Tabari (1 passage)

1. Full Dutch translation of Tabari's text

   The statement concerning the explanation of His saying, the Exalted: لا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِنَّ فِي آبَائِهِنَّ وَلا أَبْنَائِهِنَّ وَلا إِخْوَانِهِنَّ وَلا أَبْنَاءِ إِخْوَانِهِنَّ وَلا أَبْنَاءِ أَخَوَاتِهِنَّ وَلا نِسَائِهِنَّ وَلا مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُنَّ وَاتَّقِينَ اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدًا (55) (There is no blame upon them concerning their fathers, nor their sons, nor their brothers, nor the sons of their brothers, nor the sons of their sisters, nor their women, nor what their right hands possess. And fear Allah; truly, Allah is Witness over all things.)

   The Exalted, whose praise is exalted, says: There is no objection upon the wives of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ concerning their fathers, and no blame.

   Then the people differed in interpretation concerning the meaning of why the objection was lifted from them with regard to these. Some of them said: The objection was lifted from her with regard to laying aside her outer garment (jilbāb) in their presence.

   * Mention of who said that:

   Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Ḥakkām related to us, on the authority of ʿAnbasa, on the authority of Ibn Abī Laylā, on the authority of ʿAbd al-Karīm, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His saying (There is no blame upon them concerning their fathers ...) — the whole āyah — he said: that she lays aside the outer garment (jilbāb).

   Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both of them — on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His saying (There is no blame upon them concerning their fathers) and those mentioned with them: that they may see them.

   Others said: The objection was lifted from her with regard to these concerning the omission of seclusion (behind the curtain).

   Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His saying (There is no blame upon them ...) up to (Witness): These were permitted that she need not seclude herself from them.

   The correct of the two views in this is the statement of him who said: it is the lifting of the objection from her with regard to these Muslims, that she need not seclude herself from them. For this āyah immediately follows the āyah of seclusion (ḥijāb), and comes after the saying of Allah: وَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُنَّ مَتَاعًا فَاسْأَلُوهُنَّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ حِجَابٍ (And when you ask them for anything, ask them from behind a curtain). So it is the case that His saying (There is no blame upon them concerning their fathers) constitutes an exception to the group of those who were commanded to ask them for anything from behind the curtain when they ask them for it — this is more evident and more fitting than that it should be a statement broaching a new subject concerning a different meaning.

   The explanation of the statement is therefore: There is no blame upon the wives of the Prophet ﷺ and the Mothers of the Believers with regard to permitting their fathers and omitting seclusion before them, nor before their sons, nor before their brothers, nor before the sons of their brothers. By "their brothers" and "the sons of their brothers" are meant their brethren and the sons of their brethren. The plural form that accompanies them is formed as the plural of fatā (young man) is formed when it is made fityān; likewise the plural of akh (brother) when it is made ikhwān. And when it is made ikhwa, then that is comparable to the plural of fatā when it is made fitya — "nor the sons of their brothers." And in this the (paternal) uncle was not mentioned, as al-Shaʿbī said, out of precaution that he might describe her to his sons.

   Muḥammad ibn al-Muthannā related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj ibn al-Minhāl related to us, saying: Ḥammād related to us, on the authority of Dāwūd, on the authority of al-Shaʿbī and ʿIkrima, concerning His saying: (There is no blame upon them concerning their fathers, nor their sons, nor their brothers, nor the sons of their brothers, nor the sons of their sisters, nor their women, nor what their right hands possess). I said: What is the reason that the paternal uncle and the maternal uncle are not mentioned? He said: Because the two of them would describe her to their sons, and it was deemed reprehensible that she should lay aside her head-covering (khimār) before her maternal uncle and her paternal uncle.

   Ibn al-Muthannā related to us, saying: Abū al-Walīd related to us, saying: Ḥammād related to us, on the authority of Dāwūd, on the authority of ʿIkrima and al-Shaʿbī something similar, except that he did not mention "they would describe her."

   And His saying (nor their women) says: there is also no blame upon her that she need not seclude herself from the women of the believers.

   As Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His saying (nor their women): he said: the believing, free women — there is no blame upon her that these should see that adornment. He said: All of this concerns only the adornment (zīna). He said: And it is not permitted for a woman to behold anything of the private parts (ʿawra) of a woman. He said: And if a man were to look at the thigh of a man, I would see no harm in that. He said: (nor what their right hands possess) — it does not befit her to expose her earring before the man. He said: As for the kohl, the ring, and the henna, in that there is no harm. He said: The husband has a privilege, and the fathers, behind the man, have a privilege. He said: And the others differ in rank. He said: All of this is summed up by what is visible of the adornment. He said: And the wives of the Prophet ﷺ did not seclude themselves from the slaves (mamālīk). And His saying (nor what their right hands possess) — of the men and the women; and others said: of the women.

   And His saying: (And fear Allah) says: and be fearful of Allah, O women, lest you transgress the limit that Allah has set for you, and thus display something of your adornment which you may not display, or omit the seclusion which Allah has commanded you to maintain, except that which He has permitted you to omit; and hold fast to His obedience. (Truly, Allah is Witness over all things) — the Exalted, whose praise is exalted, says: Truly, Allah is Witness over what you do regarding your seclusion and the omission of seclusion before whom I have permitted you to omit it, and over the rest of your affairs. He says: So fear Allah within your souls; do not meet Allah — while He is Witness over you — with disobedience to Him and with transgression of His command and His prohibition, so that you perish; for He is Witness over all things.

