Surah An-Noor (24) — Ayah 31

31. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their private parts, and not to display their adornment except what [41] is apparent of it. And let them draw their veils over their chests, and not display their adornment [42] except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husbands’ fathers, or their sons, or their husbands’ sons, or their brothers, or their brothers’ sons, or their sisters’ sons [43], or their women, or those whom their right hands possess [44], or male attendants who have no desire for women [45], or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women [46]. And let them not stamp their feet [47] so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you, O believers, turn to Allah in repentance [48] so that you may be successful [49].

[41] Some scholars have interpreted the words of the Noble Quran: ﴿اِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا﴾ to mean that the face and hands are exempt from hijab. That is, women do not need to cover their face and hands even from non-mahram men. This interpretation is incorrect for the following reasons:
1.
Covering the Hands and Face:

In this verse, the mention is of the exemptions to the rules of hijab, not the obligations of hijab. That is, the discussion is about those permanent mahram relatives from whom hijab is not necessary, as well as from their own women, slave women, servants, and immature children—there is no restriction on displaying adornment or hijab before them. Now, see, is there any mention in this verse of ordinary people or non-mahram men, that there is no restriction on displaying adornment before them as well? Therefore, even if the meaning of ma zahara minha for these people is taken as face and hands, it makes no difference, because the permission mentioned in this verse is only for keeping the face and hands uncovered before the persons mentioned.
2. Despite this, this interpretation is still incorrect because in ﴿ماظَهَرَ مِنْهَا﴾, the pronoun "ha" refers back to ﴿زِيْنَتَهُنَّ﴾, which is mentioned nearby, not to the body parts which are not even mentioned here. And the meaning of this sentence is: "Women should not display their adornment except what becomes apparent of that adornment by itself." In other words, Allah does not wish to impose upon women a burden beyond their capacity. That is, if the jilbab, large sheet, or veil is lifted by the wind at some time, or due to negligence or some other coincidence, a woman's jewelry or adornment or a part of it becomes visible, then there is no harm in it. Most of the Companions and Followers have taken this meaning from ma zahara minha.
3. Previously, in the incident of Ifk, a lengthy hadith narrated from Hazrat Aishaؓ has been mentioned. In it, she herself says that when I saw Safwan bin Mu'attal Salmi standing near me after waking up, I covered my face. Because before this (in Surah Ahzab) the command of hijab had already been revealed. Then, was this command abrogated later? Are there any evidences or signs that prove this command was abrogated? If the answer to this question is negative—and it certainly is—then how can it be taken to mean that the face and hands are exempt from the command of hijab?
4. Of all the body, the face is the part that contains the most attraction for strangers. Then, if it is exempted from hijab, what importance remains for the rest of the hijab commands? Now, the other aspect of this issue is that among all the Companions, Hazrat Ibn Abbasؓ, then his students, and then some Hanafi jurists have taken ﴿اِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا﴾ to mean that the hands and face are excluded from the command of hijab, and this is the very foundation upon which the deniers of hijab build their argument. However, even the position of these individuals is of no use to the deniers of hijab, because Ibn Abbasؓ explains the meaning of ﴿يُدْنِيْنَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ جَلَابِيْبِهِنَّ﴾ as follows: Ibn Abbas and Abu Ubaidah said, "Believing women have been commanded to cover their heads and faces with their sheets, except that one eye may remain open so that it is known they are free women." [معالم التنزيل بحواله تفهيم القرآن ج 3 ص 129]
Similarly, another narration is that Ali bin Abi Talhah narrates from Ibn Abbasؓ: "Allah has commanded the believing women that when they go out of their homes for any need, they should cover their heads and faces with their sheets, and (only) one eye should be visible." [تفسیر ابن کثیر ج 3 ص 318، جامع البیان للطبری ص 33 مطبوعہ مصر]
And it is obvious that the jilbab relates to the outside world, which means that Hazrat Ibn Abbas believed in complete hijab (including the face) outside the home. If there is any flexibility in his position, it is regarding the inside of the home—that is, if non-mahram relatives come inside the house, then there is no need to cover the hands and face from them. Therefore, even the position of Ibn Abbasؓ is not very beneficial for today's opponents of religion and hijab.
[42]
The Purpose of Wearing a Scarf:

