The Etiquette of Women Walking in the Street
The Etiquette of Women Walking in the Street
Tafsir Ibn Kathir
Allah’s saying: (And let them not stamp their feet…)
During Jahiliyyah, when women walked in the street wearing anklets and no one could hear them, they would stamp their feet so that men could hear their anklets ringing. Allah forbade the believing women to do this.
By the same token, if there is any other kind of adornment that is hidden, women are forbidden to make any movements that would reveal what is hidden, because Allah says: (And let them not stamp their feet…) to the end of it.
From that, women are also prohibited from wearing scent and perfume when they are going outside the home, lest men should smell their perfume. Abu `Isa At-Tirmidhi recorded that Abu Musa, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet said:
(Every eye commits fornication and adultery, and when a woman puts on perfume and passes through a gathering, she is such and such) — meaning an adulteress.
He said, “And there is a similar report from Abu Hurayrah, and this is Hasan Sahih.” It was also recorded by Abu Dawud and An-Nasa’i.
By the same token, women are also forbidden to walk in the middle of the street, because of what this involves of wanton display.
Abu Dawud recorded that Abu Usayd Al-Ansari said that he heard the Messenger of Allah , as he was coming out of the Masjid and men and women were mixing in the street, telling the women:
(Keep back, for you have no right to walk in the middle of the street. You should keep to the sides of the road.)
The women used to cling to the walls so much that their clothes would catch on the walls.
(And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful.) means, practice what you are commanded in these beautiful manners and praiseworthy characteristics, and give up the evil ways of the people of Jahiliyyah, for the greatest success is to be found in doing what Allah and His Messenger command and avoiding what He forbids.
And Allah is the source of strength.
(32. And marry those among you who are single (Al-Ayama) and the pious of your servants and maidservants. If they be poor, Allah will enrich them out of His bounty. And Allah is All- Sufficent, All-Knowing.) /(33. And let those who find not the financial means for marriage keep themselves chaste, until Allah enriches them of His bounty. And such of your servants as seek a writing (of emancipation), give them such writing, if you find that there is good and honesty in them. And give them something (yourselves) out of the wealth of Allah which He has bestowed upon you. And force not your slave-girls to prostitution, if they desire chastity, in order that you may make a gain in the goods of this worldly life. But if anyone compels them, then after such compulsion, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (34. And indeed We have sent down for you Ayat that make things plain, and the example of those who passed away before you, and an admonition for those who have Taqwa.)
why cant men cling to the walls? i feel there is so much hipocrasy! this is what turns people off from islam! In the heat if you dont not have perfum u stink so a woman is not offering herself by keeping herself from stinking! Im sorry but this is complete crap
Assalaamualaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh
If a woman does not wear perfume she will not stink, unless she dosnt shower! besides some scholars say a woman can wear a little light perfume so that she would only be able to smell it and non else.
and wot is wrong with adhearing to the proofs! it seems like muneer has already made up his mind…. and only Allah guides us!
Assalaam o alaykum,
Nice read. brother “just_sum_one”, for my own knowledges sake, may I ask who these scholas are, I just think its quite interesting that some scholars have mentioned that… May Allaah increase our knowledge of this beautiful deen, ameen.
wassalaam o alaykum,
akhookum
Assalaam o alaykum,
Looks like this is a time where we have feminist men and masculine women!
Women with no haya!?!? Men afraid to fight in battle!?!? Subhaan-Allaah!
May Allaah guide us all, ameen.
Wassalaam o alaykum
p.s no1 coment on anything i have said bcoz i dont read these comments and stuff
Assalamualaikum, Alhamdulillah, That’s just beautiful. And so true, InshaAllah may Allah SWT guide us and make the Ummah stronger.Ameen
SUBHANALLAH !!
So true, Allah orders women to do so, so we do it, we do not go about saying why don’t men do such and such, because if Allah azawajal didnt order them to, who are you to say such a thing.
Aside from the ignorant comment above, this article is beautiful mashAllah, and as women we should follow this command from out Rubb.
Allahuma zindna ilman nafi’aan.
Asalaamu alaikum wr wb. istaqfur’allah what has molded your mind?! may allah swt forgive you and guide you insh’allah! abide by what allah order for us! we are indeed the utmost lucky women alhamduliah! do not let society ingrain you with fabrications…
MashaAllah beautiful .. !!
As’salaamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh
subhaanAllah, may Allah make us amongst such beautiful women- ameen
someone may dislike something which in actual fact is good for them and vice versa, Allah knows what is best for His believing slaves.
To Muneer (and others who think the same)…
Alhamdulillah the only way ppl are turned off from Islam is from the diseases which already exist in their heart so Allah leaves them astray. These rulings in Islam are not hypocritical but rather they are logical and they are according to the nature of man and women. It is not necessary for women to impress every man on the street. It is sufficient to impress her husband alone and for him to be occupied by her rather then other women on the street. Every1 knows the nature of men. The minute you realise and accept the reality you will understand and submit to these rulings. Islam doesn’t prohibit cleaniness rather it commands it. However it doesn’t encourage excessive adornment of women outside of their homes! If a muslim adheres to the teachings of Islam they will not suffer from “stinking”, i.e. removing pubic hair and washing etc.
Proper contemplation on Islam can only bring one closer to Allah rather the further away!
A.a
To brother Muneer,I think the article draws a reader closer to Islam than away from our beautiful deen.And just a query for you,will u be happy if your wife is desired by another man,hope no.So it is good for woman to wear perfume in presence of her husband rather than walk in the street ‘alone’.Allah knows best.
salaam alaykum,
When reading this, we must keep in mind that Ibn Katheer, while he was diligent and steadfast in his efforts to contribute to the lives of Muslims, his commentaries are not reliable, as is observed by so many of the ‘ulema. Alhamdulillah, you may take his opinion or leave it, just as you may do with my comment
The information provided above is not to be thrown away or wasted, however. But it is also useless on its own. You must be willing to think, contemplate, and if you are able, interpret the cited ahadith. I’m not sure if the poster knows Arabic, the original citation, if he’s reading from a translation of a translation (which is often the case from Arabic to Urdu to English to Chinese….this happened to the Bible, Allah forgive them).
In short, take it easy. If it’s hot, please don’t stink. If you walk down the street, please stay on the side, man or woman. We are nation of the middle way, not the middle of the road.