Degrees of Purdah

The degrees of Purdah: THE FIRST DEGREE:

Islam has given guidelines for women to be followed when she is in her house and when she leaves her house. The first degree of Purdah is Purdah against people in that women and their actions should not be seen by men. They should remain in their house and the eyes of men should not fall even on their clothes. This is a high degree of Purdah. Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) says:

And stay quietly in your houses, and make not a dazzling display, like that of the former Times of Ignorance; and establish regular Prayer, and give regular Charity; and obey Allah and His Messenger. Surah Ahzaab (33:33)

Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) also says:

And when ye ask (his ladies) for anything ye want, ask them from before a screen: that makes for greater purity for your hearts and for theirs. Surah Ahzaab (33:53)

There is a Hadith in Jame Tirmidhi, Sunan Abi Dawood and Musnad Ahmed:

Translation of Hadith: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Umme Salma (May Allah be well pleased with her) that she and Hadhrat Maimoona (May Allah be well pleased with her) were in the presence of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and Hadhrat Abdullah bin Maktoom (May Allah be well pleased with him) entered. The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: Veil yourselves from him. Hadhrat Umme Salma (May Allah be well pleased with him) says I said: O Prophet of Allah ! He is blind, he can’t see us. He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: Are you also blind? Can you not see him?

(Jame Tirmidhi, Hadith No: 2702, Sunan Abi Dawood, Hadith No: 3585, Musnad Imam Ahmed, Hadith No: 2702)

There is a Hadith in Kanz Ul Ummal and Majma Uz Zawaaid:

Translation of Hadith: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Ali (May Allah be well pleased with him) that I was in the presence of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam). He told the Sahabah: What is better for a woman? The Sahabah remained silent. Then when I went to my house, I asked Hadhrat Fatima (May Allah be well pleased with her) about this. She said: It is better for women that they do not see men and men don’t see them. When I conveyed this reply to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: She has said the truth. Verily! She is a piece of My heart.

(Majma Uz Zawaaid, Vol. 4, Pg No: 255, Kanz Ul Ummal, Hadith No: 46012)

THE SECOND DEGREE:

When women are allowed to leave the house for any valid need of theirs, then they are ordered to cover themselves in a long chador or the like that no part of their body should be visible. She should not use any kind of scent, fragrance etc. She should not wear any jewelry which makes sound. She should walk at the sides of the road and she should not enter a crowd of men. As Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) says in Surah Ahzaab:

O prophet! tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad): that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested: and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. Surah Ahzaab (33:59)

THE THIRD DEGREE:

In the house, there is no prohibition on relatives, servants etc. entering the house and collective living, eating etc. with them. Broad guidelines have been given in this regard.

And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! Turn ye all together towards Allah that ye may attain Bliss. Surah Noor (24:31)

As far as male relatives are concerned, there are some relatives who themselves safeguard the chastity of women. They are called “Maharim” with whom marriage is prohibited forever. And there are some other relatives with whom marriage is not prohibited and allowed and permissible. They are the not included in the Maharim. The Maharim are those who safeguard the chastity of women. About others Islam has ordered Purdah against them.

In the Holy Quran the Purdah for women has been dealt with in 7 verses, 3 verses of Surah Noor and 4 verses of Surah Ahzaab. There are about 70 Hadith in which the rules of Purdah have been described.

With the husband, there is no Purdah. The husband can see the wife from head to toe and vice versa. It is mentioned in etiquettes (aadaab) that they should not see each other’s private parts. As given in Mausu’atul Fiqhiya, Vol. 1, Pg No: 53). About other relatives like father, brother etc., the rule is that from a woman’s navel to her knees, nobody can see. Nobody from the Maharim can see this area of a woman’s body. Other parts like face, ankles, arms etc can be seen provided there is no fear of corruption, as given in Hidayah Kitab Ul Karahiya, Pg No: 461. Allah says about seeing the Maharim in verse 31 of Surah Noor that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers,..........

According to this verse, it is allowed to reveal one’s beauty before them and revealing one’s beauty means revealing the areas of beauty. The wrists, ears, neck, feet are all included in this. These are called the areas of beauty i.e. the areas where beauty is expressed. If there is any fear of any corruption, then even the face should be covered. If there is no such fear, then there is no problem in keeping the face and palms uncovered. As said by Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala):

that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (ordinarily) appear thereof;

As given in Hidayah in Kitabul Karahiya, Pg No: 452 that according to Hadhrat Ali and Hadhrat Ibn Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with them) that except “what (ordinarily) appear thereof” means the Kohl of the eyes and the ring.