   Show original Arabic

   القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : لا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِنَّ فِي آبَائِهِنَّ وَلا أَبْنَائِهِنَّ وَلا إِخْوَانِهِنَّ وَلا أَبْنَاءِ إِخْوَانِهِنَّ وَلا أَبْنَاءِ أَخَوَاتِهِنَّ وَلا نِسَائِهِنَّ وَلا مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُنَّ وَاتَّقِينَ اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدًا (55) يقول تعالى ذكره: لا حرج على أزواج رسول الله صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم في آبائهن ولا إثم. ثم اختلف أهل التأويل في المعنى الذي وضع عنهن الجناح في هؤلاء؛ فقال بعضهم: وضع عنهن الجناح في وضع جلابيبهن عندهم . * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثنا ابن حميد، قال: ثنا حكام، عن عنبسة، عن ابن أَبي ليلى، عن &; 20-318 &; عبد الكريم، عن مجاهد في قوله (لا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِنَّ فِي آبَائِهِنَّ ...) الآية كلها، قال: أن تضع الجلباب. حدثني محمد بن عمرو، قال: ثنا أَبو عاصم، قال: ثنا عيسى، وحدثني الحارث، قال: ثنا الحسن، قال: ثنا ورقاء جميعا، عن ابن أَبي نجيح، عن مجاهد في قوله (لا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِنَّ فِي آبَائِهِنَّ) ومن ذكر معه أن يروهن. وقال آخرون: وضع عنهن الجناح فيهن في ترك الاحتجاب. حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد عن قتادة في قوله (لا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِنَّ ...) إلى (شَهِيدًا) : فرخص لهؤلاء أن لا يحتجبن منهم. وأولى القولين في ذلك بالصواب قول من قال: ذلك وضع الجناح عنهن في هؤلاء المسلمين أن لا يحتجبن منهم؛ وذلك أن هذه الآية عقيب آية الحجاب، وبعد قول الله: وَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُنَّ مَتَاعًا فَاسْأَلُوهُنَّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ حِجَابٍ فلا يكون قوله (لا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِنَّ فِي آبَائِهِنَّ) استثناء من جملة الذين أمروا بسؤالهن المتاع من وراء الحجاب إذا سألوهن ذلك أولى وأشبه من أن يكون خبر مبتدأ عن غير ذلك المعنى. فتأويل الكلام إذن: لا إثم على نساء النبي صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم وأمهات المؤمنين في إذنهن لآبائهن وترك الحجاب منهن، ولا لأبنائهن ولا لإخوانهن ولا لأبناء إخوانهن . وعنى بإخوانهن وأبناء إخوانهن إخوتهن وأبناء إخوتهن. وخرج معهم جمع ذلك مخرج جمع فتى إذا جمع فتيان، فكذلك جمع أخ إذا جمع إخوان. وأما إذا جمع إخوة، فذلك نظير جمع فتى إذا جمع فتية، ولا أبناء إخوانهن، ولم يذكر في ذلك العم على ما قال الشعبي حذرًا من أن يصفهن لأبنائه. حدثنا محمد بن المثنى، قال: ثنا حجاج بن المنهال، قال: ثنا حماد، عن داود، عن الشعبي وعكرمة في قوله: ( لا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِنَّ فِي آبَائِهِنَّ وَلا أَبْنَائِهِنَّ وَلا إِخْوَانِهِنَّ وَلا أَبْنَاءِ إِخْوَانِهِنَّ وَلا أَبْنَاءِ أَخَوَاتِهِنَّ وَلا نِسَائِهِنَّ وَلا مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُنَّ ) قلت: ما شأن العم والخال لم يذكرا؟ قال: لأنهما ينعتانها لأبنائهما، وكرها أن تضع خمارها عند خالها وعمها. حدثنا ابن المثنى، ، قال: ثنا أَبو الوليد، قال: ثنا حماد، عن داود، عن عكرمة والشعبي نحوه، غير أنه لم يذكر ينعتانها. وقوله (وَلا نِسَائِهِنَّ) يقول: ولا جناح عليهن أيضا في أن لا يحتجبن من نساء المؤمنين. كما حدثني يونس، قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب، قال: قال ابن زيد في قوله (وَلا نِسَائِهِنَّ) قال: نساء المؤمنات الحرائر ليس عليهن جناح أن يرين تلك الزينة، قال: وإنما هذا كله في الزينة، قال: ولا يجوز للمرأة أن تنظر إلى شيء من عورة المرأة. قال: ولو نظر الرجل إلى فخذ الرجل لم أر به بأسًا، قال: (وَلا مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُنَّ) فليس ينبغي لها أن تكشف قرطها للرجل، قال: وأما الكحل والخاتم والخضاب فلا بأس به، قال: والزوج له فضل والآباء من وراء الرجل لهم فضل، قال: والآخرون يتفاضلون، قال: وهذا كله يجمعه ما ظهر من الزينة، قال: وكان أزواج النبي صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم لا يحتجبن من المماليك. وقوله (وَلا مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُنَّ) من الرجال والنساء، وقال آخرون: من النساء. وقوله: (وَاتَّقِينَ اللَّهَ) يقول: وخفن الله أيها النساء أن تتعدين ما حد الله لكن، فتبدين من زينتكن ما ليس لكن أن تبدينه، أو تتركن الحجاب الذي أمركن الله بلزومه، إلا فيما أباح لكن تركه، والْزمْنَ طاعته ( إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدًا ) يقول تعالى ذكره: إن الله شاهد على ما تفعلنه من احتجابكن، وترككن الحجاب لمن أبحت لكن ترك ذلك له، وغير ذلك من أموركن، يقول: فاتقين الله في أنفسكن لا تلقين الله، وهو شاهد عليكم، بمعصيته، وخلاف أمره ونهيه، فتهلكن، فإنه شاهد على كل شيء.