Surah An-Nur: 58
"O you who have believed..."
It is a command that slaves must seek permission. It is also said: slaves, slave-girls, and children among the free who have not yet reached puberty.
"{Three times}" during the day and night:
- Before the dawn prayer: Because it is the time for rising from beds, casting off sleeping garments, and putting on the clothes of the day.
- At noon: Because it is the time for removing clothes for the midday nap (qaylulah).
- After the night prayer: Because it is the time for stripping off the clothes of the day and wrapping oneself in sleeping garments.
He named each of these states an ‘awrah (vulnerability/exposure) because people’s state of covering and modesty is compromised during them. ‘Awrah means a defect or gap; from this comes the expression "the horseman was exposed (a‘wara)" or "the place was exposed," and the "one-eyed man (al-a‘war)" is one whose eye is defective.
Then, He excused them from seeking permission outside of these times and explained the reason for the excuse in His saying: "{They move about among you}." This means that you and they have a need for constant interaction and intermingling: they move about you to serve, and you move about them to be served. If the command to seek permission were made absolute for every time, it would lead to hardship.
It is narrated that Mudlij ibn ‘Amr, an Ansarite youth, was sent by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) at noon to call ‘Umar. He entered upon him while he was sleeping, and his garment had slipped off. ‘Umar said, "I wish Allah, the Almighty, had forbidden our fathers, our children, and our servants from entering upon us at these hours except with permission." He then went with him to the Prophet (ﷺ) and found that this verse had been revealed. It is one of the verses revealed because of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).
It is also said: It was revealed regarding Asma’ bint Abi Murshid, who said, "We enter upon a man and his wife, and they might be under one blanket." Another account says a grown servant of hers entered upon her at a time she disliked, so she went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "Our servants and boys enter upon us in a state we dislike."
Regarding the recitation:
- Abu ‘Amr read al-hulm with a sukun (on the lam).
- It is read as thalatha ‘awratin (in the accusative case) as a substitute for thalatha marratin (three times), meaning: three times of vulnerability.
- Al-A‘mash read it as ‘awratin according to the dialect of Hudhayl.
If you ask: What is the grammatical position of laysa ‘alaykum (there is no blame upon you)?
I say: If you read thalathu ‘awratin in the nominative, it is in the position of an adjective. The meaning is: "They are three times of vulnerability specifically requiring permission." If you read it in the accusative, it has no grammatical position; it is a statement confirming the command to seek permission during those specific states only.
If you ask: What makes ba‘dukum (some of you) nominative?
I say: It is the subject (mubtada’), and its predicate is ‘ala ba‘din (upon some), meaning: "some of you are moving about upon others." The word "moving about" (ta’if) is omitted because tawwafuna (they move about) indicates it. It is also permissible that it is raised by an implied yatawwafu (they move about) due to that indication.
"{And when the children among you reach puberty, let them ask permission as those before them have asked. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses; and Allah is Knowing, Wise.}"
