Al-Ahzaab (The Clans)

53. “O you who believe! Do not enter the houses of the Prophet for a meal without waiting for the proper time, unless permission be granted you. But when you are invited, enter, and, when your meal is ended, then disperse; neither lingering for conversation; verily this annoys the Prophet, and he is ashamed before you, but Allah is not ashamed before the truth. And when you ask his wives for any object, ask them from behind a curtain. This is purer for your hearts and for their hearts. And it is not for you to hurt Allah’s Messenger, neither to marry his wives after him, ever, verily this is grievous (sin) with Allah.”

To take permission to enter into the people’s house is not allocated to the Prophet’s house.

As we recite in Surah An-Nur:

“…Do not enter houses other than your own houses until you have asked permission…”1

This verse addresses the believers and clearly and expressively, in some short sentences, states some other Islamic ordinances, specially those relating to the rules of etiquette with the Prophet (S) and his household.

At first, it says:

“O you who believe! Do not enter the houses of the Prophet for a meal without waiting for the proper time, unless permission be granted you…”

The Arabic term /’inahu/ is derived from /’ani-ya’ni/ in the sense of ‘the time of something’, and here it means ‘readiness of food for eating’.

Thus, the holy verse states one of the important rules of association that was rarely observed in that environment. This statement outwardly is about the house of the holy Prophet (S), but surely this ordinance does not allocate to him alone.

Never must we enter the house of anyone else without permission, (as Surah An-Nur, No. 24, verse 27 announces, too). It is said that even the Prophet (S), standing outside the door, asked his daughter, Fatimah (as), to enter her house when he wanted to go into it.

Once when he wanted to go in, Jabir-ibn-‘Abdillah was with the Prophet (S), then after that he (S) asked permission for him to enter, he (S) asked permission for Jabir, too. Moreover, when some people are invited for a meal, they must be punctual and do not bother the landlord out of place.

Then the verse refers to the second ordinance, saying:

“…But when you are invited, enter, and, when your meal is ended, then disperse…”

In fact, this ordinance is as an emphasis and complimentary for the previous ordinance. You should neither enter a house out of place when you have been invited for it, nor ignore the invitation, nor stay there for a long time after eating the meal.

It is evident that contrasting these affairs causes trouble for the host and it does not agree with the principles of ethics. For the third ordinance, the verse implies that you should not form a meeting of conversation in the house of the holy Prophet (S), nor in any other host’s house.

It says:

“…neither lingering for conversation…”

Of course, sometimes it happens that the host is willing to have such a meeting of conversation; in this case it is an exception. These wards are about the case that the invitation is for only eating food, not for forming the meeting of conversation.

In such a place, after eating the meal, meeting must be left, specially that the house is that of the Prophet (S), the centre of accomplishing the greatest divine missions, and some troublesome affairs must not occupy his time.

Then, the Holy Qur’an states the reason of this ordinance as follows:

“…verily this annoys the Prophet, and he is ashamed before you, but Allah is not ashamed before the truth…”

Of course, concerning the instances that had not a personal and private nature, the Prophet of Allah (S) never refused to say the truth, while to state the right of persons from the side of them is not so fair, but it is interesting and beautiful when it is said from the side of others, and the case in the verse is of this kind.

The ethical principles required that the Prophet (S) would not defend himself, but Allah defended him.

Then, the fourth ordinance is stated about the subject of veil, as follows:

“…And when you ask his wives for any object, ask them from behind a curtain…”

It has been a custom among Arabs, as well as many other people, that when they are in need of some furniture and means of life they borrow them temporarily from the neighbour. The Prophet’s house was also one of them and, now and then, neighbours would come and borrow something from the wives of the Prophet (S).

It is clear that coming before the people’s sight (even with Islamic veil) was not a good action for the Prophet’s wives, that was why it was ordained that they would take them from behind the curtain or the door.

The point which must be taken under consideration is that the purpose of the Qur’anic word /hijab/, in this verse, is not the women’s veil, but it is an ordinance added to it which had been particular for the wives of the Prophet (S).

By it, for the special conditions of the wives of the Prophet (S), people were commanded if they wanted to take something from them, they would take it from behind the curtain, and these wives should not appear before people in such instances, even with Islamic cover.

This ordinance, of course, has not been ordained about other women, for whom only observing the religious cover is enough.

This command was ordained for the wives of the Prophet because of the existence of the abundant enemies and self-interested fault-finders who might denigrate them and the black-hearted persons might take it as a document; then this special command was for them, or, in other words, it was given to the people that at the time of asking something from the Prophet’s wives they would ask them what they wanted from behind the curtain.

Specially the application of the Qur’anic word /wara’/ (behind) is a witness for it.

Next to this command, the Qur’an states the philosophy of it as follows:

“…This is purer for your hearts and for their hearts…”

The Qur’an states the fifth ordinance as follows:

“…And it is not for you to hurt Allah’s Messenger…”

The act of annoyance is mentioned in this verse and it is to go to the Prophet’s house out of place, and staying there and causing bother after eating the meal, yet, however, the concept of the verse is general and envelops any kind of annoyance and hurt.

In Islamic narrations, there is also mentioned in occasion of revelation indicating that some of the black hearted persons had sworn that after the Prophet (S) they would marry with his wives. This speech was another hurt, too.

Finally, the sixth, and the last divine ordinance, is about the prohibition of marriage with wives of the Prophet (S) after him, as follows:

“…neither to marry his wives after him, ever, verily this is grievous (sin) with Allah.”