"Etiquettes for Women while Walking on the Road"
Written by: Respected Sheikh Maqbool Ahmad Salafi Hafizahullah, Jeddah Dawah Center, Al- Salamah, Saudi Arabia
Written by: Respected Sheikh Maqbool Ahmad Salafi Hafizahullah, Jeddah Dawah Center, Al- Salamah, Saudi Arabia
A sister had asked a question that when a woman walks on the road, what things should she keep in mind and how should she walk, whether she should walk slowly or fast, and whether she should keep her head straight or slightly bent, and what other things should she keep in mind?
I thought this question was very important, so I decided to collect important information related to it so that the inquirer and other Muslim sisters could benefit from it. Therefore, in the context of the aforementioned question, I will briefly mention the guidance from the Shariah in the following lines.
When a woman decides to leave her house, she should first keep three things in mind:
(1) Allah Almighty has commanded women to stay in their homes, so women should stick to their homes and not step out of the house without necessity. When a woman needs to go out of the house, she should only go out then.
Allah Almighty says:
وَقَرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ الْأُولَىٰ(الاحزاب:33)
Translation: "And stay in your homes and do not display your beauty like the display of the former times of ignorance."
In this verse, Allah has commanded women to stay in their homes on the one hand, and on the other hand, it is also known that women can go out of the house if necessary, but not like the display of beauty in the days of ignorance, rather with a veil.
Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to dislike women going out of the house very much. Once, Hazrat Saudah (may Allah be pleased with her) went out of the house for a need (after the command of veil was revealed), Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) recognized her due to her heavy body and said, "How are you going out?" She returned home, and the incident was mentioned to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and then the revelation came, and he (peace be upon him) said:
:إِنَّهُ قَدْ أُذِنَ لَكُنَّ أَنْ تَخْرُجْنَ لِحَاجَتِكُنَّ(صحیح البخاری:4795)
Translation: "You have been given permission (by Allah) to go out to defecate."
This hadith also shows that women can go out of the house if necessary, and what that necessity can be, such as for treatment, necessary meetings, prayer, buying and selling under necessity, and performing lawful actions within the limits of Shariah, and other necessities for which there is no alternative.
Why is the woman forbidden from going out of the house without necessity? One of the main reasons is mentioned by the Prophet (ﷺ) as follows:
المرأةُ عورةٌ فإذا خرجتِ استشرفَها الشَّيطانُ(صحيح الترمذي:1173)
Translation: "A woman is a private part, when she goes out, Satan looks at her."
In another hadith, it is stated:
إنَّ المرأةَ عورةٌ ، فإذا خَرَجَتْ استَشْرَفَها الشيطانُ ، وأَقْرَبُ ما تكونُ من وجهِ ربِّها وهي في قَعْرِ بيتِها(صحيح ابن خزيمة:1685 وقال الألباني إسناده صحيح)
Translation: "A woman is a private thing, when she goes out of the house, Satan looks at her, and a woman is closest to Allah when she is in a corner of her house."
That is, the woman is a means for Satan to lead the woman and man astray, so Islam has prohibited women from going out of the house without necessity as a means of preventing sin. The woman who stays at home is safe and close to her Lord, and the woman who goes out of the house can be a cause of temptation.
(2) The second thing is that when a woman goes out of her house due to necessity, she should go out in complete hijab and veil. The previous verse of Ahzab is also evidence of this. In this verse, Allah has forbidden women from displaying their beauty and adornment while going out due to necessity. Maulana Abdul Rahman Kelani (may Allah have mercy on him) explains the meaning of 'tabarruj' under this verse, saying:
"'Tabarruj' means to show off one's beauty, physical charms, and makeup to others, especially men, and to try to attract their attention. This includes five things: (1) displaying one's physical charms, (2) displaying jewelry and ornaments, (3) displaying one's clothes, (4) walking with pride and coquetry, and (5) using perfumes that attract others' attention." (Tafseer Tayseer al-Rahman)
Also, consider this hadith, when the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered women to go out to the Eidgah, Umm Atiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked him, "If a woman does not have a jilbab (large cloak), how can she go out?" He replied, "Her sister can lend her a cloak." (Sahih Bukhari: 324) This means that in any case, a woman should go out in complete hijab, and if she does not have hijab, she should go out in someone else's hijab.
