Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (574)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

“As for elderly women who have no expectation of marriage, there is no blame upon them if they lay aside their outer garments without displaying their adornment. Yet to preserve their chastity is better for them. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.”

“The elderly women” means those who no longer seek sexual enjoyment or experience desire. “Who have no expectation of marriage” means that they neither hope to marry nor are sought in marriage. This is because a woman may be elderly and no longer desired, or unattractive in appearance and neither desires nor is desired (1). “There is no blame upon them”—that is, no fault or sin—“if they lay aside their outer garments,” meaning such garments as the veil and the like, concerning which Allah said to women: “Let them draw their veils over their bosoms.” Such women, ⦗575⦘ may uncover their faces because there is no fear of temptation either from them or for them.

Since absolving them of blame for laying aside these garments might be understood to mean that this concession applies without restriction, Allah precluded that misunderstanding with the qualification: “without displaying their adornment.” That is, they must not display any adornment before people, such as beautifying themselves with conspicuous outer clothing even while their faces are covered, or striking the ground with their feet so that their concealed adornment becomes known. Mere adornment upon a woman—even if she is covered and even if she is not desired—may make her a source of temptation and place those who look at her in a sinful predicament. “Yet to preserve their chastity is better for them.”

Preserving one’s chastity means seeking chastity by adopting the means conducive to it, such as marriage and refraining from whatever is feared to lead to temptation. “Allah is All-Hearing” of every voice and “All-Knowing” of intentions and aims. They should therefore beware of every corrupt statement and intention, and they should know that Allah will requite them for it.

(1) This is how it appears in both manuscripts. The wording may have been transposed; the more likely reading is: “an elderly woman who neither desires nor is desired, or a woman unattractive in appearance who is not desired.”

﴿٦٠﴾ ﴿وَالْقَوَاعِدُ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ اللاتِي لا يَرْجُونَ نِكَاحًا فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِنَّ جُنَاحٌ أَنْ يَضَعْنَ ثِيَابَهُنَّ غَيْرَ مُتَبَرِّجَاتٍ بِزِينَةٍ وَأَنْ يَسْتَعْفِفْنَ خَيْرٌ لَهُنَّ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ﴾ . وَالْقَوَاعِدُ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ أي: اللاتي قعدن عن الاستمتاع والشهوة ﴿اللاتِي لا يَرْجُونَ نِكَاحًا﴾ أي: لا يطمعن في النكاح، ولا يطمع فيهن، وذلك لكونها عجوزا لا تشتهى، أو دميمة الخلقة لا تشتهي ولا تشتهى (١) ﴿فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِنَّ جُنَاحٌ﴾ أي: حرج وإثم ﴿أَنْ يَضَعْنَ ثِيَابَهُنَّ﴾ أي: الثياب الظاهرة، كالخمار ونحوه، الذي قال الله فيه للنساء: ﴿وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَى جُيُوبِهِنَّ﴾ فهؤلاء، ⦗٥٧٥⦘ يجوز لهن أن يكشفن وجوههن لآمن المحذور منها وعليها، ولما كان نفي الحرج عنهن في وضع الثياب، ربما توهم منه جواز استعمالها لكل شيء، دفع هذا الاحتراز بقوله: ﴿غَيْرَ مُتَبَرِّجَاتٍ بِزِينَةٍ﴾ أي: غير مظهرات للناس زينة، من تجمل بثياب ظاهرة، وتستر وجهها، ومن ضرب الأرض برجلها، ليعلم ما تخفي من زينتها، لأن مجرد الزينة على الأنثى، ولو مع تسترها، ولو كانت لا تشتهى يفتن فيها، ويوقع الناظر إليها في الحرج ﴿وَأَنْ يَسْتَعْفِفْنَ خَيْرٌ لَهُنَّ﴾ . والاستعفاف: طلب العفة، بفعل الأسباب المقتضية لذلك، من تزوج وترك لما يخشى منه الفتنة، ﴿وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ﴾ لجميع الأصوات ﴿عَلِيمٌ﴾ بالنيات والمقاصد، فليحذرن من كل قول وقصد فاسد، وليعلمن أن الله يجازي على ذلك.

(١) كذا في النسختين، ولعل في الكلام قلبا فالأقرب أن يقال: (عجوزا لا تشتهي ولا تشتهى، أو دميمة الخلقة لا تشتهى) .