Sunnah clarifies the legal exceptions within the text. Aisha narrated that her sister, Asma bint Abi Bakr, entered the house of the Prophet ﷺ wearing thin clothing. The Prophet ﷺ turned his face away from her and said: "O Asma! When a woman reaches the age of menstruation, it is not correct for anything to be seen of her except this and this"—and he pointed directly to his face and hands.

Source Citations:

• Sahih al-Bukhari: Book 65, Hadith 4758 & 4759 (Book of Prophetic Commentary / Surah An-Nur).

• Sunan Abi Dawud: Hadith 4104 (The Hadith on the face and hands).

4. Hadiths Related to Verse 31 (End): The Hidden Adornments and the Call to Repentance

The verse concludes with a specific cultural warning and an open invitation:

"...And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed." (Quran 24:31).