What is adornment in 24:60 [closed]

Question

(As for women past child-bearing, who have no hope of marriage) and do not need to get married, (it is no sin for them) for such women (if they discard their (outer) clothing) in front of strange people (in such a way as not to show adornment) without adorning themselves or showing their adornment to strangers. (But to refrain) to keep their outer garment on (is better for them) than discarding it. (Allah is Hearer) He hears what they say, (Knower) He knows their deeds. 24:60

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What is Adornment?

a thing which adorns or decorates; an ornament.

An adornment is generally an accessory or ornament worn to enhance the beauty or status of the wearer.

the act or process of making someone or something attractive by decorating : the act or process of adorning someone or something.

something that adds attractiveness

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Point 1: These explanations are in English and the word adornment is in English as well so, there is a high probability that the word has been explained well.

If adornment = ornament(non-body parts) If adornment = Regular_Cloths/Jewelry/Perfume/ then by referring to the following part of 24:60

without adorning themselves or showing their adornment to strangers

i.e. Outer cloths can be put off but adornment or Regular_Cloths/Jewelry/Perfume should still be kept hidden, So

Q 1.1 Which things get exposed after removing outer cloths while Regular_Cloths/Jewelry/Perfume are still hidden?

Q 1.2 What is the logic in hiding Regular_Cloths/Jewelry/Perfume even for an old woman?

Q 1.3 What benefit/relief will an old woman get by exposing that thing (answer of Q 1.1)?

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Point 2: Since زينة is an Arabic word so there is a high possibility that the adornment is not the right word for زينة or there is no 100% accurate translation possible.

Now if زينة = outer-body-parts(hair, neck, feet, face, hands) and not Regular_Cloths/Jewelry/Perfume then by referring to the following part of 24:60

without adorning themselves or showing their adornment to strangers

i.e. Outer cloths can be put off but adornment or hair, neck, feet, face, hands should still be kept hidden, So

Q 2.1 Which things get exposed after removing outer cloths while hair, neck, feet, face, hands are still hidden?

Q 2.2 What is that cloth which is allowed to put off while keeping hair, neck, feet, face, hands hidden from strangers?

Q 2.3 What benefit/relief will an old woman get by exposing that thing (answer of Q 2.1)?

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One would answer all questions of either Point 1 or 2 but not both. It would be interesting if one proves both points valid.

Answer 1

We're defining things according to the Arabic language since Quran is in Arabic and not in English.

"Zeenah" comes from "za ya nun" literally means to add to something and make its appearance look beautiful. Like a decoration or adornment.

Allah uses the word "zeenah" for several different things in the Quran. So it matters on the context of the usage. Allah uses "zeenah" for children, wealth, women, power, horses, mules, donkeys, and even this worldly life is called zeenah and so on.

But when it comes to rulings of hijab, the word "Zeenah" refers to artificial beauty, and not natural beauty of a female.

Artificial beauty includes beautiful clothing, jewelry, perfume etc. And these are the things that a woman must cover up for her to be obeying Allah. [Surah al-Araf]

There are two words mentioned in the Quran in regards to hijab: Khimar (Surah an-Nur) and Jilbab (Surah al-Ahzab).

"Khimar" comes from Khamr literally means to cover the head. But in Surah an-Nur 24:31, Allah tells the females to cover the heads AND "'ala joyubihinna" over their chest.

Khimar is covering the head up to the chest.

And in Surah al-Ahzab 33:59, Allah tells the females to "bring down over themselves their outer garments."

So in summary, first a female must not be naked and wear clothes except in front of her husband (Surah al-Araf), then on top of those clothes she has to wear khimar and jilbab in front of non-mahram men.

Basically, her zeenah cannot be exposed to non-mahram men, including her uncles.

Zeenah is her regular clothes, her jewelery, her perfume, anything that she uses as adornment.

Finally coming to Surah an-Nur 24:60, for those women who cannot bear children and don't desire to marry i.e. used for elder women. They don't have to observe such standards of wearing extra clothing but still have to restrain themselves.

Allaho Alim

Answer 2

زينة simply means something that add beauty or to make look attractive. This could include this like jewelry or items of clothing.

The outer cloth worn is an extra cloth worn over clothing and over ornaments. When the outer cloth is removed, parts of the body are not exposed and neither is the body. Even an old woman should hide ornaments because these items are worn to make one more attractive and therefor not suitable to be worn in-front of those who are non-mahram.

The outer garment is the abaya or jilbab worn over other clothing. Underneath the abaya one will have worn clothing e.g. dress. However these are not to be worn infront of non mahram and so an abaya is worn over the clothing to cover her properly. The abaya hides the beauty of the clothing underneath to avoid attraction of the opposite sex. A headscarf will also have been worn. The out garment however will be worn from head to ankle. It is recommended that the outer garment flows from head to the ankle meaning it does not stop at the shoulder e.g. when you wear a headscarf and dress. Therefor when the outer garment is removed you are still cover since you still have clothing on underneath that cover you and body parts are not revealed.

