The Muslim Woman and ‘Tabarruj’…
وَقَرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ الْأُولَىٰ ۖ وَأَقِمْنَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتِينَ الزَّكَاةَ وَأَطِعْنَ اللَّـهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ۚ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّـهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا
And stay in your houses and do not display your finery (tabarruj) like the displaying (tabarruj) of the ignorance of yore… [Surah Ahzaab, Verse 33]
The Comments of the Mufasireen (people of tafseer) with regard to what Tabarruj means in the above verse:
Abu Ubaydah (RA): when a woman exhibits her beauty and her body in a way as to cause sexual excitement in men.
Mubarrad: when a woman reveals her physical attractiveness which she is required to hide.
Lais: Tabarruj when a woman does not hide the beauty of her face and her physical shape and considers it good to reveal it.
Mujahid and Qatadah: means walking in a lewd way.
Muqatil: when a woman only covers hear head with her scarf without covering her neck and chest.
Ibn Jawzi, after quoting the above statements, writes: I believe that coming out of her house and roaming about the streets in itself is sufficient to cause trouble, let alone exhibiting her beauty and her body. [Ahkaam'un Nisa]
Imam Abu Bakr Jassas: This verse provides a clear argument that women are required to stay in their homes and it is forbidden for them to leave their homes [without a Shari' reason]… and all the etiquettes in this verse were taught to the Wives of the Prophet SAWS to safeguard their chastity. All Muslim women are required to follow these commandments. [Jassas, Vol 5, p. 230].
Ibn Kathir: These are the etiquettes Allah taught the Wives of the Prophet SAWS and since all the women of the Muslim ummah are required to follow their example, these commandments are applicable to all Muslim women. [Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Vol 3, p.83]
Fatima RA: “the best thing for a woman is to stay at home and not to be seen by strange men” (Bukhari)
***
What does this have to do with the men?
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 59:
O Prophet, enjoin your wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons. It is expected that they will thus be recognized, and not molested. Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
“I believe that coming out of her house and roaming about the streets in itself is sufficient to cause trouble”
No one just “roams about the streets” except if you’re homeless..
Sometimes, I just need to leave my house, to play a soccer game, to jog around the lake, or some other sort of entertainment after a long week of studying..
My mother should be allowed to do that too..