Surah An Nur ayat 59 Tafsir Quran 24:59

﴿وَإِذَا بَلَغَ الْأَطْفَالُ مِنكُمُ الْحُلُمَ فَلْيَسْتَأْذِنُوا كَمَا اسْتَأْذَنَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ آيَاتِهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ﴾
[ النور: 59]

24:59 And when the children among you reach puberty, let them ask permission [at all times] as those before them have done. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses; and Allah is Knowing and Wise.

And when the children among you O free men reach puberty let them seek permission at all times just as those now older free men sought permission before them. So God clarifies His signs for you and God is Knower Wise.

And when your children come of age or reach the age of discretion they must ask permission before they enter homes that are not their own and before they enter rooms where you are sitting and admitting of relaxation in discipline or sleeping, just as those who preceded them behaved. Thus does Allah distinctly express to you His revelations guiding you to the proper way of life relative to moral conduct. Allah is Alimun and Hakimun

The Times when Servants and Young Children should seek Permission to enter These Ayat include a discussion of how people who are closely related should seek permission to enter upon one another.
What was mentioned earlier in the Surah had to do with how unrelated people should seek permission to enter upon one another.
Allah commanded the believers to ensure that their servants and their children who have not yet reached puberty should seek permission at three times: the first is before the Fajr prayer, because people are asleep in their beds at that time. وَحِينَ تَضَعُونَ ثِيَـبَكُمْ مِّنَ الظَّهِيرَةِ ( and while you put off your clothes during the afternoon, ) means, at the time of rest, because a man may be in a state of undress with his wife at that time. وَمِن بَعْدِ صَلَوةِ الْعِشَآءِ ( and after the `Isha' prayer. ) because this is the time for sleep.
Servants and children are commanded not to enter upon household members at these times, because it is feared that a man may be in an intimate situation with his wife and so on.
Allah says: ثَلاَثُ عَوْرَاتٍ لَّكُمْ لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَلاَ عَلَيْهِمْ جُنَاحٌ بَعْدَهُنَّ ( (These ) three ( times ) are of privacy for you; other than these times there is no sin on you or on them) If they enter at a time other than these, there is no sin on you if you let them enter, and no sin on them if they see something at a time other than these times.
They have been given permission to enter suddenly, because they are those who go around in the house, i.e., to serve you etc., and as such they may be forgiven for things that others will not be forgiven.
Although this Ayah is quite clear and has not been abrogated, people hardly follow it, and `Abdullah bin `Abbas denounced the people for that.
Abu Dawud recorded that Ibn `Abbas said: "Most of the people do not follow it, the Ayah that speaks about asking permission, but I tell my servant woman to seek permission to enter." Abu Dawud said: `Ata' also narrated that Ibn `Abbas commanded this.
Ath-Thawri narrated that Musa bin Abi `A'ishah said, "I asked Ash-Sha`bi about the Ayah: لِيَسْتَأْذِنكُمُ الَّذِينَ مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـنُكُمْ ( Let your slaves and slave-girls ask your permission. ) He said, `It has not been abrogated.' I said: `But the people do not do that.' He said, `May Allah help them."' Then Allah says: وَإِذَا بَلَغَ الاٌّطْفَالُ مِنكُمُ الْحُلُمَ فَلْيَسْتَأْذِنُواْ كَمَا اسْتَأْذَنَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ( And when the children among you come to puberty, then let them (also ) ask for permission, as those senior to them ( in age )) meaning: when the children who used to seek permission at the three times of privacy reach puberty, then they have to seek permission at all times, i.e., with regard to those who are non-relatives, and at times when a man may be in a state of intimacy with his wife, even if it is not one of the three times stated above. There is no Sin on Elderly Women if They do not wear a Cloak وَالْقَوَاعِدُ مِنَ النِّسَآءِ ( And the Qawa`id among women. ) Sa`id bin Jubayr, Muqatil bin Hayyan, Ad-Dahhak and Qatadah said that these are the women who no longer think that they can bear children, الَّلَـتِى لاَ يَرْجُونَ نِكَاحاً ( who do not hope for marriage, ) meaning, they no longer have any desire for marriage, فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِنَّ جُنَاحٌ أَن يَضَعْنَ ثِيَابَهُنَّ غَيْرَ مُتَبَرِّجَـتِ بِزِينَةٍ ( it is no sin on them if they discard their (outer ) clothing in such a way as not to show their adornment.) meaning, they do not have to cover themselves in the same way that other women have to.
Abu Dawud recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that the Ayah: وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَـتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَـرِهِنَّ ( And tell the believing women to lower their gaze ) 24:31 was abrogated and an exception was made in the case of: وَالْقَوَاعِدُ مِنَ النِّسَآءِ الَّلَـتِى لاَ يَرْجُونَ نِكَاحاً ( the past childbearing among women who do not hope for marriage, . ) فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِنَّ جُنَاحٌ أَن يَضَعْنَ ثِيَابَهُنَّ ( it is no sin on them if they discard their (outer ) clothing) Ibn Mas`ud said about ( outer ) clothing,, "The Jilbab or Rida'." A similar view was also narrated from Ibn `Abbas, Ibn `Umar, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Abu Ash-Sha`tha', Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Az-Zuhri, Al-`Awza`i and others. غَيْرَ مُتَبَرِّجَـتِ بِزِينَةٍ ( in such a way as not to show their adornment. ) Sa`id bin Jubayr said, "They should not make a wanton display of themselves by removing their outer garment so that their adornment may be seen." وَأَن يَسْتَعْفِفْنَ خَيْرٌ لَّهُنَّ ( But to refrain is better for them. ) means, not removing their outer garment, even though that is permissible for them, is better for them. وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ( And Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower. )

