Rules for Women

الْخِمَارَ وَ الْجِلْبَابَ قُلْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ مَنْ كَانَ فَقَالَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ مَنْ كَانَ‌[1] غَيْرَ مُتَبَرِّجَةٍ بِزِينَةٍ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَهَا وَ الزِّينَةُ الَّتِي يُبْدِينَ لَهُنَّ شَيْ‌ءٌ[2] فِي الْآيَةِ الْأُخْرَى.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), read the words of Allah, . . if they leave aside their garment,’ (24: 60) and said these words refer to veil and gown.’ I then asked, ‘In front of whom can they leave their garments aside?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is in front of those before whom it is not considered a show off with beauty (see

الْقَواعِدُ مِنَ النِّساءِ لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِنَّ جُنَاحٌ أَنْ يَضَعْنَ ثِيَابَهُنَ‌[3] قَالَ تَضَعُ الْجِلْبَابَ وَحْدَهُ‌[4].

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Muhammad ibn abu Hamzah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Of the rules about women one is that they can leave their garments aside and this refers to their gown only.’”

فِي قَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- وَ الْقَواعِدُ مِنَ النِّساءِ اللَّاتِي لا يَرْجُونَ نِكاحاً مَا الَّذِي يَصْلُحُ لَهُنَّ أَنْ يَضَعْنَ مِنْ ثِيَابِهِنَّ قَالَ الْجِلْبَابُ.

“I once asked abu Ja’far (a.s.), about the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘Of the rules for women whose marriage age has expired,’ and that what kind of their garments is proper to leave aside?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is just the gown.’”

الْجِلْبَابَ وَ الْخِمَارَ إِذَا كَانَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ مُسِنَّةً.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once read the words of Allah, ‘. . . that they can leave their garments aside’ (24:31) then said, ‘It is the gown and veil, if she is old.’”