Few scholars (and yet many “religious” Muslims) claim that women scholars should not teach mixed gatherings openly as men scholars do and that if she does she should do so behind a curtain. It is also suggested as evidence against this that women should generally stay at home and that her face as well as her voice is of her nakedness (`aura), and they shouldn’t be seen or heard! For those who came to Islam or latched on to it because it is generally so practical and reasonable, you are probably thinking, well, that is ridiculous. The following article will show the strong scriptural refutation most scholars would make against such claims.

The discussion is mainly based in the commentary and juristic interpretation of surah al-Ahzab (Qur’an 33). Surah al-Ahzab is themed contextually with many verses over a few pages which address the pronoun for the feminine plural. These are always referring back to “the wives or women of the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) (أزواج أو نساء النبي)” whereas the word “female believers (مؤمنات)” is only used once at the very end of the context in the verse enjoining the modest covering of Islam which is customarily referred to as Hijab in English. This can be confusing because the “verse of Hijab” is not referring to the modest clothing; rather it was an injunction for us to ask the wives of the Prophet ﷺ from behind a curtain when visiting their homes.

The first occurrence of the feminine plural pronoun is in dealing with the Prophet’s wives desire for extra wealth and provisions. God tells them that if they desire this worldly life then the Prophet should divorce them whereas if they want the Hereafter then that is the reward for exceptional Muslims:

“Dear Prophet, tell your wives that if they want this life and its adornments…” (Qur’an, 33:28).

The next time the pronoun appears, it is referring back to a specific warning against the wives of the Prophet ﷺ from sexual immorality which will bring a double punishment.

“Dearest women of the Prophet whoever among you would commit adultery…” (Qur’an, 33:30).

The next verse with the plural feminine pronoun makes the case in point of the whole issue!

“Dear wives of the Prophet, You are not like any other women. If you are to be pious then do not speak in a soft sweet tone which could lead a person with a diseased heart to get the wrong idea. Live in tranquility in your homes and don’t make a spectacle of yourselves as the women did before Islam…” (Qur’an, 33:32-33).

This verse is clearly denoting the special status of the wives of the Prophet ﷺ and how they carry a much more specific and cautious ruling. As we saw in the previous verses, the deeds of the wives of the Prophet ﷺ carry double the impact and so naturally the law carries double the seriousness. There are clearly unique rules to the wives such as the fact that they do not inherit from the Prophet ﷺ, no man can marry them after, and according to many commentators and jurists, they should stay home and if visited, they should speak from behind a curtain.

The surah then goes into the generality of spiritual equality between women and men, and then goes into a page and a half of other matters clearly moving away from the specificity of either the wives of the Prophet ﷺ or the women believers.

It picks back up admonishing the Prophet ﷺ and his wives about the general rules of their relationship and again we have reference to the plural feminine pronoun again referring to the Prophet’s wives.

“Dear prophet, We have permitted you to be with your wives to whom you have given the bridal dowry…” (Qur’an, 33:50).

Immediately following that is the “verse of the Hijab”. Let us look at the verse and see who it was referring to and the scholarly difference of interpretation and what may have led to such difference while it will probably seem plain and evident to most readers.

“Dear believers don’t hang around the Prophet’s house hoping to be invited for a meal. If you are invited, then go and eat, but don’t linger around too long afterwards hoping to talk as that often annoyed the Prophet and he was shy to tell you to leave. God is not shy to say the truth. If you ask them (feminine plural), then do so from behind a curtain. That is purer for your (masculine plural) hearts and theirs (feminine plural). You must not annoy the Prophet nor should you ever marry his wives after he passes. Indeed these are of the most serious of affairs to God.” (Qur’an, 33:53)

Three verses later, the surah reveals the injunction for the modest covering women are to wear and God felt it necessary to specify the wives of the Prophet ﷺ, his daughters and all the believing women so as to leave no doubt about its legislative intention.

“Dear prophet, tell your wives, your daughters and the believing women to cover their entire bodies with clothing…” (Qur’an, 33:59).

This was the last verse in the surah using the plural feminine pronoun in which we see all previous verses specifying that to the wives of the Prophet ﷺ.

Interpretations of the Verse Regarding Staying at Home

As you can see, the context and linguistics is addressing the wives of the Prophet ﷺ, although some scholars said that it should address all other female believers as well since they are our example. They said it is similar to the verses which address the Prophet ﷺ. On the other hand, other scholars held the position of the specificity of the text to the wives of the Prophet ﷺ as both a specific admonition and to clarify their special status.

Prominent Classical Commentaries

Al-Tabari (310) — Indicates that the verse about staying in the house except for need is for all women. He narrates many narrations of circumstances in which the verse of Hijab was revealed all of which indicate it is specific to the wives of the Prophet ﷺ. He does mention one opinion of Qatada that it was for all homes to have a curtain between strange men and the women of the house. Ibn Kathir follows Imam al-Tabari’s commentary.

Ibn Atiya (546) — Makes no mention of the verses being general for all women rather his commentary follows the natural linguistics which are specific to wives of the Prophet ﷺ.

Ibn al-Jawzi (597) — Makes no mention of the verses being general for all women rather his commentary follows the natural linguistics which are specific to wives of the Prophet ﷺ.

Imam al-Razi (606) — Makes no mention of the verses being general for all women rather his commentary follows the natural linguistics which are specific to wives of the Prophet ﷺ.

Al-Qurtubi (671) — Indicates that the rulings are general for all women.

Al-Nasafi (710) — Makes no mention of the verses being general for all women rather his commentary follows the natural linguistics which are specific to wives of the Prophet ﷺ.

Imam Al-Sutooti (864) — Makes no mention of the verses being general for all women rather his commentary follows the natural linguistics which are specific to the wives of the Prophet ﷺ.

Ibn Ashoor (1393) — Actually makes the point that the verses are specific to the wives of the Prophet ﷺ when speaking about things which the believing women weren’t generally commanded to elsewhere in the Qur’an. He states that it would be noble for a believing woman to follow them, but she is not obligated to.

Related Hadiths

Ibn Hajar, radi Allahu `anhu (may God be pleased with him), narrates the hadith in his commentary on al-Bukhari — This verse stay in your homes is in reality specific to the wives of the Prophet ﷺ since Umm Salamah used to say: “I won’t be moved by a camel’s back until I am reunited with the Prophet,” (al-Fath 3561).

It is also narrated in most of the historical commentaries how after the verse of Hijab was revealed, Umar saw Sawdah (ra) — the wife of the Prophet ﷺ— walking around outside for some reason and asked her why she is outside. She went and asked the Prophet ﷺ about Umar’s rebuking her and he responded: “God has permitted you to go out if you need to,” (Muslim 2170).

It is also narrated in many sound narrations that after the loss of the Battle of the Camel led by A’ishah (ra), she would cry when reading the verse about staying in the house.

Is a Woman’s Face of her Nakedness?

In Sura al-Noor men and women were commanded to lower their gaze since the face is apparent. So if that is to be a proof for men not watching a female speaker then that would also prevent women from watching a male speaker. The vast majority of the scholars say that the face and hands of a woman are not from her nakedness, but should still not be stared at. In commenting on this verse many commentators particularly from the Hanafis say that the injunction to lower the gaze is understood at the moment of desire. If there is no desire then the verse is inapplicable. Others said that the restriction is lightened in professional interactions like buying and selling or teaching etc.

Is a Woman’s Voice of her Nakedness?

Hanafi’s: Ibn Abideen Al-Darr Al-Mukhtar: “Like her face and hands, her voice is not of her nakedness.”

Maliki’s: Hashiyat al-Dasooqi: “It is said that the women’s voice is not of her nakedness since we have so many female scholars of Hadith. It can only be of her nakedness if a man is attracted by it so then it would be disliked to listen to it.” It is the well-established opinion that her voice is not nakedness as mentioned by al-Adawi.

