Discussion: The argument using the noble verse in Surat al-Nur, “And they shall not display their adornment except what appears thereof,” for the obligation of covering the face.
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The questioner : The noble verse in Surat al-Nur is [An-Nur 24:31] Then He said [An-Nur 24:31] to the end of it. And there is adornment, as you mentioned regarding your eminence, that the face and hands are exposed to all people. So what is the adornment that is for the mahrams other than the husband? There are three adornments: adornment
The Shaykh : Three adornments
The questioner : Yes, the adornment that is exposed, which is the face and hands
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : And an adornment that is exposed to the father and son
Another questioner: The mahrams, meaning
The questioner : And the husband’s son, and so on. And the awrah is specific to the husband
The Shaykh : Yes, but you said three adornments
The questioner : No, no, two adornments and the awrah
The Shaykh : Okay, two adornments did not go beyond what is known, meaning among all the scholars. Okay, and what is beyond that?
The questioner : Ah?
The Shaykh : What is beyond that?
The questioner : I am asking. I say, what is the distinction between them?
The Shaykh : The distinction between what and what?
The questioner : The distinction between the adornment, meaning what remains for the father and son, and...
The Shaykh : Inner adornment. The scholars of tafsir mentioned it, may Allah bless you. The adornment is two: inner and outer. So what remains for all the mahrams, and foremost among them the father, is the inner adornment, such as the head, neck, forearms, and the place of the anklet. This is the adornment that remained for the mahrams. And what did you think was contrary to this?
The questioner : I did not think it is not permissible; this is for the husband
The Shaykh : How? The verse says[An-Nur 24:31] What?
The questioner :
The Shaykh :[An-Nur 24:31] And then He said How did you restrict this regarding
The questioner : I also have an observation, O Shaykh, on something like this, and that is that these matters, these places, linguistically, it is not appropriate to call them adornment, because adornment is what beautifies something from outside it. And this is what al-Amin al-Shanqiti established, and he elaborated and cited many texts, most of which are from the Book of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), among them[Fussilat 41:12] So the lower heaven is not the adornment, but it was adorned with something outside of it. So he says, of the adornment, it is not correct to say that the face is adornment or the hand is adornment, but rather adornment is what beautifies the thing
The Shaykh : There is a consideration, because that necessitates the loss or difference between two adornments: the outer adornment and the inner adornment
not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof
ولا يبدين زينتهن إلا ما ظهر منهاexcept to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers
إلا لبعولتهن أو آبائهن أو آباء بعولتهنThe Shaykh : Three adornments
The questioner : Yes, the adornment that is exposed, which is the face and hands
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : And an adornment that is exposed to the father and son
Another questioner: The mahrams, meaning
The questioner : And the husband’s son, and so on. And the awrah is specific to the husband
The Shaykh : Yes, but you said three adornments
The questioner : No, no, two adornments and the awrah
The Shaykh : Okay, two adornments did not go beyond what is known, meaning among all the scholars. Okay, and what is beyond that?
The questioner : Ah?
The Shaykh : What is beyond that?
The questioner : I am asking. I say, what is the distinction between them?
The Shaykh : The distinction between what and what?
The questioner : The distinction between the adornment, meaning what remains for the father and son, and...
The Shaykh : Inner adornment. The scholars of tafsir mentioned it, may Allah bless you. The adornment is two: inner and outer. So what remains for all the mahrams, and foremost among them the father, is the inner adornment, such as the head, neck, forearms, and the place of the anklet. This is the adornment that remained for the mahrams. And what did you think was contrary to this?
The questioner : I did not think it is not permissible; this is for the husband
The Shaykh : How? The verse says
except to their husbands, their fathers
ولا يبدين زينتهن إلا لآبائهن أوThe questioner :
or their husbands
أو بعولتهنThe Shaykh :
And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, their brothers' sons, their sisters' sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.
ولا يبدين زينتهن إلا لبعولتهن أو آبائهن أو أبنائهنOr their women
أو نسائهنThe questioner : I also have an observation, O Shaykh, on something like this, and that is that these matters, these places, linguistically, it is not appropriate to call them adornment, because adornment is what beautifies something from outside it. And this is what al-Amin al-Shanqiti established, and he elaborated and cited many texts, most of which are from the Book of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), among them
And We adorned the nearest heaven with lamps
وزينا السماء الدنيا بمصابيحThe Shaykh : There is a consideration, because that necessitates the loss or difference between two adornments: the outer adornment and the inner adornment