Morality and chastity is hallmark for both Muslim men and women. Surah 24. An Nur (The Light) dwells at length to instruct the Muslims to ensure very high degree of modesty so as to ensure a clean and lewdness free environment. We have published aut number of posts covering instructions for both men and women to pay special attention to this aspect. This post today is exclusive for Muslim women based on verse 31 of Surah An Nur with regard to their conduct and adornment. Eminent Muslim scholar Ibn Kathīr emphasizes this verse lays down instructions to prevent fitnah (temptation) and preserve honor and privacy of Muslim women within and outside the household.
We have already published a detailed explanation / tafseer of the 31st verse which is contained in the Part I of the tafseer / exegesis of the Surah, link given at te end of the post.
The Verse:
وَقُلْ لِّـلۡمُؤۡمِنٰتِ يَغۡضُضۡنَ مِنۡ اَبۡصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحۡفَظۡنَ فُرُوۡجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبۡدِيۡنَ زِيۡنَتَهُنَّ اِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنۡهَا وَلۡيَـضۡرِبۡنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلٰى جُيُوۡبِهِنَّ وَلَا يُبۡدِيۡنَ زِيۡنَتَهُنَّ اِلَّا لِبُعُوۡلَتِهِنَّ اَوۡ اٰبَآئِهِنَّ اَوۡ اٰبَآءِ بُعُوۡلَتِهِنَّ اَوۡ اَبۡنَآئِهِنَّ اَوۡ اَبۡنَآءِ بُعُوۡلَتِهِنَّ اَوۡ اِخۡوَانِهِنَّ اَوۡ بَنِىۡۤ اِخۡوَانِهِنَّ اَوۡ بَنِىۡۤ اَخَوٰتِهِنَّ اَوۡ نِسَآئِهِنَّ اَوۡ مَا مَلَـكَتۡ اَيۡمَانُهُنَّ اَوِ التّٰبِعِيۡنَ غَيۡرِ اُولِى الۡاِرۡبَةِ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ اَوِ الطِّفۡلِ الَّذِيۡنَ لَمۡ يَظۡهَرُوۡا عَلٰى عَوۡرٰتِ النِّسَآءِ وَلَا يَضۡرِبۡنَ بِاَرۡجُلِهِنَّ لِيُـعۡلَمَ مَا يُخۡفِيۡنَ مِنۡ زِيۡنَتِهِنَّ ؕ وَتُوۡبُوۡۤا اِلَى اللّٰهِ جَمِيۡعًا اَيُّهَ الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُوۡنَ
(24:31) And enjoin believing women to cast down their looks and guard their private parts and not reveal their adornment except that which is revealed of itself, and to draw their veils over their bosoms, and not to reveal their adornment save to their husbands, or their fathers, or the fathers of their husbands,or of their own sons, or the sons of their husbands, or their brothers, or the sons of their brothers, or the sons of their sisters, or the women with whom they associate, or those that are in their bondage, or the male attendants in their service free of sexual interest, or boys that are yet unaware of illicit matters pertaining to women. Nor should they stamp their feet on the ground in such manner that their hidden ornament becomes revealed. Believers, turn together, all of you, to Allah in repentance that you may attain true success.
Breakdown of the Verse
- "Tell the believing women to lower their gaze..."
- Just as men are commanded in verse 30 to lower their gaze, women are too.
- This promotes self-discipline and mutual respect, discouraging objectification and unhealthy attraction.
- This also means avoiding looking at men with desire, or looking at anything haram (prohibited).
- Prophet ﷺ has been attributed as saying: "The glance is a poisoned arrow of the devil. Whoever lowers his gaze for the sake of Allah, He will give him a sweetness of faith in his heart." (Reported in Hakim, Tabarani)
- "...and guard their chastity..."
- Upholding sexual morality is central in Islam.
- It extends to thought, dress, speech, and action—creating a boundary around sexual behavior.
- Ibn Kathīr says:
- This includes avoiding unlawful sexual activity and guarding one’s modesty in public.
- It’s not just about actions, but also about avoiding situations that lead to temptation or shame.
- It applies both physically and emotionally—not exposing or inviting unwanted attention.
- "...and not to reveal their beauty (zinah) except what [normally] appears..."
- "Zinah" refers to physical beauty and adornments (clothes, jewelry, makeup, body features).
- Adornment also referes to jewellery, make up and party outfits which women specially wear on occasions of dressing-up.
- The actual words used for this are: اِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا. Their correct meaning is: جَرَتِ الْعَادَة وَ الْجِبِلَّة عَلي ظُهُورِهِ وَ الْاَصْل فِيِهِ الْظُهُوْر اِلَّا مَا, as pointed out by al-Zamakhsharī, (Al-Kashshāf, vol. 3, 236). It means the embellishments of the body parts which a person does not cover generally and instinctively and they are always left bare. These include hands, feet, face etc. The reason for this is that according to syntactical consideration, it is: الظاهر منها. It cannot be taken in the meaning of ان يظهر منها شئ as has been done by some scholars.
- Scholars differ slightly, but the majority interpret “what appears” as the face and hands, possibly including the outer clothing that's unavoidable.
- "...and to draw their khimār (headcover) over their juyūb (chests)..."
- In pre-Islamic Arabia, women wore headscarves but left their necks and upper chests exposed.
- This verse modifies that practice, instructing believing women to extend their headscarves over the chest—an act of added modesty.
- The khimār refers to a headcover, not just any cloth, and juyūb refers to the neckline or bosom area.