Shafi’ee: Majmoo al-Nawawi: “It was said that Al-Qadhi Husain was asked if the woman’s voice is of her nakedness and he answered that both opinions are found in the school, but that the more correct is that it isn’t.”

Hanbali: Insaaf al-Mardawi: “It is the more correct opinion that the voice of a woman is not of her nakedness.”

Dr. Su’ad Salih the previous Deen of Islamic Law at Azhar University says the there is nothing wrong with a female scholar teaching a mixed gathering since it is well established that great women scholars of the past did so. There is nothing in the scripture that would prohibit a modest woman of knowledge and character to preach to the masses. She states that the fact widows were commanded to stay in the house for mourning is evidence that generally they may leave the house. She similarly negates the claim that a woman’s voice is of her nakedness since the Qur’an did ask us to ask the wives of the Prophet ﷺ behind a curtain thus hearing their voice. She also reminds us that there were thousands of female scholars of hadith and fiqh who taught many men. The verse does not prohibit all speech; rather it forbids a sweet soft toned voice that may be seen as attractive:

“…If you are to be pious then do not speak in a soft sweet tone which could lead a person with a diseased heart to get the wrong idea.” (Qur’an 33:32)

Dr. Husam al-Farfoor and Dr. Abdul-Hameed al-Ubaydee, both professors of comparative jurisprudence in Syria and Iraq as well as the great scholar Muhammad Al-Didow al-Shanqeeti agree with her fatwa.

To be honest, I don’t know when it happened. I don’t know if it was a subconscious decision to somehow physically manifest the change in my mindset. But I’m glad it happened. Because the day my make-up bag became my pencil case was the day I truly became myself.

I remember the days in which I was testing a natural face, and I still remember how people reacted to me. Most people thought I was sick. That something had happened to me. That the dark circles under my eyes were somehow a commentary of a hard and suddenly traumatic life. The truth was that nothing had changed. Pimples often occupy my forehead, my skin is not flawless, I am usually sleep-deprived and, even when I’m not, dark circles dominate my eye sockets.

We are told that unless our face is masked and our blemishes covered, we are not beautiful. Unless our faces are colored, we are not as beautiful as we have the potential to be. There is a multi-billion dollar industry that thrives on this very belief: that we look better and can feel better if we cover our blemishes and color ourselves pretty (or dizzy). We become obsessed with the way that we look, the amount that we weigh and the way that we dress. The number of compliments that our beauty warrants becomes an indicator of how accomplished we feel, and being ‘ugly’ is worse than being stupid. It is an obsession and addiction in every sense of the words.

I would tell myself that I was wearing make-up for myself, not for others. But the damning truth is that every time I wiped my face away, I would see the blemishes and cringe at my own face without the self-inflicted photoshoping. And I did not feel better about myself; I felt worse. I had to rely on paint to feel comfortable with my own face. When I quit the madness, I began to appreciate myself in a different way. I can’t say that I’m in love with my blemishes or dark circles—but I can say that I’m now okay with the face that stares back at me every day. Because that face doesn’t matter to me anymore. I am my writing; I am my accomplishments; I am my own person devoid of the beauty of my face. This is a person that needs work, but it’s a person that does not rely on her face to determine her worth.

Now, when I wear make-up, I’m told how amazing I look. And to me, it’s insulting — because how I look with my blemishes and my imperfections is who I am. The woman I am without the mask is the same woman I am with it — but that mask makes a difference to people. The question we never ask is ‘Why? What difference does it make if you can see that my face is discolored? Does a face consistent in its color make me more worthy of admiration? Why is the inflection of admiration in “She’s so pretty” so much greater than in “She’s so accomplished”?’

