Ibn al-‘Arabi went too far in The Rulings of the Quran (3/1574–1575), explicitly declaring al-Zuhri’s narration to be weak.

As for al-Hafiz, he reconciled the two narrations by understanding Ibn Shihab’s narration to mean that ‘Umar initially wanted their faces to be covered. Then, when the command came down in accordance with what he had wanted, he wished, as an added measure of concealment, that their persons also be screened from view. But this was not granted because of necessity—that is, as stated in Hisham’s narration. He then said:

“Accordingly, they observed concealment in different ways when relieving themselves:

First, by means of darkness, for they would go out at night rather than during the day, as Aishah said in al-Zuhri’s hadith: ‘They would go out at night.’ It will also appear in Aishah’s hadith concerning ‘the story of the slander’: ‘Umm Mistah and I went out toward al-Manasi‘, which was where we relieved ourselves, and we would go out only at night, night after night.’

Then the veil was prescribed, and they covered themselves with clothing; yet their figures could sometimes still be recognized. This is why ‘Umar said to Sawdah on the second occasion, after the veil had been prescribed: ‘By Allah, you cannot conceal yourselves from us.’

Then private enclosures were made in the houses, and they concealed themselves within them, as is also mentioned in Aishah’s hadith concerning ‘the story of the slander,’ which states: ‘That was before private enclosures had been made.’ The story of the slander took place after the verse of veiling had been revealed.”

I say: In al-Hafiz’s statement concerning ‘Umar—“But this was not granted because of necessity”—there is a refutation of those, past and present, who claim that it was prohibited for the Mothers of the Believers to let their persons be seen, even if they were wearing face veils and fully wrapped in garments. Al-Hafiz attributed this claim to Qadi ‘Iyad and said (8/530–531):

“Then he cited as evidence what is found in al-Muwatta: when ‘Umar died, the women screened Hafsah so that her person would not be seen; and Zaynab bint Jahsh had a canopy placed over her bier to conceal her person.”