In the time of the Prophet (ﷺ), women used to come out with their entire body covered, including their face, hands, and feet, and their clothes would drag on the ground. Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) says:
رَخَّصَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِأُمَّهَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي الذَّيْلِ شِبْرًا ثُمَّ اسْتَزَدْنَهُ فَزَادَهُنَّ شِبْرًا فَكُنَّ يُرْسِلْنَ إِلَيْنَا فَنَذْرَعُ لَهُنَّ ذِرَاعًا(ابوداؤد:4119، صححہ البانی)
"The Prophet (ﷺ) gave permission to the mothers of the believers امہات المؤمنین (may Allah be pleased with them) to hang down a forearm's length of cloth, but they wanted more, so he gave them permission to hang down another forearm's length."
Here, by 'a forearm's length' is meant a forearm's length from the half of the calf, which the Prophet (ﷺ) allowed. See the desire for veil among the companions, they demand more veil, then the Prophet (ﷺ) allowed another forearm's length. In this way, a woman should keep her dress down two forearm's lengths from the half of the calf in front of men. Two forearm's lengths are equal to one hand, therefore Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to measure the cloth from the half of the calf to one hand.
Here, consider another hadith, a woman asks the Prophet (ﷺ), "O Messenger of Allah! Our way to the masjid is dirty and full of filth, what should we do when it rains?" He (ﷺ) replied, "Is there no better and cleaner way ahead of it?" I said, "Yes, there is." He (ﷺ) said, "Then this is the answer." (Abu Dawud: 384, Sahih al-Albani)
This hadith also proves that a woman's dress should drag on the ground while walking. And the purpose of this detailed explanation of veil is that today's women should take heed of these things and reform themselves.
(3) The third thing is that a woman should not go out wearing perfume. Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
كلُّ عينٍ زانيةٌ ، والمرأةُ إذا استعطَرَت فمرَّت بالمَجلسِ ، فَهيَ كذا وَكذا. يعني زانيةً( صحيح الترمذي:2786)
Translation: "Every eye is adulterous, and when a woman passes by a gathering wearing perfume, she is like this, meaning she is an adulteress."
This hadith contains a severe warning for the woman who goes out wearing perfume. She is called an adulteress because the perfume will attract people to her, meaning she is causing them to be attracted to her. Therefore, there is a severe warning for her.
This is why a woman is allowed to come to the masjid, but if she is wearing perfume, she is not allowed to come. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
أيُّما امرأةٍ أصابت بخورًا فلا تشهدنَّ معنا العشاءَ(صحيح أبي داود:4175)
Translation: "A woman who has applied perfume should not join us to the masjid for Isha prayer."
Also, note that she should not wear anything that makes a jingling sound while walking, such as a bangle or anklet, because people will be attracted to the sound. She should not wear anything that attracts people, including attractive clothing or qualities. The Prophet (ﷺ) said about the woman who attracts and the woman who is attracted:
لَا يَدْخُلْنَ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَا يَجِدْنَ رِيحَهَا، وَإِنَّ رِيحَهَا لَيُوجَدُ مِنْ مَسِيرَةِ كَذَا وَكَذَا(مسلم:2128)
Translation: "They will not enter Paradise (Jannah), and they will not even smell its fragrance, even though its fragrance can be smelled from a great distance." ( Sahih Muslim)
While keeping these basic things in mind, a woman should pay attention to the following things while walking on the road:
- The first thing is that a woman should walk on the side of the road because the Prophet (ﷺ) has forbidden women from walking in the middle of the road. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
ليس لِلنِّساءِ وسَطُ الطَّرِيقِ( السلسلة الصحيحة:856)
Translation: "It is not right for women to walk in the middle of the road."
