Surah Ahzab ayat 55 Tafsir Quran 33:55

﴿لَّا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِنَّ فِي آبَائِهِنَّ وَلَا أَبْنَائِهِنَّ وَلَا إِخْوَانِهِنَّ وَلَا أَبْنَاءِ إِخْوَانِهِنَّ وَلَا أَبْنَاءِ أَخَوَاتِهِنَّ وَلَا نِسَائِهِنَّ وَلَا مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُنَّ ۗ وَاتَّقِينَ اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدًا﴾
[ الأحزاب: 55]

33:55 There is no blame upon 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. And fear Allah. Indeed Allah is ever, over all things, Witness.

They the Prophet’s wives would not be at fault with regard to socialising with their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their brothers’ sons or their sisters’ sons or their own believing women or what their right hands own of slavegirls or male servants in seeing them or conversing with them without a screen. And fear O women God in what you have been commanded. Surely God is Witness to all things with nothing being hidden from Him.

Your wives O Muhammad incur no blame nor do they stand at the mark of criticism for discoursing and appearing before their fathers or before their sons, before their brothers or their brothers sons, before their sisters sons or before their women or before those who serve them of those they have on hand. As for you O wives of the Prophet: you actuate yourselves with the mixed feeling of dread and reverence toward Allah and entertain the profound reverence dutiful to Him and bear in mind that He is ever a witness to all things

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 أَيْمَـنُهُنَّ أَوِ التَّـبِعِينَ 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.

(33:55) It will not be blameworthy for the wives of the Prophet if their fathers, their sons, their brothers, their brothers' sons, their sisters' sons, *102 and the women with whom they have social relations, *103 and the persons whom their right hands possess enter their houses. *104 (O women), shun disobeying Allah. Allah is watchful over everything. *105

There is no blame upon women concerning meaning

*102) For explanation, see E.N.'s 38 to 42 of Surah An-Nur.
'Allama Alusi's commentary in this connection is also noteworthy.
He says, " Brothers and sons of brothers and sisters include aII those relatives who are unlawful for a woman, whether they are blood relations or foster relations.
This list does not mention the paternal and maternal uncles because they are like the parents to the woman, or perhaps they have been left out because there was no need to mention them after mentioning their sons, For the reason for not observing purdah from the brother's son and sister's son is the same as of not observing it from the paternal and maternal uncles. " ( Ruh al-Ma ani. )
*103) For explanation, see E.
N.
43 of An-Nur.

*104) For explanation, see E.
N.
44 of An-Nur.

*105) It means this: After the coming down of this absolute Command no person outside the circle of the relatives, who have been made an exception, should be allowed to enter the houses without purdah being observed from them, " Another meaning is: "The woman should never adopt the attitude that they should observe purdah when the husband is present, but should appear without purdah before the other men, when he is away.
Such a conduct may remain hidden from the husband but not from Allah.

 

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 أَيْمَـنُهُنَّ أَوِ التَّـبِعِينَ 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.

( It is no sin for them ) the wives of the Prophet ( pbuh ) as well as the wives of the believers ( with their fathers ) that their fathers should enter in on them or converse with them, ( or their sons: or their brothers, or their brothers sons, or the sons of their sisters ) from the father’s side or the mother’s side ( or of their own women ) the women who belong to their own religion; for it is unlawful for a Muslim woman to strip herself of her clothes in front of Jewish, Christian or Magian women, ( or their slaves ) i.e. women slaves, not male slaves. ( O women! Keep your duty to Allah ) fear Allah about all these in relation to their entering in on you and their conversation with you. ( Lo! Allah is Witness over all things ) relating to your works.

It is no sin on them (the Prophet's wives, if they appear unveiled) before their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their brother's sons, or the sons of their sisters, or their own (believing) women, or their (female) slaves, and keep your duty to Allah. Verily, Allah is Ever AllWitness over everything.

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