Among the natural adornments of the body, the most prominent feature is the woman's chest or her breasts, which are particularly attractive to men. Therefore, special emphasis has been placed on covering the chest, and the way to end the custom of ignorance has also been explained. In the age of ignorance, women would place their khimar (scarf) on their heads and let both ends hang behind their backs. In this way, nothing would cover the chest, and this too was a kind of display or exhibition of beauty. And in today's civilized society, firstly, our so-called religious women do not even care to wear a scarf, and if they do, they put it around their neck and throw its ends behind their backs. In this way, both the head and chest remain uncovered. However, the name of the scarf is certainly maligned. And the purpose of this is also to display the prominence of the chest and remain attractive to men. In other words, in this new enlightenment and progress, there is even more ignorance than in the old age of ignorance. The Noble Quran has explained that the scarf should be brought from the head and placed over the neckline, so that the head, ears, neck, and chest—all parts remain covered. Hazrat Aishaؓ says, "When this verse was revealed, the women of Madinah tore their lower garments (i.e., thick cloth) and made veils from them." [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير]
In other words, they immediately submitted to this command.
[43]
Permanent Mahram Relatives:

At this place in the Noble Quran, and at some other places, twelve types of people or relatives are mentioned from whom hijab is not necessary. However, the rules of 'awrah (covering the private parts) will still remain in effect. In other words, before these twelve types of people or relatives, women can display their adornment. Eight of them are mentioned here, and these are such relatives who are permanently mahram, i.e., husband, father, father-in-law, real sons, step-sons, brothers, nephews (brother's sons), and nephews (sister's sons). Then, those relatives who are prohibited due to suckling (radā‘ah) are also included, such as foster-father, foster-brother, or foster-son, and paternal uncles, etc. Accordingly, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, by citing verse 23 of Surah Nisa, placed lineage and suckling on the same level and said, "The relationships that are prohibited due to lineage are also prohibited due to suckling." [بخاری۔ کتاب الشہادات۔ باب الشہادۃ علی الانساب والرضاع]
[44]
The Command of Hijab from Non-Muslim Women and Eunuchs:

In the words of the Noble Quran, ﴿اَوْنِسَا ئِهِنَّ﴾ (or there is no harm in displaying adornment before their own women)—this is the ninth category, and "their own women" refers to Muslim women who have close association with each other, know each other well, and trust each other. As for other non-Muslim, suspicious, and those women who are agents of immorality, the command is to hide adornment from them just as from non-mahram men. The reason is that it is women who act as pimps for prostitution, ensnare young and adolescent girls in their traps, lead them astray, and fully represent Satan. They also spread the secrets of one household to another, thus spreading immorality and paving its way. There is a strong need to avoid such wicked women. Therefore, the command of hijab has been given from all unknown and non-Muslim women or other women, and it is necessary to restrict their entry into homes just as it is necessary for non-mahram men. In addition, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has also commanded hijab from eunuchs, hermaphrodites, or men who adopt a feminine appearance. An incident from the Prophetic era is that the Prophet ﷺ was at the house of Umm Salamahؓ. There was an eunuch in the house. He said to Abdullah bin Abi Rabi'ah, the brother of Umm Salamah: "If Allah grants you victory over Ta'if tomorrow, I will show you the daughter of Ghilan. If she comes forward, she has four folds, and if she turns her back, she has eight folds (i.e., her body is well built)." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard this and said: "This eunuch should never come to you again." [بخاری۔ کتاب النکاح۔ باب ماینھی من دخول المشتبھین بالنساء علی المرأۃ]
This hermaphrodite (eunuch or effeminate man) was interested in women's affairs, so the Prophet ﷺ commanded hijab from him and prohibited his entry.
[45] The tenth category, before whom there is no harm in displaying adornment, are a woman's own slave women, whom she herself or her husband owns.
[46]
Conditional Permission to Be Unveiled Before Servants:

"Followers" refers to obedient and subservient people, such as servants and students. This is the eleventh category. But the exemption to display adornment before such people is only in the case that they have no desire for intercourse. And the absence of desire or sexual feelings may be due to childhood, old age, illness, impotence, or due to the dignity and respect of the owner, i.e., these servants cannot even imagine such a thing about their mistress and are only concerned with their work. But if there is a risk that such people's sexual feelings may be aroused at any time, then this exemption ends, and the rules of hijab apply to them, and there remains no room for displaying adornment before them. Therefore, there is no room for exemption from hijab before such young drivers, cooks, and waiters, especially if they are not yet married.
[47] This exemption from hijab before children and boys is only until they reach puberty. Up to the age of ten or eleven, a woman can remain unveiled before children, but not after that. Thus, this is the twelfth category.
[48]
Prohibition on Gait:

That is, women should not walk in such a manner as to strike their feet on the ground so that the sound of their jewelry is heard and it becomes known what jewelry they are wearing. If she walks with such jingling, who knows, along with her foot striking the ground, it may also strike the heart of some amorous person. Such sounds sometimes arouse sexual feelings even more than seeing the form.
[49] That is, in the age of ignorance, and especially on the occasion of their famous fairs, whatever indecent acts you have committed, repent before Allah for them. Whether men or women, everyone should abandon previous ways and completely avoid such acts in the future. In this way, your society can be purified from indecency, and your success in this world and the Hereafter depends on fully acting upon these matters.