Excerpted from the book: Aḥkām wa Masā’il – In the Light of the Qur’an and Sunnah by Shaykh Mubashar Ahmad Rabbani
Is a woman required to observe ḥijāb from a blind man?
If yes, then how should we understand the permission given by the Prophet ﷺ to Fāṭimah bint Qays (رضي الله عنها) to observe her ʿiddah at the house of Ibn Umm Maktūm (رضي الله عنه)?
And if not, then how do we understand the instruction of the Prophet ﷺ to Umm Salamah and Maymūnah (رضي الله عنهما) to observe ḥijāb from him?
Umm Salamah (رضي الله عنها) narrated:
“I was with the Prophet ﷺ and so was Maymūnah (رضي الله عنها).
ʿAbdullāh ibn Umm Maktūm (رضي الله عنه), the blind Companion, came to visit.
This occurred after the commandment of ḥijāb.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
‘Observe ḥijāb from him.’
We replied:
‘O Messenger of Allah! Is he not blind? He cannot see or recognize us!’
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
‘Are you two also blind? Can you not see him?’”
— [Abū Dāwūd, Kitāb al-Libās, ḥadīth 4112]
— [Musnad Aḥmad 6/296, ḥadīth 27072]
— [Tirmidhī 2778, 2878 – graded ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ]
This narration is considered ḥasan due to the chain containing Mawlā Umm Salamah.
She said:
“Abū ʿAmr ibn Ḥafṣ gave me an irrevocable divorce (ṭalāq bāʾin) while he was absent (in Yemen). He sent a representative to inform me.
I was upset and said: ‘By Allah! You have no claim over me!’
I went to the Prophet ﷺ and informed him.
He said:
‘You are not entitled to maintenance or housing.’
Then he instructed me to observe ʿiddah at the house of Umm Sharīk, but then said:
‘That is a woman whom my Companions frequently visit. Instead, observe your ʿiddah at the house of ʿAbdullāh ibn Umm Maktūm. He is a blind man — you can remove your garments (comfortably) in his presence.’
When my ʿiddah ended, I informed the Prophet ﷺ. He said:
‘Muʿāwiyah and Abū al-Jahm have proposed to you.
Abū al-Jahm is known to keep his stick on his shoulder (i.e., he beats women), and Muʿāwiyah is a poor man with no wealth.
Marry Usāmah ibn Zayd.’
I disliked the idea, but the Prophet ﷺ again said:
‘Marry Usāmah.’
So I did, and Allah blessed the marriage — people began to envy me.”
— [Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Ṭalāq, ḥadīth 1480]
— [Abū Dāwūd, Kitāb al-Ṭalāq, ḥadīth 2284]
From the above narrations, the following is understood:
Imām Abū Dāwūd wrote under ḥadīth 4112:
“The obligation of ḥijāb from a blind man applies exclusively to the wives of the Prophet ﷺ.
Don’t you see that the Prophet ﷺ instructed Fāṭimah bint Qays to observe her ʿiddah at the house of Ibn Umm Maktūm?
He told her:
‘He is a blind man; you can remove your clothes in his presence.’”
Imām ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Mubārakpūrī رحمه الله writes in Tuḥfat al-Aḥwadhī (8/65):
So according to Shaykh Mubārakpūrī رحمه الله, this ruling leans on pious restraint:
Even from a blind man, a woman should avoid gaze, although technically she may look at a non-maḥram man without lust, if it does not involve the ʿawrah (from navel to knee).
✔ The instruction to observe ḥijāb from a blind man was specific to the wives of the Prophet ﷺ, due to their elevated status and permanent hijab requirement.
✔ For other Muslim women, there is a concession, as shown by the Prophet ﷺ’s directive to Fāṭimah bint Qays (رضي الله عنها) to observe ʿiddah in the house of a blind man.
✔ Scholars differ slightly on this issue. The safest view is to follow the path of modesty and precaution, especially if there’s any risk of fitnah.
❖ Question:
Is a woman required to observe ḥijāb from a blind man?
If yes, then how should we understand the permission given by the Prophet ﷺ to Fāṭimah bint Qays (رضي الله عنها) to observe her ʿiddah at the house of Ibn Umm Maktūm (رضي الله عنه)?
And if not, then how do we understand the instruction of the Prophet ﷺ to Umm Salamah and Maymūnah (رضي الله عنهما) to observe ḥijāb from him?
❖ Answer:
✿ The Ḥadīth of Umm Salamah and Maymūnah رضي الله عنهما:
Umm Salamah (رضي الله عنها) narrated:
“I was with the Prophet ﷺ and so was Maymūnah (رضي الله عنها).
