His saying, Most High, “and not display their adornment,” means that they must not reveal their adornment before a non-mahram man—that is, a man outside their unmarriageable kin. What is meant here is hidden adornment. Adornment is of two kinds: hidden and visible. Hidden adornment includes anklets, henna on the feet, bracelets on the wrists, earrings, and necklaces. It is not permissible for a woman to display these, nor for an unrelated man to look at them. What is meant by adornment is the parts of the body upon which it is worn.

His saying, Most High, “except what ordinarily appears thereof,” refers to visible adornment. The scholars differed concerning this visible adornment which Allah, Most High, exempted. Sa'id ibn Jubayr, al-Dahhak, and al-Awza'i said: it is the face and the hands. Ibn Mas'ud said: it is the clothing, as indicated by His saying, Most High, “Take your adornment at every place of prayer” (al-A'raf, 7:31), by which He meant clothing. Al-Hasan said: the face and the clothing. Ibn Abbas said: kohl, a ring, and henna on the hand.

Whatever constitutes visible adornment may be looked at by an unrelated man, provided that there is no fear of temptation or desire. If he fears either of these, he must lower his gaze. A woman has only been permitted to reveal this extent of her body because it is not among the parts required to be covered, and she is commanded to leave it uncovered during prayer. The rest of her body must be covered.

His saying, Most High, “Let them draw their head-coverings over their bosoms,” means: let them cast their veils over the openings of their garments and their breasts, [thereby covering their hair, breasts, necks, and earrings]. (1) Aishah said, 39/a: “May Allah have mercy on the first emigrant women. When Allah, Most High, revealed, ‘Let them draw their head-coverings over their bosoms,’ they tore their outer wraps and used them as head-coverings.” (2)

“And not display their adornment,” meaning the hidden adornment which they have not been permitted to uncover in prayer or before unrelated men—namely, everything apart from the face and hands—“except to their husbands.” Ibn Abbas and Muqatil said: this means that they should not remove the outer garment or the head-covering except before their husbands, that is, their spouses. “Or their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, or their brothers”: these people may look at hidden adornment, but they may not look at what lies between the navel and the knee. A husband may look at all of his wife’s body, though it is disliked for him to look at her private parts.