33. Surah Al-Ahzab (The Confederates)

Medina Period 90 [3-7 Hijrah]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Translation:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُل لِّأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاء الْمُؤْمِنِينَ...

33: 59. O prophet!

tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women,

...يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلَابِيبِهِنَّ ...

that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad):

...ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَن يُعْرَفْنَ فَلَا يُؤْذَيْنَ...

that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested:

...وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا ﴿٥٩﴾

and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

[ ya ayyuha alnnabiyyu qul li-azwajika wabanatika wanisa-i almu/mineena yudneena AAalayhinna min jalabeebihinna thalika adna an yuAArafna fala yu/thayna wakana Allahu ghafooran raheeman]

Asad’s Translation:

33:59

O Prophet! Tell thy wives and thy daughters, as well as all (other) believing women, that they should draw over themselves some of their outer garments [when in public] : this will be more conducive to their being recognized [as decent women] and not annoyed. 74 But [withal,] God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace! 75

[ See more translations after the comments]

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Asad’s comments –

74 Cf. the first two sentences of 24:3 1 and the corresponding notes 37 and 38.

75 The specific, time-bound formulation of the above verse (evident in the reference to the wives and daughters of the Prophet), as well as the deliberate vagueness of the recommendation that women "should draw upon themselves some of their outer garments (min jalabibihinna)" when in public, makes it clear that this verse was not meant to be an injunction (hukm) in the general, timeless sense of this term but, rather, a moral guideline to be observed against the ever-changing background of time and social environment. This finding is reinforced by the concluding reference to God's forgiveness and grace.

Ali’s Comments:-

C3764. This is for all Muslim women, those of the Prophet's household, as well as the others. They were asked to cover themselves with outer garments when walking around. (R).

C3765. Jilbab, plural Jalabib:

- an outer garment;

- a long gown covering the whole body,

- or a cloak covering the neck and bosom.

C3766. The object was not to restrict the liberty of women, but to protect them from harm and molestation.

In the East and in the West a distinctive public dress of some sort or another has always been a badge of honour or distinction, both among men and women.

This can be traced back on the earliest civilisations. Assyrian Law in its palmiest days (say, 7th century B.C.), enjoined the veiling of married women and forbade the veiling of slaves and women of ill fame:

see Cambridge Ancient History, 111. 107.

C3767. That is, if a Muslim woman sincerely tries to observe this rule, but owing to human weakness fails short of the ideal, then "Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful". (R).

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Other Translations: