And this ḥadīth indicates that a woman is obliged to cover her feet, a ruling adopted by al-Shāfiʿī and others.
Know, moreover, that in this matter there is no distinction between a free woman and a bondwoman, for no evidence exists to justify such a differentiation. True, a few reports do draw a line between them, but their chains of transmission are weak and cannot be used as proof; al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar has exposed their weakness in al-Talkhīṣ, and whoever wishes may consult his discussion.
How apt are the words of Ibn Ḥazm, may Allah have mercy on him:
“As for differentiating between the free woman and the bondwoman, the religion of Allah is one, and their creation and natural constitution are the same. Everything that applies to free women applies likewise to slave women until a text establishes a distinction between them in some specific matter, at which point we comply with that text.”
He also said:
“No two Muslims have ever disagreed that fornication with a free woman is as forbidden as fornication with a bondwoman; that the prescribed penalty for the man who fornicates with a free woman is identical to the penalty for the one who fornicates with a bondwoman—there is no difference; and that molesting a free woman is as unlawful as molesting a bondwoman—again, with no difference. For this reason, and matters like it, it is essential that no one’s statement after the Messenger of Allah ﷺ be accepted unless he traces it back to him.”
9 – Purity of the body, garment, and place for prayer
1 – It is obligatory to cleanse the body of every impurity, for the Prophet ﷺ said, “Most of the punishment of the grave is due to urine, so keep yourselves safe from urine,” and he said, “When menstruation begins, leave off the prayer; and when it ends, wash the blood from yourself and pray.”
The first ḥadīth is classified as sound (ḥasan), as al-Nawawī declared in al-Majmūʿ. It is reported from Ibn ʿAbbās by al-Dāraquṭnī, who said: