The Etiquette of Women Walking in the Street

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The Etiquette of Women Walking in the Street
Filed under: Women, ibn Kathir — al Ghurabaa
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.)

shafique Thanks - makes interesting reading. The Quran is clear that men and women need to dress and act modestly, and emphasises that the eyes should be restrained - not just the dress and actions. It is good that you've posted the context in which these injunctions were sent down - i.e. how women behaved (and were treated) before Islam in Arabia. It is also good to highlight the fact that the Quran does not have the anti-women teachings to be found in earlier scriptures - such as the fabricated verses inserted by misogynistic Church officials which say women should not speak in Church because they are too dim to learn (and should ask their husbands). Muslims (and Biblical scholars such as Father O'Conner and Hans Kung) agree that Jesus never taught these things, but yet they found there way into the Bible and were attributed to Paul. I think you were trying to be critical of Islamic teachings again - but given you restrained yourself from your usual 100% wrong 'commentaries' (or 'analyses' as you'd like to think) - the article can speak for itself. Perhaps you think we'll overlook the fact you still haven't condemned Baruch Goldstein or totalled up the actual number of Muslim Convert terrorists (even though the number hasn't reached 10 yet) - good effort, but the silence in the respective threads speak for themselves too! ;) Cheers, Shafique event horizon Yes, it's interesting to read some of the quotes from the article as well. I agree with you that Western society is incompatible with 7th century Arabia - with the Taliban rule in Afghanistan or ultra-orthodox Jewish treatment of women in Jerusalem more closely resembling how women were treated during Muhammad's life time:

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.

I also see your quaint belief that there are *no* sexist/misogynist verses in the Koran - perhaps you meant that there are no sexist/misogynist verses if you ignore the passages on wife beating, polygamy, slave girls Muslim masters can 'have', a verse on marrying underage girls, two females in the court of law being equivalent to one male witness and the strange passage that Muslims should clean themselves with dirt if they've touched a woman. shafique The lot of women in 7th century Europe wasn't any better than pre-Islamic Arabia either - let's not forget, and didn't really get much better until well over a millenium later. But, as I said, it is interesting to look at the practices before Islam and how God's teachings reformed the society. As for my beliefs being 'quaint' - I see you are blindly copying and pasting words without understanding yet again. The treatment of women in the Bible and the Quran has been discussed a few times already, but I'm happy to correct any further misunderstandings you may have on either. Cheers, Shafique event horizon I see that you have not addressed the passage I have quoted - where women are to be separated Taliban style from men.

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.

It also speaks volumes that you will 'correct' my 'misunderstandings' of the Koran (let alone the New Testament where you were unaware of the verses pertaining to female deacons until I informed of these passages, but thanks for the laugh). I'm happy for you to address the passage on wife beating in the Koran and 'explain' why a man physically reprimanding his wife is not misogynist. I have a feeling your argument will boil down to your belief that beating your wife is not sexist, but hey, maybe you'll perform some pretty impressive mental gymnastics explaining away this sexist/misogynist passage?