The Holy Quran 33:59 — Surah Al-Ahzab

Arabic text

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ قُل لِّأَزْوَٰجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَآءِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلَـٰبِيبِهِنَّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰٓ أَن يُعْرَفْنَ فَلَا يُؤْذَيْنَ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

Translation

O Nabi! Tell your wives, your daughters and the women of the Mu'mineen that (when they have to leave their homes out of necessity) they should draw down their “jalaabeeb" over themselves (they should wear a loose garment that covers the entire body without revealing the shape of the body and which has only a little opening to allow the woman to see). This is best for their recognition (to allow people to distinguish them from slaves who are not required to cover themselves in this fashion) so that they are not harmed (not teased or made fun of as was done to slave women in the time of Rasulullaah). Allaah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Tafsir (excerpt) — Tafsir Usmani

The command for women to cover themselves: that is, while covering the body, let them also draw part of the outer sheet down from the head over the face. It is related in reports that after this ayah was revealed, Muslim women would go out with their bodies and faces covered in such a way that only one eye was left open to see.

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