I’m not here to say that when I wore make-up I was incapable of being intelligent (or that I didn’t own a pencil case). But I am here to say that wearing make-up or subscribing to the cosmetics industry was not an expression of my individuality, nor will it ever be for the majority of us. It was an expression of my conformation. It was an expression that I had succumbed to a multi-billion dollar industry that thrives on the self-consciousness of women worldwide who are expected to look a certain way and to become flawless in a way that no woman naturally is. It was an admission that I preferred the way I looked unnaturally; that what was natural to me was somehow ‘less’. An admission that, with make-up, I was somehow ‘more’. After all, why would I wear it if it truly meant nothing to me and if I truly believed that it made no difference?

When I began writing this, I wanted to find statistics on the cosmetics industry and how women’s self-image is related to the industry’s boom. Then I realized that there was no need. Every woman who reads this will know exactly what I’m talking about because being seen without make-up is somehow a source of embarrassment. Our self-consciousness peaks when we have no make-up on. If we’re seen without make-up, or post pictures without make-up, we crave compliments to assure ourselves that we are ‘naturally’ beautiful, and that although we wear make-up, we don’t really ‘need’ it to be beautiful.

The day that my make-up bag became my pencil case was the day that I finally gave myself some agency and some self-respect. It was the day I realized that it’s what I write and do that matters, not how I color my face or my image. When I refused to wear make-up, I refused to let my face or physical imperfections matter, either to me or to others. My physical imperfections are not my choice, but my other imperfections are.

I used to complain about women being objectified, but I would objectify myself. I used to tell myself that it’s what is on the inside that counts, but I would pay more attention to my pimples than my pride. Then I realized that a flawless face will not tell you of a flawless soul and the blemishes on my face will tell you nothing of the blemishes on my heart.

“Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children – like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes [scattered] debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allah and approval. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion.” (Qur’an 57:20)

Fatimah Amirali is an aspiring writer from Vancouver, Canada with an interest in politics and religion. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of British Columbia in English and Religious Studies.

The moon, and specifically the full-moon, has a significance in our religion. Our calendar relies on the cycles of the moon. It is a Prophetic tradition to fast the three “white days”, or the full-moon days of every month. There even is an authentically narrated Prophetic supplication to be said upon seeing the new crescent.

That night, I noticed three specific facets of the moon:

Beauty: I have not seen anything more beautiful than the full-moon on that night. I do not mean ‘beauty’ in the standard sort of way. It was a uniquely mesmerizing, captivating, and soothing beauty…A kind of beauty that leaves you speechless.

It was at that point that I understood why companion after companion compared the Prophet’s ﷺ  (peace be upon him) beauty to the full-moon.

Jabir radi Allahu `anhu (may God be pleased with him) was with the Messenger of God ﷺ  on a night of a full-moon. He had a moment of contemplation: which of these creations is more beautiful? So he looked to the full-moon, then he looked to the Prophet ﷺ , comparing them both. He said then and there, “I found that — for me — he was better than the moon.” ((Sealed Nectar, p. 318))

Ka‘b (ra) as well compared him to the moon. He (ra) said, “When he was pleased, his face would shine so bright that you would believe it was a piece of the moon.” ((Bukhari))

His grandson Hasan (ra) commented on his beauty by saying, “his blessed face shone like the full-moon.” ((Shama’il Tirmidhi))

His best friend Abu Bakr (ra) composed a few lines of poetry about him ﷺ : “He is faithful, chosen (by Allah), and calls to forgiveness. He shines like a full-moon when it is far from dark (clouds).” ((Sealed Nectar, p. 318))

On one occasion, Umar (ra) was so captivated by the beauty of our Prophet ﷺ , he spoke some lines of poetry by a famous Arab poet, Zuhair: “Were you other than a human being, you would be the brightness on the night of a full-moon.” ((Ibid.))

