And when He, glorified and exalted is He, forbade harm to the believing women, and the free women were far from the desire of the corruptors due to what they have in themselves of chastity and for the men concerning them of care. And there were a group of the people of suspicion who would follow the maidservants when they went out, exposing them to corruption. The free women would go out for their needs at night, and sometimes one of the people of suspicion would follow one of them, thinking she was a maidservant or knowing that she was free and would claim that he thought she was a maidservant, thus exposing her. And sometimes he would return and say to his companions: 'I acted with her,' while he is lying, and among the people are those who know that she is so-and-so, and from that harm occurs which cannot be described. And at that time, as has been reported from Muqatil, there was no distinction between the free woman and the maidservant; they would go out in a garment and a headscarf, and the distinguishing mark of the free women was a sign by which they were recognized - to be honored and to maintain modesty - which would alleviate this evil. Allah, the Most High, said: 'O Prophet,' and He mentioned him with the description which is the source of knowledge and wisdom, because the context is for a wisdom that protects the free women so that his ﷺ thoughts do not become preoccupied with what happens to them from harm, preventing him from receiving something from the divine inspirations. 'Say to your wives,' He began with them due to what they have of connection through marriage. 'And your daughters,' He mentioned them second due to what they have of connection, and they have in themselves of honor. And He delayed them from the wives because his wives would suffice him in their matters. 'And the women of the believers should draw close,' meaning: they should cover 'upon their faces and all of their bodies, so that they leave nothing of it uncovered 'from their outer garments.' And they should not resemble the maidservants in their clothing when they go out for their needs by exposing their hair and the like, thinking that this is more concealing and protective for them. The jilbab is the shirt, and it is a wide garment less than the mantle that a woman wears. And the mantle is what covers the clothing, or the headscarf, which is everything that covers the head. Al-Baghawi said: The jilbab is the mantle that a woman wraps herself in over the shirt and the headscarf. Hamza al-Kirmaniy said: Al-Khalil said: Everything by which one covers oneself from a garment and a dress and a cloak is a jilbab. All of this is valid in its intention here. If the intended meaning is the shirt, then drawing it close means making it long enough to cover her hands and feet. If it is what covers the head, then drawing it close means covering her face and neck. If it is what covers the clothing, then drawing it close means lengthening it and widening it so that it covers all of her body and her garments. And if it is less than the mantle, then the intended meaning is covering the face and hands.

And when he commanded this, he explained it by saying: ﴿That﴾ meaning: the covering ﴿is closer﴾ meaning: it is nearer than leaving it in ﴿to be recognized﴾ that they are free women by what distinguishes them from the maidservants. ﴿So﴾ meaning: it leads to the knowledge of them that they should not ﴿be harmed﴾ by those who approach the maidservants. So let not your heart be distracted from receiving what comes to you of the divine news. And when He, glorified and exalted is He, elevated them with this command in the presence of the Divine Pleasure, they feared the consequence of what they were in of error by resembling the maidservants. So He informed them, glorified and exalted is He, that He is in the place of generosity and kindness. And He said: ﴿And Allah﴾ meaning: the One who has absolute perfection, eternally and forever ﴿is Forgiving﴾ meaning: erasing sins in essence and effect ﴿and Merciful﴾ honoring those who turn to Him and obey His commands and avoid His prohibitions. Al-Baghawi said: Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: A veiled woman passed by Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, and he struck her with his stick and said: O you! Do you resemble the free women? Remove the veil.