It does not matter if you are young or old it is still the duty of the muslim to wear clothing to show modesty. You should not wear something to attract the opposite sex. Even if the woman does not wear certain items to attract men but just because she like it, it is still wrong because we do not know the intention of men.

Q 1.1 When you remove the outer cloth, the regular clothes can be seen. Some jewelry may be seen depending on the item how it is worn. Necklaces will not be be on show as the head scarf will cover it howver things like bracels will be seen. Perfume can be smelt however women should not wear stong perume to avoid the attraction of the opposite sex. But even if a weak perfume is applied when removing the outter cloth it may be smelt e.g. when women greet other females by hugging them.

Q 1.2 It does not make a different if you are young or old so your question of an old woman is not really valid. Personally I think older women should try to stay even more modest because younger girls may see them a role model but if they expose parts of their body or wear item that attract the opposite sex younger women will think it is ok too. It is also a matter of self respect. If you dont look after your modesty then men will too treat you like filth.

Q 1.3 By exposing her garment or body part she will simply gain attention from the opposite sex. It may not be likely that she gets the attention of young men thou it is possible. However old men exist too and even when a woman is married she is not allowed to show herself off to other men. She should only try to get her husbund's attention and dress up for him.

Answer 3

God wants women to hide from strangers anything that might be attractive for them, but he says it's no blame if an old woman doesn't put on outer garment. but not to the extent that they also show anything attractive.

زینه = anything attractive!

Q*.1
Anything that might be attractive!

Q1.2
The logic is that no one would probably fall into a sin.

Q2.2
The outer garment is Chador(the usual garment of Muslim women in public places). An old woman can still be unattractive and hiding her anything attractive by not wearing Chador.

Q*.3
The issue is not what gain might be in this for the old woman, The Problem is about society not to lose its order and modesty.

Answer 4

Here is the translation:

And women of post-menstrual age who have no desire for marriage - there is no blame upon them for putting aside their outer garments [but] not displaying adornment. But to modestly refrain [from that] is better for them. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing.

Please note the word OUTER garment. it does not says that completely remove all clothes, but it means outer garment, like Complete Hjiab or Jilbab, that women wear to fully cover their body. In front of their brothers and mahrams, they can remove the Hijab(outer garment).

Adornment, here means that beauty,that is visible to her mahrams, like her hair , neck, feet, face and hands are all visible to them.

And Allah knows the best

Answer 5

As for the meaning of 'zeena' الزِينةُ، بالكسر: ما يُتَزَيَّنُ به What is decorated with/What is used to decorate This is the definition of alQamoos alMuheet, a famous ancient Arabic lexicon (dictionary for Ajami (non-native / Arabized) Arabs. Found here: http://www.baheth.info/ (This site is Arabic only.)

Q 1.1 -

'Zeena' in Arabic simply means "what is used to decorate; decorations; adornment; beautification".

I would say that 'zeena', however it is translated, is a matter of ''urf' or "custom", the relative function or meaning of a matter may have some role on its legality in shari'a. (See more detail here: http: //qahiri.wordpress.com/2012/05/31/shariah-and-sexuality/)

What a people in a given locale/period/culture/etc. consider to be decorative or beautifying is 'zeena'. It is left as a word rather than a list of clothing items/make-up so as to let people decide. It has been related to me by students of knowledge that even 'beard' is what a people in a given time/place/culture consider to be a beard, rather than a set definition.

This, of course, applies in the absence of an explicit mention of an item.

Or you could look at the verse in the Qur-an "And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment." (Qur-an 24.31) From that, you could define 'zeena' as what of beauty or decor can be revealed (visible? audible? ???) by the stamping of the feet.

Since we are not allowed to copy and paste, I will tell you that a full tafsir discussion of the meaning of 'zeena' listing the views of different Companions and jurists can be found here: http:// quranx.com/Tafsir/Maududi/24.31

This is a long way of saying that Question 1.1 is predicated upon a definition/translation of 'zeena' which is not necessarily correct.

Q 1.2 What is the logic in hiding Regular_Cloths/Jewelry/Perfume even for an old woman?

First of all, she doesn't have to, but there are reasons why doing so may be commendable, preferred or recommended.

It is the attitude of modesty. While the question of sexuality is closed, the act of flaunting one's adornments is still immodest. It can breed jealousy, shame people who are poor, and does not

There is also the issue of the example that would be set for younger women who are around them. Young women or girls could learn habits from their elders that do not suit their position.

Q 2.1-3: The 'outer cloth' is different things in different places, even today. In the Arabian Peninsula, it is a black cloak called an 'abaaya that is worn by all women when outside. In Pakistan, it is a very long, wide cloth that covers the head and most of the body, down to the knees. In Thailand, it is only a headscarf, but sometimes that is so big that it covers most of the arms (over a short-sleeved shirt). Basically, a woman gets dressed. Then she covers those- her normal clothes- with something else when in public. That's the outer garment. Her normal clothes are to cover her 'awra and to express and/or beautify herself. She may add jewelry, accessories and make-up for further style, comfort, expression and/or beauty. Then she puts something over all of those in public or in the presence of strangers.

An older woman is not in need of this outer garment because the question of sexuality and sexual activity is closed for her.