These Companions chose to compare the Prophet’s ﷺ countenance to the full-moon because it was the height of beauty as they knew it. When explaining these narrations, the scholars say that the Companions did not compare him ﷺ  to the sun because, despite the sun’s beauty, the intense heat makes it painful to stare at. The beauty of the sun is a beauty based on its power and energy. Yet the moon’s beauty is in its serenity and illumination. By using the moon, the Companions highlighted another facet of the Messenger’s beauty: looking at him was enjoyable and would bring one calmness. This is why Abdullah b. Salam, a Jew in Madinah, said: “When the Holy Prophet ﷺ  arrived in Madinah, the people lost no time in arriving in his presence. I was amongst the people who had arrived to see him. When I looked with thoughtfulness at the Holy Prophet’s ﷺ radiant face, I realized with certainty that this is no face of a liar.” ((Tirmidhi)) Abdullah (ra) accepted Islam right then and there as he recognized the light and truth of the Prophethood on his face (saws).

The Prophet’s ﷺ beauty was unlike anything we have seen in this life. In the next life, the believers will have a share of this type of beauty. Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) says,

“[Some] faces, that Day, will be radiant.” (Qur’an 75:22)

Radiance implies beauty, so their faces will not only be joyous and smiling, but beautiful and glowing. Some Believers will be blessed with having the brightest of faces. The Prophet ﷺ said, “A group of my Ummah (community) consisting of seventy thousand persons would enter Paradise; their faces would be as bright as the brightness of the full moon.” ((Muslim))

Unobstructed: The moon was crystal clear that night. Nothing, not even clouds, obstructed our view.

On such a similar night many years ago, the Prophet ﷺ looked to the clear, full-moon and told his friends around him, “Undoubtedly, you will see your Lord just as you see this moon and you will have no difficulty seeing Him.” ((Bukhari and Muslim))

The Prophet ﷺ used the moon again in another narration, “Do you crowd one another in order to see the moon on the night of a full moon? Do you crowd one another in order to see the sun?” They said: “No.” He said: “Of a surety, you shall see your Lord as you see the moon on the night of a full moon, you shall not crowd one another to see Him.” ((Tirmidhi))

The moon in the above narrations serves as a simile – you will see your Lord unobstructed just as you see the moon unobstructed. The Prophet ﷺ would draw comparisons and use imagery when teaching to make a clear point. The opportunity to see our Lord will be the greatest of gifts in the hereafter. This is why the Prophet ﷺ used to supplicate: My Lord, I ask You for the delight of gazing at Your Countenance and the eagerness of meeting You.

Illumination: the light radiating from the moon was unlike the rays of light from the sun. The full-moon gave off a light – so much so that we could see each other’s faces and read our books. The moon’s light was not like the intense brightness of the sun, rather it was like a glow. This distinction is captured in the Qur’an,

“Blessed is He who has placed in the sky great stars and placed therein a [burning] lamp and luminous moon.” (Qur’an 25:61)

Allah (swt) uses two descriptive words to highlight the inherent difference between these sources of light. He (swt) calls the sun siraj, or “lamp”, to draw a comparison. Just as a lamp needs fuel to burn bright, the sun is in need of fuel (hydrogen gas) to burn bright. “When any fuel is burned and reaches a certain level of heat, the flame becomes bright enough to produce a glowing light.” ((Waleed Ahmed Najmeddine, http://bit.ly/12xGJqR))

On the other hand, Allah (swt) describes the moon as muneer, meaning luminous and bright. Muneer, a derivative of the word “nur”, means a reflective light. The moon does not produce its own light, rather it reflects the light from another source: the sun. ((Ibid.))

