Surah An-Nur 24:58

The Times when Servants and Young Children should seek Permission to enter

These Ayat include a discussion of how people who are closely related should seek permission to enter upon one another. What was mentioned earlier in the Surah had to do with how unrelated people should seek permission to enter upon one another. Allah commanded the believers to ensure that their servants and their children who have not yet reached puberty should seek permission at three times: the first is before the Fajr prayer, because people are asleep in their beds at that time.

(and while you put off your clothes during the afternoon,) means, at the time of rest, because a man may be in a state of undress with his wife at that time.

(and after the `Isha' prayer.) because this is the time for sleep. Servants and children are commanded not to enter upon household members at these times, because it is feared that a man may be in an intimate situation with his wife and so on. Allah says:

((These) three (times) are of privacy for you; other than these times there is no sin on you or on them) If they enter at a time other than these, there is no sin on you if you let them enter, and no sin on them if they see something at a time other than these times. They have been given permission to enter suddenly, because they are those who go around in the house, i.e., to serve you etc., and as such they may be forgiven for things that others will not be forgiven. Although this Ayah is quite clear and has not been abrogated, people hardly follow it, and `Abdullah bin `Abbas denounced the people for that. Abu Dawud recorded that Ibn `Abbas said: "Most of the people do not follow it, the Ayah that speaks about asking permission, but I tell my servant woman to seek permission to enter." Abu Dawud said: `Ata' also narrated that Ibn `Abbas commanded this. Ath-Thawri narrated that Musa bin Abi `A'ishah said, "I asked Ash-Sha`bi about the Ayah:

(Let your slaves and slave-girls ask your permission.) He said, `It has not been abrogated.' I said: `But the people do not do that.' He said, `May Allah help them."' Then Allah says:

(And when the children among you come to puberty, then let them (also) ask for permission, as those senior to them (in age)) meaning: when the children who used to seek permission at the three times of privacy reach puberty, then they have to seek permission at all times, i.e., with regard to those who are non-relatives, and at times when a man may be in a state of intimacy with his wife, even if it is not one of the three times stated above.

There is no Sin on Elderly Women if They do not wear a Cloak

(And the Qawa`id among women.) Sa`id bin Jubayr, Muqatil bin Hayyan, Ad-Dahhak and Qatadah said that these are the women who no longer think that they can bear children,

(who do not hope for marriage,) meaning, they no longer have any desire for marriage,

(it is no sin on them if they discard their (outer) clothing in such a way as not to show their adornment.) meaning, they do not have to cover themselves in the same way that other women have to. Abu Dawud recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that the Ayah:

(And tell the believing women to lower their gaze) 24:31 was abrogated and an exception was made in the case of:

(the past childbearing among women who do not hope for marriage, .)

(it is no sin on them if they discard their (outer) clothing) Ibn Mas`ud said about (outer) clothing,, "The Jilbab or Rida'." A similar view was also narrated from Ibn `Abbas, Ibn `Umar, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Abu Ash-Sha`tha', Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Az-Zuhri, Al-`Awza`i and others.

(in such a way as not to show their adornment.) Sa`id bin Jubayr said, "They should not make a wanton display of themselves by removing their outer garment so that their adornment may be seen."

(But to refrain is better for them.) means, not removing their outer garment, even though that is permissible for them, is better for them.

(And Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.)

Diriwayatkan oleh Ibnu Abi hatim dari Muqatil Ibnu hayyan, bahwasannya seorang laki-laki dari kaum Ansar bersama istrinya Asma' binti Musyidah membuat makanan untuk Nabi Saw, kemudian Asma' berkata, "Wahai Rasulullah, alangkah jeleknya ini. Sesungguhnya masuk pada (kamar) isteri dan suaminya sedang keduanya berada dalam satu sarung masing-masing dari keduanya tanpa izin, lalu turunlah ayat ini.

Sebagaimana kita ketahui, pada masa kini sebuah rumah biasanya terdiri atas beberapa kamar, dan tiap-tiap kamar ditempati oleh anggota keluarga dan orang lain yang ada di rumah itu. Ada kamar untuk kepala keluarga dan istrinya, ada kamar untuk anak-anak dan kamar untuk pembantu dan lain sebagainya. Biasanya masing-masing anggota keluarga dapat masuk ke kamar yang bukan kamarnya itu bila ada keperluan dan tidak perlu minta izin kepada penghuni kamar itu. Akan tetapi, Islam memberikan batas-batas waktu untuk kebebasan memasuki kamar orang lain. Maka para hamba sahaya, dan anak-anak yang belum balig tidak dibenarkan memasuki kamar orang tua atau kamar anggota keluarga yang sudah dewasa dan berkeluarga pada waktu-waktu yang ditentukan kecuali meminta izin lebih dahulu, seperti dengan mengetuk pintu dan sebagainya. Bila ada jawaban dari dalam "Silahkan masuk", barulah mereka boleh masuk. Waktu-waktu yang ditentukan itu ialah pertama pada waktu pagi hari sebelum salat Subuh, kedua pada waktu sesudah Zuhur, dan ketiga pada waktu sesudah salat Isya'.

Waktu-waktu itu disebut dalam ayat ini "aurat", karena pada waktu-waktu itu biasanya orang belum mengenakan pakaiannya dan aurat mereka belum ditutupi semua dengan pakaian. Pada pagi hari sebelum bangun untuk salat subuh biasanya orang masih memakai pakaian tidur. Demikian pula halnya pada waktu istirahat sesudah zuhur dan istirahat panjang sesudah Isya'. Pada waktu-waktu istirahat seperti itu suami istri mungkin melakukan hal-hal yang tidak pantas dilihat oleh orang lain, pembantu, atau anak-anak.

Adapun di luar tiga waktu yang telah ditentukan itu maka amat berat rasanya kalau diwajibkan meminta izin dahulu sebelum memasuki kamar-kamar itu, karena para pembantu dan anak-anak sudah sewajarnya bergerak bebas dalam rumah karena banyak yang akan diurus dan banyak pula yang perlu diambil dari kamar-kamar tersebut. Para pembantu biasa memasuki kamar untuk membersihkan kamar atau untuk mengambil sesuatu yang diperintahkan oleh tuan atau nyonya rumah dan demikian pula halnya dengan anak-anak.

Allah menjelaskan adab sopan santun dalam rumah tangga yang harus dipatuhi dan dilaksanakan. Para ahli ilmu jiwa setelah mengadakan penelitian yang mendalam berpendapat bahwa anak-anak di bawah umur (sebelum balig) tidak boleh melihat hal-hal yang belum patut dilihatnya karena akan sangat besar pengaruhnya terhadap perkembangan jiwa mereka dan mungkin akan menimbulkan berbagai macam penyakit kejiwaan. Amat besar hikmah adab sopan santun ini bagi ketenteraman rumah tangga, dan memang demikianlah halnya karena adab ini diperintahkan oleh Allah Yang Maha Mengetahui dan Mahabijaksana.