Honours and virtues conferred on Muslim women in purdah

THE womenfolk in Islam are treated as precious and highly worthy treasures which must be shielded away from imaginable and unimaginable evils from the menfolk. Allah (SWT) graciously permits humans to associate and intermingle with one another, not only as husbands and wives together with their children but also as blood and non-blood relations from far and near. But as we mix in our relationships, Shari’ah puts us in check for us to be guided, and for decorum to be ensured among people, particularly the Muslim ummah who may decide to come together and coexist.

A married couple are permitted by Sunnah to accommodate adult male servants and house-helps, if they so wish, but measures must be put in place to check eyes from preying on any part of the wife’s body, especially the sensitive ones. Her husband, biological male children, father and brothers are the only ones who can see her. Shari’ah puts a great deal of restriction on male-female interaction, much more so when they are not very familiar with one another. Generally speaking, interpersonal affairs with an adolescent female Muslim by a man from whatever shade of background aside from those who shall be mentioned later under this present topic is absolutely discouraged in Shari’ah.

Now, there are three identified periods of the day which are categorically stipulated in the Glorious Qur’an (24:58-59) by which home attendants and servants should restrain themselves from untoward visitation and intrusion into the privacy of their masters or madams who employed them. This religious instruction equally applies to all, including non-Muslims in the society because privacy is an inalienable right of women in Islam.

The first sacrosanct period is the pre-Subh time. That is the time just before the early morning obligatory solat (prayers) between 4:30a.m. and 5:30a.m. This is the hour to prepare for the congregational prayers. It is expected that men and women should, as a matter of morning routine, pull off their night wears and adorn cleaner dresses suitable for prayers. As such, no intruders are allowed into their privacy, particularly that of women.

Second of such time is the pre-Zuhr time, which is the immediate post-midday period (12:25p.m.-1:30p.m.), a time when Muslims in Nigeria should endeavour to get themselves sorted out in whatever they may have been engaged and congregate for the noon prayers (Solat Zuhr). Intrusion for no concrete purpose into people’s privacy at this particular hour is also against the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW).

Third of such sacrosanct period is the post-Ishai time, a time that men and women are disposed to retiring for the day after observance of the last obligatory prayers of the day (Solat Ishai) by congregation. Men and women may choose to change their garments into night robes and, therefore, no intrusion is considered welcome.

For emphasis, this aspect of the Shari’ah is mandatory to practise and observe in a conscious Muslim home or domain as an individual, and more compelling in the society of the Ummah of the Prophet (SAW), nations of faithful followers of the Prophet (SAW). Allah (SWT) bless those believers who take to the commandments of Shari’ah, for they are the servants who earn the pleasure of Allah’s Rahma here on earth and the hereafter.

Allah (SWT) prescribes (Qur’an) 24:31: “And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things) and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts) and not to show off their adornment except that which is apparent (like both eyes to see the way, or the palms of their hands and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers or, their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sister’s in Islam), or the (female) slaves who their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigour, or small children who have no sense of the feminine sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of adornment. And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful.”

From various tafsir (scholarly explication of the Glorious Qur’an), it is gathered from the above that children being mentioned are strictly restricted to male infants and toddlers, not necessarily comprising young boys who may have begun some phony adolescent sexual fantasies, albeit unconsciously. Equally, the extract has not just granted all women and female a blanket ticket to have unfettered access to the privacy of a Muslim female in purdah. Shari’ah does not permit women who are not known to be certified adherents of Islamic ways of life to a very large extent, for instance, some of those female Muslims who are nominally in Islam much less non-Muslim females to access the privacy of Muslim women in purdah.

In addition, Allah (SWT) in Qur’an 24:60 grants a proviso to the very elderly Muslim women, even in wedlock, who should have outgrown all forms of erotic feelings and fantasies for men. Shari’ah does not insist on this group of Muslim women to be in purdah and more, having attained this human developmental stage in life. However, Allah (SWT) admonishes that they should prefer retaining and remaining in their protective purdah till death, since it is in such option dwells His divine blessing and mercy on the Day of Kihyaamah, the Resurrection Day.

By and large, certain circumstantial situations are expressly granted allowance to have eye-to-eye contact with a Muslim woman, married or yet-to-be-married, or divorced. An elderly old man who is apparently indisposed to sex, who may need to have a contact with the women in purdah as a matter of necessity may be free to see such a woman eye-to-eye. A male adult may also come close to see parts of his mother’s body from the navel to her knees owing to some exigencies.

Moreover, a man who has proposed to Muslim female for Nikaahi is allowed to take a good look at the face of the woman, together with the limbs. Beside, all relatives and friends who witness the Nikaahi ceremony are allowed to take a glimpse of the bride, for one and only time. And this singular look on the face must be restricted only the face of the bride, not to other parts of her body. This act is permissible in Shari’ah.

Other times, as allowed by circumstances, include events occasioned by the need for a woman to be attended to by medical personnel such as doctors and nurses in the hospital for whichever health-related matter(s).

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