- If this purpose can be achieved by some other method than through shawls, there is no harm in it. The purpose is that if women are wearing adornments, they should not open their chests and necklines before men. In fact, they should cover them in such a manner that their adornments are not evident in any way.
- Ibn Khatir adds:
- When Allah commanded that women should pull their scarves over the front (chest) to ensure full modesty.
- Aisha (RA), said: "When this verse was revealed, the women of Ansar tore their waist sheets and covered their heads and faces with them." (Reported in Abu Dawud)
- This shows the immediate, faithful response of the early Muslim women to Allah’s command.
- ".. and they should not reveal their embellishments to anyone except.."
- The first exception was that of: اِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا. Now the second exception is stated ie., relatives before whom there is no restriction to hide adornments.
- For one’s father and father-in-law, the word used by the Qur’ān is آبَآء (ābā). This word not only implies the father, but also the paternal and maternal uncles and grandfathers. Therefore, a lady can display her embellishments before these adults of both her maternal and paternal family and those of her husband’s just as she can before her father and father-in-law.
- The word “son” implies the grand and great grand sons, both maternal and paternal ones without any discrimination of real or step relations. The same implies for the sons of brothers and sisters. In these relations also, the sons of real, step and foster brothers and sisters are understood to be included.
- It is evident from these words that unknown women should be treated the same way as men and a Muslim lady should be very careful in displaying her concealed embellishments before them. The reason is that at times a woman can have sexual leanings towards her own gender. Similarly, at times, being influenced by the physical features and attributes of women, these unrelated women become a means of inclining men towards them and vice versa too.
- "Nor should they stamp their feet on the ground in such manner that their hidden ornament becomes revealed"
- "Stamp their feet..."
- Refers to walking in a deliberate, noticeable, or rhythmic way that draws attention.
- In classical Arabian society (and in many other cultures), women would wear anklets, bangles, or jewelry under their clothes.
- Stamping or stepping firmly could cause the jewelry to jingle, or highlight bodily movement, thereby attracting attention, even if the jewelry itself remained unseen.
- "...so that their hidden adornment is made known..."
- "Hidden adornment" (زينتهن المخفية) includes jewelry, makeup, perfume, or body features that are not meant to be exposed in public.
- Even if the actual item is not visible, the sound, motion, or suggestion of it may cause undue attraction or stimulate curiosity, which the verse discourages.
- Since custom of slavery has been abolished from Islam, the part of the verse that relate to slave men and women is not being explained.
Conclusion by Ibn Kathīr:
- This verse aims to protect women and preserve societal morality.
- It sets limits for interaction between genders to avoid corruption and fitnah.
- Ibn Kathīr links modesty in dress to taqwa (God-consciousness).
Application in the Present Times
This verse is both spiritually timeless and socially relevant, offering practical guidance in an age of hyper-visibility, social media, and blurred moral boundaries.
- Modesty in Dress (Hijab)
- This verse is a foundational text for the Islamic dress code for women.
- While interpretations differ slightly across cultures and schools of thought, the key principle is modesty and non-sexualization of appearance in public.
- In the modern world, where fashion is often used to attract attention, Islam offers a counter-narrative: dignity through discretion.
- Note: Hijab is not just a headscarf. It's a comprehensive concept that includes behavior, gaze, speech, and clothing.
- Lowering the Gaze in the Digital Age
- Today’s challenges are unique: Instagram, TikTok, streaming, dating apps, and hyper-sexualized content are everywhere.
- The command to lower the gaze isn’t just about the physical world—it extends to virtual interactions:
- Scrolling through provocative content
- Sharing or watching revealing videos/photos
- Engaging in flirtatious chats
- This verse calls both men and women to exercise intentional control over what they see and how they respond.
- Reclaiming Modesty in a Hyper-Sexualized Culture
- Modern media often equates value with appearance—especially for women.
- Verse 31 shifts the focus back to character, self-respect, and God-consciousness.
- This verse empowers women to be seen for who they are, not just how they look.
- Respectful Interactions Between Genders
- This verse, in harmony with verse 30 (for men), promotes healthy boundaries.
- It fosters dignity, mutual respect, and professionalism in mixed-gender environments—schools, offices, online spaces.
Summary: The Spirit Behind the Verse
Surah An-Nūr:31 is not a restriction, but a protection. It is:
- A guide for women to preserve their dignity in an overexposed world.
- A reminder that modesty is liberating, not limiting.
- A balance between personal expression and social responsibility.
- A call for a culture of respect, free from objectification and unwanted sexual attention.
The early Muslims obeyed these instructions instantly, out of deep faith. but today, the media projects such instructiosn as a bar on freedom of women and even some Muslim women, who perhaps are ignorant to the Divine instructions and specially this verse, want to live freely breaking all barriers placed on them, without realising:
- Modesty is otection, not suppression.
- Gender interaction must be respectful and controlled.
- Spiritual beauty outweighs physical beauty.
- Obedience to Allah should be immediate and joyful, as shown by the women of Medina.
Let Qur'an be read and understood for each word of it carries Divine wisodm, which instead of being questioned should be happily abided by for in it lies the pleasure of Allah and displeasure of the evil.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
For more selected verses fro Surah An Nur, please refer to our reference page: Al-Qurʾān: Selected verses from Sūrah 24. An-Nur (The Light)
Fore more selected verses from Al-Qurʾān Please refer to our Selected verses from Sūrahs of Qur'an to highlight important topics with detailed explanation and Reference Page on Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.
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