cover it while at rest as well. These outward indicators and this line of reasoning are borne out by the Almighty’s words: “and let them not display their adornment except what ordinarily appears thereof.” The sense of the verse is that they are not to expose their adornment in its very places to anyone, save for that which, by common custom, shows during ordinary activity. Whatever happens to appear or be seen without the intention of wanton display or the provoking of temptation incurs no blame.

He then said (fol. 21/2):

“The meaning we have assigned to the verse—that what naturally shows is the face and the two hands—is further supported by His immediately connected words: ‘and let them draw their head-coverings over their bosoms.’ From this it is understood that an earring may, when the face is uncovered, go unnoticed and thus become visible; therefore they were commanded to pull the khimār (head-covering) over the bosom so that nothing of that would appear except the face, which ordinarily shows during daily dealings unless one deliberately covers it, which entails some hardship— the same applies to the two hands. The exegetes have reported that the occasion of revelation was that, at the time the verse was sent down, when women covered their heads with the khimār they would let it hang behind them as the Nabataeans did, leaving the throats and necks exposed. Allah therefore commanded them to draw the khimār over the bosom to conceal all of that, and the women of the Muhājirūn (Emigrants) and the Anṣār (Helpers) complied so scrupulously that they even increased the thickness of their head-coverings.”

He then cited the forthcoming ḥadīth of ʿĀʾishah (p. 78) but through the narration of Abū Dāwūd with the wording: “They tore the edges— Ibn Ṣāliḥ said: the thicker parts—of their mantles and used them to veil themselves.” He remarked: “This isnād is ḥasan (sound).”