To whom is a woman permitted to show her adornments?
لمن يجوز للمرأة أن تبدي زينتها؟
The Quranic guidelines regarding adornment emphasize the importance of modesty and privacy, protecting women from unwarranted attention while maintaining healthy familial relationships.
تؤكد التوجيهات القرآنية المتعلقة بالزينة على أهمية الحياء والخصوصية، مما يحمي المرأة من الانتباه غير المبرر مع الحفاظ على علاقات أسرية صحية.
Those to Whom Adornment May Be Shown | من يجوز إبداء الزينة لهم
The List of Mahram Relatives:
- Her husband (who has the right to enjoy her adornments).
- Her father and his ascendants (grandfathers, great grandfathers).
- Her husband's father (father in law).
- Her sons and their descendants (grandsons).
- Her husband's sons (stepsons).
- Her brothers.
- Her brothers' sons (nephews).
- Her sisters' sons (nephews).
الزوج، الأب وإن علا (الأجداد)، أب الزوج، الابن وإن نزل، أبناء الزوج (الربائب)، الإخوة، أبناء الأخ، أبناء الأخت.
The Quranic Text:
(And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their chastity, and not to reveal their adornments except what normally appears. Let them draw their veils over their chests, and not reveal their hidden adornments except to their husbands, their fathers, their fathers in law, their sons, their stepsons, their brothers, their brothers sons or sisters sons, their fellow women, those bondwomen in their possession, male attendants with no desire, or children who are still unaware of women’s nakedness. Let them not stomp their feet, drawing attention to their hidden adornments.) An Nur 24:31.
النص القرآني:
(وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا ۖ وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّ ۖ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَائِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَائِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي أَخَوَاتِهِنَّ أَوْ نِسَائِهِنَّ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُنَّ أَوِ التَّابِعِينَ غَيْرِ أُولِي الْإِرْبَةِ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ أَوِ الطِّفْلِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يَظْهَرُوا عَلَىٰ عَوْرَاتِ النِّسَاءِ ۖ وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّ ۖ وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ) النور 24: 31.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
What is considered "what normally appears" of adornment?
Most scholars interpret this as the face and hands, which are visible in daily life, provided they are not excessively decorated to the point of being a source of fitnah for non Mahram men.
Does a woman's brother in law count as a Mahram?
No. A brother in law (the husband's brother) is not a Mahram. A woman must observe the full rules of Hijab in his presence just as she would with any other non Mahram man.
Can a woman show her adornments to other women?
Yes, the verse specifically mentions "their fellow women," allowing a woman to be among other women without the need for strict Hijab, provided that modesty and general decency are still maintained.