Knowing the contrast between the meanings of siraj and muneer shows us how profound it is when Allah (swt) distinguishes the Prophet ﷺ by naming him with both words:

“O Prophet, indeed We have sent you as a witness and a bringer of good tidings and a warner. And one who invites to Allah, by His permission, and an illuminating lamp.” (Qur’an 33:45-46)

He is an illuminating lamp. The Messenger ﷺ is siraj muneer, combining qualities from both the sun and moon. While this description is an honor for the Prophet ﷺ , we also learn that light comes from Al-Nur, The Light. The Prophet ﷺ is a lamp who shines bright with the fuel provided by God. He is reflecting a light whose source is God. The Prophet ﷺ is not the source of the light, rather he is the lamp that spreads the light of guidance and truth from the Source:

Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light is like a niche within which is a lamp, the lamp is within glass, the glass as if it were a pearly [white] star lit from [the oil of] a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow even if untouched by fire. Light upon light. Allah guides to His light whom He wills. And Allah presents examples for the people, and Allah is Knowing of all things. (Qur’an 24:35)

This was it. That night, in the middle of desert miles, away from home, the culmination of my reflections in understanding the beauty of the moon was a sign of The Beauty of the Creator and Source of such a beauty—He who is The Light, The Most Beautiful, The Absolutely Pure, The Unique in Oneness, The Greatest.

The concept of spreading good cheer in Islam is, at times, neglected and/or forgotten.  Abu Dhar, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ  (peace be upon him) said, “Don’t underestimate any good deed, even meeting your brother with a cheerful face.” (Muslim).  Prophet Muhammad ﷺ also said, as narrated by Abu Dhar, may Allah be pleased with him, “Smiling in the face of your brother is charity.” (Tirmidhi).  So if smiling is charity, why are some of us so miserly?  Why don’t we see more people meeting others with a welcoming face?  This question has puzzled me for a long time.  I once asked a person who is “smile-challenged” about this phenomenon, and he simply shrugged.  After much contemplation and observation, I may have come to an understanding.

Once, a family member and I went to a restaurant.  After sitting at the table for some time, I was enjoying the simple experience and smiling while my dining partner was just straight-faced.  I asked what he was thinking, and he said he was analyzing how the waiter interacted differently with the people sitting at the next table than how he interacted with my dining partner.  I suggested that perhaps his own reserved facial expression prevented the waiter from engaging in a more amiable manner.  He couldn’t help but agree.  Two important points regarding smiling should be considered:

1. You reap what you sow.  The level of positive energy you exude through your facial expressions (not to mention your overall body language, tone of voice, etc.) often dictates the level of positive interaction you receive in return.  Anticipating positive interactions with others before they actually happen also helps to breed friendly experiences.
2. Your facial expressions reflect your inner feelings.  If you catch yourself spending your day with a frown, reflect on your thoughts.   What negative feelings are you harboring?  Consider reflecting on the positive side of each situation you encounter.  Once you modify your way of thinking, you will see a change in your facial expressions and may even find yourself smiling.

To put it quite simply, smiling creates a positive cycle of good feelings.  The act of exercising your facial muscles to smile helps to lighten your own mood, which reflects happiness on your face, which brings about a more positive response from others, which creates a deeper positive experience.  So, what if you are not inclined to smile?  Here are some tips:

1. Be conscious of the fact that you have a tendency to withhold your smiles and check yourself.
2. This may sound vain, but make a few mirror checks when you catch yourself frowning, or straight-faced.  Reflect upon the negative message you are sending.
3. Put on a smile, even if you are not in the greatest mood (especially when you are around your loved ones).
4. Make a conscious effort to watch others’ expressions and reactions when they see you with this lightened expression on your face.
5. Don’t think about the possibility of someone not returning a smile.  Someone else may be having a bad day, and may be completely oblivious to his surroundings.  The positive effect you have on one person can never be overestimated.
6. Reflect upon the fact that smiling is charity.  You are actually donating happiness to others when you flash your pearly whites.  And as is with all business in which we engage with Allah; when we give charity, we actually receive much more in return.  Aside from Allah’s reward, the reward of smiling is often returned with another smile, creating good cheer in a matter of seconds.

Making a conscious effort to smile at others is not only pleasing to Allah, but it helps to create a friendly atmosphere.  When you smile at your family and friends, you are letting them know you are happy with them and you love them.  And when you smile at someone you don’t know, you are offering a piece of happiness.  Spread good cheer, a little bit of effort goes a long way.