- The report also proves that women are obliged to veil themselves from men who are not their maḥram relatives. Although the Qur’an gives a clear command to that effect, its practical observance was difficult at the dawn of Islam, so the women continued upon the pre-Islamic custom until the ruling was laid down in the fifth year after the Hijrah. The same is true of every element of the Sacred Law: people were not burdened with all of it at once or even within a single year. Rather, the All-Wise Lawgiver revealed it gradually, leading His servants step by step so the duty would be light and they could carry it out. Allah is Wise in His legislation, All-Knowing of the circumstances of His creation.
The slogans chanted by the advocates of unveiling—people with no share of knowledge, no sound thought, and no restraining conscience—rest on neither authentic textual proof nor lucid reason nor upright moral taste. They never pause to reflect on the evils and grave consequences it unleashes.
Unveiling is the first doorway to corruption. It causes free intermingling of the sexes, which has loosed calamities, violated honour, ruined homes, broken up families, and bred betrayals.
Those few who have declared it permissible rely on no evidence whatsoever; and if they could see what society has descended to, and what has befallen the lands that slipped step by step into evil by permitting it, they would long to return to their graves.
“So let those who oppose his command beware, lest a trial befall them or a painful punishment overtake them” (Q 24:63). We belong to Allah and to Him we return.
O Allah, grant Your servants insight into their religion and bring them back to the fold of Your obedience. You are the Hearer of supplication.
Hadith Four
ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ once came in while a man was with me. He asked, “ʿĀʾishah, who is this?” I replied, “He is my brother through suckling.” He said, “ʿĀʾishah, make sure you know who your brothers are, for suckling establishes kinship only when it takes place during hunger.”
Overall meaning:
The Prophet ﷺ entered upon ʿĀʾishah and found with her a milk-brother he did not know. His blessed face changed, disapproving of the situation out of protective jealousy for his family. Realising the reason, she explained that the visitor was her brother through suckling. He then said, “ʿĀʾishah, verify your suckling relationships, for not every instance creates the prohibition of marriage. The suckling that counts is the one that nourishes the flesh and strengthens the bones—namely, that which occurs during infancy when the child is hungry and depends entirely on milk. At that point the infant becomes almost a part of the wet-nurse, like one of her own children, and the prohibition is firmly established.”