سُوْرَةُ النُّوْرِ
Surah An-Noor (24) — Ayah 60
وَٱلْقَوَٰعِدُ مِنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ ٱلَّـٰتِى لَا يَرْجُونَ نِكَاحًا فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِنَّ جُنَاحٌ أَن يَضَعْنَ ثِيَابَهُنَّ غَيْرَ مُتَبَرِّجَـٰتٍۭ بِزِينَةٍ ۖ وَأَن يَسْتَعْفِفْنَ خَيْرٌ لَّهُنَّ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿60﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And as for women past child-bearing who do not expect wed-lock, it is no sin on them if they discard their (outer) clothing in such a way as not to show their adornment. But to refrain (i.e. not to discard their outer clothing) is better for them. And Allâh is All-Hearer, All-Knower.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَٱلْقَوَٰعِدُ
wal-qawāʿidu
And postmenopausal
مِنَ
mina
among
ٱلنِّسَآءِ
l-nisāi
the women
ٱلَّـٰتِى
allātī
who
لَا
lā
(do) not
يَرْجُونَ
yarjūna
have desire
نِكَاحًۭا
nikāḥan
(for) marriage
فَلَيْسَ
falaysa
then not is
عَلَيْهِنَّ
ʿalayhinna
on them
جُنَاحٌ
junāḥun
any blame
أَن
an
that
يَضَعْنَ
yaḍaʿna
they put aside
ثِيَابَهُنَّ
thiyābahunna
their (outer) garments
غَيْرَ
ghayra
not
مُتَبَرِّجَـٰتٍۭ
mutabarrijātin
displaying
بِزِينَةٍۢ ۖ
bizīnatin
their adornment
وَأَن
wa-an
And that
يَسْتَعْفِفْنَ
yastaʿfif'na
they modestly refrain
خَيْرٌۭ
khayrun
(is) better
لَّهُنَّ ۗ
lahunna
for them
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
سَمِيعٌ
samīʿun
(is) All-Hearer
عَلِيمٌۭ
ʿalīmun
All-Knower
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 60) ➊ After mentioning the obligation for children to seek permission after reaching maturity, the command regarding the relaxation in the obligation of veiling for women who have reached menopause is stated. {’’ الْقَوَاعِدُ ‘‘ ’’ قَاعِدٌ‘‘} is the plural of 'قَاعِدٌ', despite being a masculine form, is used for women, as in {’’حَائِضٌ‘‘} and {’’حَامِلٌ‘‘}, meaning those women who have reached old age, have no desire for marriage, nor do others have interest in marrying them, there is a concession for them that if they do not observe veiling from non-mahram men, there is no sin upon them, provided that they do not display their adornment. From this, it is understood that those women whose beauty and charm still attract men, it is not permissible for them to remove the veil.
Tabari has narrated with an authentic chain the statement of Ali bin Abi Talhah: “The meaning of the verse {’’ وَ الْقَوَاعِدُ مِنَ النِّسَآءِ الّٰتِيْ لَا يَرْجُوْنَ نِكَاحًا ‘‘} is that there is no sin upon such a woman to remain in the house with a shirt and scarf and to remove the large outer garment, as long as she does not display adornment which Allah dislikes to be displayed.” (Tabari: 26409) Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: “That is, elderly women may remain in the house with fewer clothes, and if they maintain full veiling, that is even better.” Even outside the house, if they do not wear a burqa or large outer garment, there is no harm, provided that they do not display any kind of adornment. In {’’ بِزِيْنَةٍ ‘‘}, the use of tanween indicates that for an elderly woman, it is not permissible to display any kind of adornment before non-mahrams.
➋ No matter what age a man reaches or how old he becomes, if he is a non-mahram, it is obligatory for a woman to observe veiling from him; it is not correct for some women to remove the veil before elderly men. Nowhere in the Qur’an or Hadith is there permission to not observe veiling from them.
➌ { وَ اللّٰهُ سَمِيْعٌ عَلِيْمٌ :} That is, these commands of seeking permission and veiling are apparent means of preventing temptation; as for what happens within the veil and the temptations that arise, Allah hears and knows all of them, and He will deal with everyone accordingly.
Tabari has narrated with an authentic chain the statement of Ali bin Abi Talhah: “The meaning of the verse {’’ وَ الْقَوَاعِدُ مِنَ النِّسَآءِ الّٰتِيْ لَا يَرْجُوْنَ نِكَاحًا ‘‘} is that there is no sin upon such a woman to remain in the house with a shirt and scarf and to remove the large outer garment, as long as she does not display adornment which Allah dislikes to be displayed.” (Tabari: 26409) Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: “That is, elderly women may remain in the house with fewer clothes, and if they maintain full veiling, that is even better.” Even outside the house, if they do not wear a burqa or large outer garment, there is no harm, provided that they do not display any kind of adornment. In {’’ بِزِيْنَةٍ ‘‘}, the use of tanween indicates that for an elderly woman, it is not permissible to display any kind of adornment before non-mahrams.
➋ No matter what age a man reaches or how old he becomes, if he is a non-mahram, it is obligatory for a woman to observe veiling from him; it is not correct for some women to remove the veil before elderly men. Nowhere in the Qur’an or Hadith is there permission to not observe veiling from them.
➌ { وَ اللّٰهُ سَمِيْعٌ عَلِيْمٌ :} That is, these commands of seeking permission and veiling are apparent means of preventing temptation; as for what happens within the veil and the temptations that arise, Allah hears and knows all of them, and He will deal with everyone accordingly.
