Al-Hafiz said:

“There is nothing in what he mentioned to prove his claim that this was made obligatory upon them. After the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, they would perform Hajj and circumambulate the Ka‘bah, and the Companions and those after them would hear hadith from them while their bodies, but not their persons, were concealed. It has already been mentioned in ‘Hajj’ that Ibn Jurayj asked ‘Ata’, when he told him of Aishah’s circumambulation: ‘Was this before the veil or after it?’ He replied: ‘I experienced this after the veil had been prescribed.’”

Elsewhere, after briefly mentioning the aforementioned claim, he said (9/337):

“In short, the refutation of his statement lies in the many reports that they would perform Hajj and circumambulate the Ka‘bah, and would go out to the mosques during the lifetime of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and after him.”

I say: The point of al-Hafiz’s statement, “There is nothing in what he mentioned to prove …,” and so on, is that it was merely an action, which does not establish the alleged obligation. This is assuming that Qadi ‘Iyad’s attribution to al-Muwatta’ is correct, for despite further searching, I have not found this in the version of al-Muwatta’ known today, transmitted by Yahya al-Laythi. And Allah knows best.

Perhaps among the proofs supporting what al-Hafiz—may Allah have mercy on him—said is Anas’s hadith concerning the occasion on which the verse of veiling was revealed, to which reference has already been made. It has been narrated from him through several chains, in both shorter and longer wordings. I shall cite one version from Sahih al-Bukhari (4792), together with important additions from other sources that suit the present discussion. He—may Allah be pleased with him—said:

“I am the most knowledgeable of people concerning this verse—the verse of veiling. When Zaynab was given in marriage to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, she was with him in the house. He prepared food and invited the people, and they sat conversing, [while the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was seated, and his wife had turned her face toward the wall], [and she had been granted beauty]. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, began to go out and then return, while they remained seated and conversing. Then Allah Most High revealed: ‘O you…’