Revelation of Injunctions Regarding Pardah

On the second or third day after the marriage, the Holy Prophet(sa) invited his Companions for a Walīmah at his own home. Since a public announcement was especially intended, the Walīmah of Ḥaḍrat Zainab(ra) was held upon a much larger scale by the Holy Prophet(sa) as compared to his other wives.1 Until that time, since injunctions relevant to Pardah had not been revealed, the Companions entered the very residence of the Holy Prophet(sa) in a very informal manner. Many of them continued to sit here and there, engaged in discussions even after the feast had finished. However, since the disposition of the Holy Prophet(sa) possessed a great degree of modesty, he was unable to say anything to them, and the Companions also did not pay attention as they were busy in conversation. As a result, the hour ran late and the Holy Prophet(sa) lost much of his precious time. Finally, the Holy Prophet(sa) stood up himself, and most of the Companions stood up with him, but three people continued to sit there and carried on talking. At this, the Holy Prophet(sa) went to the apartment of Ḥaḍrat ‘Ā’ishah(ra), but when he returned after some time, these people were still there. In this manner, the Holy Prophet(sa) was compelled to come and go two or three times. At last, when these people departed from the residence of the Holy Prophet(sa), he also returned. At times, motivating factors arise in the revelation of divine commandments. Although the injunction is to be instituted either way, a certain occurrence becomes the temporary catalyst for its revelation. As such, this very incident became the motivating factor in the revelation of the initial commandments on Pardah. As a result, the verses which made it obligatory upon the Azwāj-e-Muṭahharāt of the Holy Prophet(sa) to observe Pardah were revealed, and those who were beyond the permissible bounds were restricted from freely entering the apartments of the Holy Prophet(sa).2 After this, gradually and slowly, injunctions relevant to Pardah continued to be revealed, until it finally assumed the form, which is present in the Holy Qur’ān and Aḥādīth today.3 In this light, whilst upholding the legitimate and necessary freedom of a Muslim woman, she has been forbidden from openly exhibiting the beauty of her body and clothing to such men who are beyond the permissible bounds. Furthermore, a man and woman who are beyond the permissible bounds for one another, have been prohibited from meeting each other in seclusion. If one contemplates with an objective heart, these limitations do not become a hindrance at all in the legitimate freedom of a woman in terms of health, academic progress, participation in tasks of country and nation, or in other affairs. Furthermore, these limitations prevent the free and open intermingling of such men and women who are beyond the permissible bounds, which can lead to immoral and harmful outcomes, and which generally tend to arise in countries where Pardah is not observed.

At this instance, it is also necessary to mention that the manner in which Pardah is prevalent among the Muslims in this day and age, generally deviates from the true Islāmic teachings. In certain countries, a poor lady is subjected to unjust strictness and more or less confined to the four walls of her home as if she were a prisoner, which destroys her health, education, training, and culture, etc. In other countries, the West has been followed blindly, where women have established improper freedom, which is resulting in a detrimental effect upon the morals and values of society. Both of these avenues are extreme, and they are forbidden in Islām. In light of the Islāmic teaching, whilst abstaining from the public exhibition of her beauty, a woman is permitted to participate in all sorts of reasonable recreation and tasks. However, she is not permitted to walk about unveiled and sit with such men who are beyond the permissible bounds in seclusion, because this entails the risk of evil. Even in certain European countries, where all limitations of the veil have been broken, among the noble class, at least this much caution is exercised that normally, young ladies do not move about in public without a male member of the household or an elderly lady, nor do they sit freely with outside men in seclusion. Those girls who exhibit more freedom in this regard are generally frowned upon in noble societies. This proves that even in a free society like Europe, the completely unrestricted and open freedom of women is looked down upon. It is this very principle which has been taught by Islām more comprehensively and with greater quality; and it has instituted the injunctions of Pardah along with the principle of concealing a woman’s beauty. In this regard, Islām has broken away from a course of extremity and paved a way for moderation.

In actuality, if one reflects, all of the allegations levelled against Pardah are due to the practical method in which it is applied among the Muslims today in Islāmic countries, and especially in India; which was a practice that Muslims were compelled to adopt for political reasons during a time when the Islāmic States had fallen weak, but then took on a permanent and more rigid form as a tradition. In this respect, no sensible individual can raise an objection against the actual Islāmic teaching which is derived from the Qur’ān and Aḥādīth, and was actually practiced by the early Muslims, as proven by history and Aḥādīth. As a matter of fact, every such person who is accustomed to contemplation cannot remain without being convinced of its merit. The summary of the Islāmic Pardah is only that: firstly, those men and women who are beyond the permissible bounds for one another should keep their gaze low before one another, and a woman should not exhibit the beauty of her face, body or clothing to any man outside the permissible bounds by way of sight, touch, etc;4 secondly, those men and women who are beyond the permissible bounds for one another should not meet each other in seclusion at such a place which is hidden from the sights of others.5 Taking these two restrictions into consideration, which is entirely in view of the well-being of society and the safeguarding of morality, a Muslim lady is free in all respects as far as Pardah is concerned. They can acquire an education in schools and can teach others. They can leave their homes for exercise, recreation and sport. They can buy and sell. They can participate in public gatherings, etc. They are permitted to meet with men who are outside the legal bounds, and speak to them. They can perform work and labour. They are permitted to work in offices, government departments, clinics and factories. They can participate in tasks of country and nation. They are permitted to participate in wars and offer reasonable service. Hence, the Islāmic Pardah is not the slightest hindrance in the education and training, growth and development, necessary tasks and reasonable recreation of a woman. History establishes that in the time of the Holy Prophet(sa) and his Companions, Muslim women took part in all the legitimate tasks which presented themselves at the time. They attained an education and taught as well. They took part in the congregational Ṣalāt with the Muslim men. They listened to the addresses and speeches of the Holy Prophet(sa). They gave counsel in matters of national importance. They would perform the rites of Ḥajj, shoulder to shoulder with men. They accompanied men during their travels. When it was required, they would meet men who were beyond the permissible bounds and would converse with them. They would mount on animals and witness amusing spectacles. They would participate in wars and tend to the wounded and offer services of nursing. In fact, when needed, they would take up the sword in the field of battle as well.6 Hence, all of the objections which are raised against Pardah are not actually levelled against the true Islāmic Pardah, rather, they are levelled against the deformed Pardah of the current age, which has almost caged a woman in the four walls of her home, as if she were an animal. However, in order to remedy this wrong, one should not move from one extreme to the other, because both of these ways are ones of misguidance and destruction. The pathway to salvation is the one paved by Islām and which is the true voice of a person’s nature.

In addition to this, it should also be remembered that the actual place of a woman’s responsibility lies at home, where the children of the nation are brought up, who are to shoulder the burden of country and nation in the future. This is such a sensitive, vast and magnificent task that if a lady is to fulfil this very responsibility alone with skill and merit, and make herself capable in this respect, it is enough to fully engage her concentration. It is in this very manner that she can become a most excellent benefactor for the entire country and nation; it is obvious that the Islāmic Pardah does not oppose this cause, rather, it only supports it.