(24:59) And when your children have grown sex conscious, *91 they should receive your permission for this just as their elders get permission. In this way Allah makes His Revelations plain to you for He is All-Knowing, AllWise.

And when the children among you reach meaning

*91) That is, when they have reached the age of puberty.
As has been explained in E.N.
87 above, the signs of puberty in the case of boys and girls are nocturnal emission and menstrual discharge respectively.
There is, however, a difference of opinion among the jurists regarding the beginning of puberty in those boys and girls who for some reason do not show these physical signs for an unduly long time.
According to Imam Shafi`i, Imam Abu Yusuf, Imam Muhammad and Imam Ahmad, a boy or a girl of IS years will be considered to have attained puberty, and a saying of Imam Abu Hanifah also supports this view.
But the wellknown view of Imam Abu Hanifah is that in such cases the age of puberty will be 17 years for girls and 18 years for boys.
Both these opinions are the result of juristic reasoning and neither is based on any injunction of the Qur'an or Sunnah.
It is therefore not necessary that the age limits of 15 or 18 years be accepted as marking the beginning of puberty everywhere in the world in abnormal cases.
In different countries and ages there are different conditions of physical development and growth.
The age of puberty in a certain country can be determined by means of the law of averages in normal cases.
As for abnormal cases, the mean difference of ages may be added to the upper age limit to determine the age of puberty.
For instance, if in a country, the minimum and maximum ages for noctural discharge are normally 12 and 15 years respectively, the mean difference of one and a half years may be added to the maximum limit of 15 years to determine the beginning of puberty for abnormal cases.
The same principle can be used by the legal experts of various countries to fix the age of puberty keeping in view their peculiar local conditions.

There is a tradition quoted from Ibn `Umar in support of the age of 15 years for puberty.
He says: " I was 14, when I presented myself before the Holy Prophet to ask his permission to join the Battle of Uhud, but he declined permission.
Then on the occasion of the Battle of the Trench, when I was 15, I was again presented and he permitted me to join. " ( Sihah Sitta, Musnad Ahmad ).
This tradition, however, does not stand scrutiny for the following two reasons:
( a ) The Battle of Uhud took place in Shawwal, 3 A.H., and the Battle of the Trench in Shawwal, 5 A.H.
according to Ibn Ishaq, and in Zil-Qa`d, 5 A.H.
according to Ibn Sa`d.
There is an interval of two years or more between the two events.
Now if Ibn `Umar was 14 at the time of the Battle of Uhud, he could not be 15 at the time of the Battle of the Trench.
It thay be that he mentioned 14 years for 13 years and 11 months and 15 years for 15 years and 11 months.

( b ) It is a different thing to be regarded as an adult for the purposes of war and quite different to be legally adult for social affairs.
They are not necessarily interconnected.
Therefor the correct view is that the age of 15 for an abnormal boy has been fixed on the basis of analogous and juristic reasoning and not on the basis of anything in the Qur'an or Sunnah.

 

The Times when Servants and Young Children should seek Permission to enter These Ayat include a discussion of how people who are closely related should seek permission to enter upon one another.
What was mentioned earlier in the Surah had to do with how unrelated people should seek permission to enter upon one another.
Allah commanded the believers to ensure that their servants and their children who have not yet reached puberty should seek permission at three times: the first is before the Fajr prayer, because people are asleep in their beds at that time. وَحِينَ تَضَعُونَ ثِيَـبَكُمْ مِّنَ الظَّهِيرَةِ ( and while you put off your clothes during the afternoon, ) means, at the time of rest, because a man may be in a state of undress with his wife at that time. وَمِن بَعْدِ صَلَوةِ الْعِشَآءِ ( and after the `Isha' prayer. ) because this is the time for sleep.
Servants and children are commanded not to enter upon household members at these times, because it is feared that a man may be in an intimate situation with his wife and so on.
Allah says: ثَلاَثُ عَوْرَاتٍ لَّكُمْ لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَلاَ عَلَيْهِمْ جُنَاحٌ بَعْدَهُنَّ ( (These ) three ( times ) are of privacy for you; other than these times there is no sin on you or on them) If they enter at a time other than these, there is no sin on you if you let them enter, and no sin on them if they see something at a time other than these times.
They have been given permission to enter suddenly, because they are those who go around in the house, i.e., to serve you etc., and as such they may be forgiven for things that others will not be forgiven.
Although this Ayah is quite clear and has not been abrogated, people hardly follow it, and `Abdullah bin `Abbas denounced the people for that.
Abu Dawud recorded that Ibn `Abbas said: "Most of the people do not follow it, the Ayah that speaks about asking permission, but I tell my servant woman to seek permission to enter." Abu Dawud said: `Ata' also narrated that Ibn `Abbas commanded this.
Ath-Thawri narrated that Musa bin Abi `A'ishah said, "I asked Ash-Sha`bi about the Ayah: لِيَسْتَأْذِنكُمُ الَّذِينَ مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـنُكُمْ ( Let your slaves and slave-girls ask your permission. ) He said, `It has not been abrogated.' I said: `But the people do not do that.' He said, `May Allah help them."' Then Allah says: وَإِذَا بَلَغَ الاٌّطْفَالُ مِنكُمُ الْحُلُمَ فَلْيَسْتَأْذِنُواْ كَمَا اسْتَأْذَنَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ( And when the children among you come to puberty, then let them (also ) ask for permission, as those senior to them ( in age )) meaning: when the children who used to seek permission at the three times of privacy reach puberty, then they have to seek permission at all times, i.e., with regard to those who are non-relatives, and at times when a man may be in a state of intimacy with his wife, even if it is not one of the three times stated above. There is no Sin on Elderly Women if They do not wear a Cloak وَالْقَوَاعِدُ مِنَ النِّسَآءِ ( And the Qawa`id among women. ) Sa`id bin Jubayr, Muqatil bin Hayyan, Ad-Dahhak and Qatadah said that these are the women who no longer think that they can bear children, الَّلَـتِى لاَ يَرْجُونَ نِكَاحاً ( who do not hope for marriage, ) meaning, they no longer have any desire for marriage, فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِنَّ جُنَاحٌ أَن يَضَعْنَ ثِيَابَهُنَّ غَيْرَ مُتَبَرِّجَـتِ بِزِينَةٍ ( it is no sin on them if they discard their (outer ) clothing in such a way as not to show their adornment.) meaning, they do not have to cover themselves in the same way that other women have to.
Abu Dawud recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that the Ayah: وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَـتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَـرِهِنَّ ( And tell the believing women to lower their gaze ) 24:31 was abrogated and an exception was made in the case of: وَالْقَوَاعِدُ مِنَ النِّسَآءِ الَّلَـتِى لاَ يَرْجُونَ نِكَاحاً ( the past childbearing among women who do not hope for marriage, . ) فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِنَّ جُنَاحٌ أَن يَضَعْنَ ثِيَابَهُنَّ ( it is no sin on them if they discard their (outer ) clothing) Ibn Mas`ud said about ( outer ) clothing,, "The Jilbab or Rida'." A similar view was also narrated from Ibn `Abbas, Ibn `Umar, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Abu Ash-Sha`tha', Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Az-Zuhri, Al-`Awza`i and others. غَيْرَ مُتَبَرِّجَـتِ بِزِينَةٍ ( in such a way as not to show their adornment. ) Sa`id bin Jubayr said, "They should not make a wanton display of themselves by removing their outer garment so that their adornment may be seen." وَأَن يَسْتَعْفِفْنَ خَيْرٌ لَّهُنَّ ( But to refrain is better for them. ) means, not removing their outer garment, even though that is permissible for them, is better for them. وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ( And Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower. )

Allah then mentioned only older children and slaves, saying: ( And when the children among you come to puberty ) whether they are your own children or your slaves ( then let them ask leave ) at all times ( even as those before them ) of their brothers who were mentioned before ( used to ask it. Thus Allah maketh clear His revelations ) His commands and prohibitions as He explained this ( for you. Allah is knower ) He knows what is good for you, ( Wise ) He decreed that older people must ask permission at all times.

And when the children among you come to puberty, then let them (also) ask for permission, as those senior to them (in age). Thus Allah makes clear His Ayat (Commandments and legal obligations) for you. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

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