ʿAbdullāh ibn Umm Maktūm (رضي الله عنه), the blind Companion, came to visit.
This occurred after the commandment of ḥijāb.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
‘Observe ḥijāb from him.’
We replied:
‘O Messenger of Allah! Is he not blind? He cannot see or recognize us!’
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
‘Are you two also blind? Can you not see him?’”
— [Abū Dāwūd, Kitāb al-Libās, ḥadīth 4112]
— [Musnad Aḥmad 6/296, ḥadīth 27072]
— [Tirmidhī 2778, 2878 – graded ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ]
This narration is considered ḥasan due to the chain containing Mawlā Umm Salamah.
✿ The Ḥadīth of Fāṭimah bint Qays رضي الله عنها:
She said:
“Abū ʿAmr ibn Ḥafṣ gave me an irrevocable divorce (ṭalāq bāʾin) while he was absent (in Yemen). He sent a representative to inform me.
I was upset and said: ‘By Allah! You have no claim over me!’
I went to the Prophet ﷺ and informed him.
He said:
‘You are not entitled to maintenance or housing.’
Then he instructed me to observe ʿiddah at the house of Umm Sharīk, but then said:
‘That is a woman whom my Companions frequently visit. Instead, observe your ʿiddah at the house of ʿAbdullāh ibn Umm Maktūm. He is a blind man — you can remove your garments (comfortably) in his presence.’
When my ʿiddah ended, I informed the Prophet ﷺ. He said:
‘Muʿāwiyah and Abū al-Jahm have proposed to you.
Abū al-Jahm is known to keep his stick on his shoulder (i.e., he beats women), and Muʿāwiyah is a poor man with no wealth.
Marry Usāmah ibn Zayd.’
I disliked the idea, but the Prophet ﷺ again said:
‘Marry Usāmah.’
So I did, and Allah blessed the marriage — people began to envy me.”
— [Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Ṭalāq, ḥadīth 1480]
— [Abū Dāwūd, Kitāb al-Ṭalāq, ḥadīth 2284]
❖ Reconciliation Between the Two Reports
From the above narrations, the following is understood:
- The command for ḥijāb from the blind Companion Ibn Umm Maktūm was specifically directed at the Mothers of the Believers (Umm Salamah and Maymūnah رضي الله عنهما), and occurred after the revelation of the verse of ḥijāb.
- The case of Fāṭimah bint Qays, who was not among the Mothers of the Believers, indicates a concession for other women (non-wives of the Prophet ﷺ).
❖ Statement of Imām Abū Dāwūd رحمه الله:
Imām Abū Dāwūd wrote under ḥadīth 4112:
“The obligation of ḥijāb from a blind man applies exclusively to the wives of the Prophet ﷺ.
Don’t you see that the Prophet ﷺ instructed Fāṭimah bint Qays to observe her ʿiddah at the house of Ibn Umm Maktūm?
He told her:
‘He is a blind man; you can remove your clothes in his presence.’”
❖ Commentary from Other Scholars
Imām ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Mubārakpūrī رحمه الله writes in Tuḥfat al-Aḥwadhī (8/65):
- The ḥadīth of Umm Salamah indicates that it is prohibited for a woman to look at a non-maḥram man.
- Some scholars restrict this ruling to situations where there is a fear of fitnah.
- This allows reconciliation between the two ḥadīths:
- The ḥadīth about Umm Salamah, and
- The narration of ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها) watching the Abyssinians playing in the masjid.
- Those who claim an absolute prohibition argue that the incident of ʿĀʾishah occurred before the revelation of the ḥijāb verse.
- The strongest view is that:
- A woman may look at a non-maḥram man's body from the navel to the knee without desire.
- The ḥadīth is based on a principle of piety and precaution (waraʿ wa taqwā).
So according to Shaykh Mubārakpūrī رحمه الله, this ruling leans on pious restraint:
Even from a blind man, a woman should avoid gaze, although technically she may look at a non-maḥram man without lust, if it does not involve the ʿawrah (from navel to knee).
Conclusion:
✔ The instruction to observe ḥijāb from a blind man was specific to the wives of the Prophet ﷺ, due to their elevated status and permanent hijab requirement.
✔ For other Muslim women, there is a concession, as shown by the Prophet ﷺ’s directive to Fāṭimah bint Qays (رضي الله عنها) to observe ʿiddah in the house of a blind man.
✔ Scholars differ slightly on this issue. The safest view is to follow the path of modesty and precaution, especially if there’s any risk of fitnah.
