…something like this, and it was revealed to him, then it was lifted from him while the piece of meat was still in his hand. He said: It has been permitted for you to go out for your needs.

17782 - From Abu Malik, he said: The wives of the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to go out at night for their needs. Some of the hypocrites would confront them and annoy them. When this was mentioned to the hypocrites, they said: We only do this to the bondwomen. Then this verse was revealed: "O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused." He commanded that, until they were distinguished from the bondwomen (1).

17783 - From Ibn Abbas, may God be pleased with them both, regarding this verse, he said: God commanded the believing women, when they go out of their houses for a need, to cover their faces from above their heads with the outer garments (jalabib), leaving one eye visible (2).

17784 - From Umm Salamah, may God be pleased with her, she said: When this verse was revealed: "...to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments," the women of the Ansar went out as if there were crows upon their heads, due to the black coverings they were wearing (3).

17785 - Abu Abd Allah al-Tehrani informed us in what he wrote to me, he said: Abd al-Razzaq narrated to us, Mu'ammar informed us, from Ibn Khuthaym, from Safiyyah bint Shaybah, from Umm Salamah, she said: When this verse was revealed: "...to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments," the women of the Ansar went out as if there were crows upon their heads, due to the serenity, and they were wearing black coverings (4).

17786 - My father narrated to us, Abu Salih narrated to us, al-Layth narrated to me, Yunus ibn Yazid narrated to us, he said: We asked him—meaning al-Zuhri—: Does a bondwoman have to wear a head-covering (khimar), whether married or unmarried? He said: She wears the head-covering if she is married, and she is forbidden from wearing the outer garment (jilbab), because it is disliked for them to imitate free women, except for chaste women. God the Exalted has said: "O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments (5)."

17787 - From Muhammad ibn Sirin, may God be pleased with him, he said: I asked Ubaydah, may God be pleased with him...