Tafsir of verse 31
Al-Mukhtasar
And tell the believing women to stop their eyes from looking at the private parts Allah has made unlawful for them to look at and to protect their private parts by staying far from indecency and by covering themselves. And they should not display their beauty to strangers except that which is apparent thereof and which cannot be hidden, such as clothing. They should draw their coverings over the openings at the top of their clothes, to cover their hair, faces and necks, and they should not expose their hidden beauty 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, or their women who are believers, be they Muslim or disbelievers, or the servants they own, be they male or female, or male attendants who have no desire for women, or children who have not become aware of the private aspects of women due to their being small. And women should not strike their feet with the intention of making known the adornment they are hiding, such as anklets and so forth. And all of you repent to Allah, O believers, for the gaze and so forth which affects you, in the hope that you are successful in attaining the goal and are saved from what is feared.
Tafsir of the whole Surah An-Nur
Other translations of verse 31
Tell the believing women to lower their gazes and guard their private parts, and not to reveal their beauty19 except what appears20. And let them draw their veils over their chests, and not to reveal their beauty21 except to their husbands, their fathers, their fathers-in-law, their sons, their stepsons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons or sisters’ sons, their fellow women, slaves whom they own, male attendants who have no [sexual] desire22, or children who are still unaware of private aspects of women. Nor let them stamp their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden charm. And turn to Allah in repentance all together, O believers, so that you may be successful.
Notes
[19] Both natural beauty such as hair and body shape, and other beauty such as clothing, jewelry, etc. [20] i.e., outer garments, etc. [21] i.e., hair, neck, arms, legs, etc.
[22] An abnormal condition where a man is devoid of sexual feelings.
And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer palms of hands or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, head-cover, apron, etc.), and to draw their veils all over Juyûbihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islâm), or the (female) slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigour, or small children who have no sense of feminine sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you beg Allâh to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful.3
Notes
[3] (V.24:31) "And to draw their veils all over Juyûbihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks, and bosoms) and not to reveal their adornment..."
Narrated ‘Âishahرضي الله عنها: ‘May Allâh bestow His Mercy on the early emigrant women. When Allâh revealed:
"And to draw their veils all over Juyûbihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks, and bosoms)" - they tore their Murût (a woollen dress, or a waist-binding cloth or an apron, etc.) and covered their heads and faces with those torn Murût’
Narrated Safiyyah bint Shaibah: ‘Âishah used to say: ‘When the Verse:
"And to draw their veils all over Juyûbihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks, and bosoms)" (V.24:31) was revealed, (the ladies) cut their waist sheets at the edges and covered their heads and faces with those cut pieces of cloth.’ (Sahih Al Bukhari, Vol.6, Hadith No.282).
And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils over their bosoms, and not to reveal their adornment save to their own husbands or fathers or husbands' fathers, or their sons or their husbands' sons, or their brothers or their brothers' sons or sisters' sons, or their women, or their slaves, or male attendants who lack vigour, or children who know naught of women's nakedness. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And turn unto Allah together, O believers, in order that ye may succeed.
And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! turn ye all together towards Allah, that ye may attain Bliss.
And say to the believing women that they cast down their looks and guard their private parts and do not display their ornaments except what appears thereof, and let them wear their head-coverings over their bosoms, and not display their ornaments except to their husbands or their fathers, or the fathers of their husbands, or their sons, or the sons of their husbands, or their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or those whom their right hands possess, or the male servants not having need (of women), or the children who have not attained knowledge of what is hidden of women; and let them not strike their feet so that what they hide of their ornaments may be known; and turn to Allah all of you, O believers! so that you may be successful.
And say to the female believers to cast down their be holdings, and preserve their private parts, and not display their adornment except such as is outward, and let them fix (Literally: strike) closely their veils over their bosoms, and not display their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husbands' fathers, or their sons, or their husbands' sons, or their brothers, or their brothers's sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or what their right hands possess, or (male) followers, men without desire (Literally: without being endowed with "sexual" desire) or young children who have not yet attained knowledge of women's privacies, and they should not strike their legs (i.e., stamp their feet) so that whatever adornment they hide may be known. And repent to Allah altogether, (O) you believers, that possibly you would prosper.
