Hadith on Hijab: Modest woman only reveal face, hands

Aisha reported: Asma’ bint Abi Bakr entered the house of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, while she was wearing a thin garment and she showed it to him. The Prophet said, “O Asma, when a woman reaches the age of maturity, it is not proper for her to show anything but this and this,” and the Prophet pointed to his face and hands.

Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4104

Grade: Hasan li ghayri (fair due to external evidence) according to Al-Arna’ut

Imam Ibn Kathir commented, “Ibn Abbas and his followers possibly intended by the explanation of the verse, “Except for what is apparent,” (24:31) to mean the face and hands, as this is the well-known opinion among the majority, and it is compatible with the tradition narrated by Abu Dawud in his Sunan.”

Source: Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr 24:31

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ أَنَّ أَسْمَاءَ بِنْتَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ دَخَلَتْ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَعَلَيْهَا ثِيَابٌ رِقَاقٌ فَأَعْرَضَ عَنْهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَقَالَ يَا أَسْمَاءُ إِنَّ الْمَرْأَةَ إِذَا بَلَغَتْ الْمَحِيضَ لَمْ تَصْلُحْ أَنْ يُرَى مِنْهَا إِلَّا هَذَا وَهَذَا وَأَشَارَ إِلَى وَجْهِهِ وَكَفَّيْهِ

4104 سنن أبي داود كتاب اللباس باب فيما تبدي المرأة من زينتها

6/199 المحدث شعيب الأرناؤوط خلاصة حكم المحدث حسن لغيره في تخريج سنن أبي داود

قَال ابْنُ كَثِيرٍ وَيُحْتَمَلُ أَنَّ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ وَمَنْ تَابَعَهُ أَرَادُوا تَفْسِيرَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا بِالْوَجْهِ وَالْكَفَّيْنِ وَهَذَا هُوَ الْمَشْهُورُ عِنْدَ الْجُمْهُورِ وَيُسْتَأْنَسُ لَهُ بِالْحَدِيثِ الَّذِي رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ فِي سُنَنِهِ

تفسير القرآن العظيم تفسير سورة النور 6/42

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Abu Amina Elias
Abu Amina Elias (Justin Parrott) is an academic librarian, researcher, and translator specializing in the Quran, Hadith, and their commentaries. He is a former instructor of Islamic Creed for Mishkah University.
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