the Most High says: “except that which is apparent of it” (24:31), meaning the face and the hands; that is, only what normally shows with the Lawgiver’s permission and command. In this light, the objection I had earlier raised against the interpretations of Ibn Jarīr and al-Qurṭubī falls away; please review it, for it is extremely important. There I point out that the merit of first noticing this nuance belongs to the ḥadith scholar Ibn al-Qaṭṭān al-Fāsī in his book Jamʿ an-Naẓar fī Aḥkām an-Naẓar—a blessing that comes from persevering in research and seeking knowledge so as to reach the truth in disputed matters.

There is also an added section entitled “An Important Benefit” (pages 117–144) dealing with the serious danger of employing non-Muslim maids in Muslim homes.

Another addition (pages 121–123) discusses certain colours of women’s clothing that some sisters imagine to be adornment when they are not, together with the supporting evidence.

Besides these, the reader will encounter many brief yet documented additions scattered throughout the book wherever the demands of careful scholarship required them.

Furthermore, several passages that appeared only in the footnotes of previous editions have been moved into the main text in this edition because of their significance and the need to highlight them—such as the material on pages 74–79 under the heading “Refuting the Claim that All These Proofs Pre-Date the Obligation of Hijab,” along with other dispersed paragraphs that have likewise been elevated from the margin whenever we deemed it beneficial.

Moreover, I began—some time ago, nearly two years in fact—writing a preface for this new edition, during which I was compelled to