- Due to vehicles , it is difficult for everyone to walk in the middle of the road, but on different roads where people walk, women should walk on the side. Abu Usaid Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
أنَّه سَمِعَ رسولَ اللهِ صلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ يقولُ وهو خارِجٌ من المسجِدِ، فاختَلَطَ الرِّجالُ مع النِّساءِ في الطَّريقِ، فقال رسولُ اللهِ صلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ للنِّساءِ: استَأخِرْنَ؛ فإنَّه ليس لَكُنَّ أنْ تَحقُقْنَ الطَّريقَ، عليكُنَّ بحافَاتِ الطَّريقِ. قال: فكانتِ المرأةُ تَلصَقُ بالجِدارِ حتى إنَّ ثَوبَها ليتعلَّقُ بالجِدارِ من لُصوقِها به(سنن ابی داؤد:5272، حسنہ البانی)
Translation: "He heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying when he came out of the masjid and people were mixed with women on the road, 'O women! Move back, it is not right for you to walk in the middle of the road, it is better for you to walk on the side of the road.' Then women started walking so close to the wall that their clothes (scarves, etc.) would get stuck in the wall."
Observe how eagerly the companions used to act upon any command that came from the Prophet (ﷺ). Subhan Allah.
- An important Islamic rule for women while walking on the road is to keep their eyes downcast. This command is given to men as well, but especially to women. Allah Almighty says:
وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا ۖ وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّ(النور:31)
Translation: "And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their chastity, and not to show off their adornment except what is apparent, and to draw their veils over their chests."
This verse is general for all situations, whether there are strange men or while walking on the road or traveling, a woman should keep her eyes downcast, hide her adornment, and cover her chest with a veil. In short, while walking on the road, a woman should basically follow these things.
- In the light of the mentioned verse, it is also known that a woman should not walk while looking around, glancing at everything, and paying attention to all sides, but rather walk with her head down, eyes downcast, and looking straight ahead, and only look up and pay attention when necessary. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) describes the Prophet's (ﷺ) way of walking:
اتَّبَعْتُ النبيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ، وخَرَجَ لِحَاجَتِهِ، فَكانَ لا يَلْتَفِتُ، فَدَنَوْتُ منه(صحيح البخاري:155)
Translation: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out once to relieve himself. It was His (ﷺ) noble habit that He (ﷺ) would not look around while walking, so I also reached close to him, following him from behind."
And there are more ahadith that the Prophet (ﷺ) did not look around while walking, like Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
كان لا يَلْتَفِتُ ورَاءَهُ إذا مَشَى
(صحيح الجامع:4870)
Translation: "The Prophet (ﷺ) did not look back while walking."
And in one narration, it is said:
كان إذا مَشَى لَم يلتَفِت
(صحيح الجامع :4786)
Translation: "He (ﷺ )did not look around while walking."
If this is the condition of the Prophet (ﷺ) as a man, then a woman who is completely veiled should be even more sensitive in this matter.
- It is forbidden for a woman to walk with a thud, i.e., to walk with a loud noise. Allah Almighty says:
وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّ (النور:31)
Translation : "And do not walk with a thud so that your hidden adornment is revealed."
In this verse, a restriction is being placed on the walk of a woman, that she should not walk by striking her feet on the ground, so that the adornment of her feet is revealed or the jingling of her anklets etc. is heard. A woman should walk in a normal gait, in which there is seriousness and dignity.
- A woman's ornament is her modesty, and this ornament should always be with her. When she leaves the house, she should walk with modesty while walking on the road, and not walk like a prostitute, with pride and coquetry. You must have read the story of the two sisters related to Musa's (علیہ السلام) journey to Madiyan, in which the arrival of one of the sisters is mentioned in a certain way:
فَجَاءَتْهُ إِحْدَاهُمَا تَمْشِي عَلَى اسْتِحْيَاءٍ(القصص:25)
Translation: "Then one of the two women came to them, walking with modesty."
Musa (علیہ السلام) had prayed to Allah for goodness, Allah accepted the prayer, and one of the two sisters came to Musa (علیہ السلام) with modesty and said,
"My father is calling you so that you can pay for the water you gave to our animals."
- No one, whether a woman or a man, is allowed to walk with pride and arrogance on Allah's earth. And a woman is a delicate species, she should walk with even more humility than a man, and Allah does not like the arrogant attitude at all, so He has forbidden His servants from walking with arrogance on the earth, and as a lesson, the incident of the Bani-israeel (children of Israel) is also worth seeing. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
بيْنَما رَجُلٌ يَمْشِي في حُلَّةٍ، تُعْجِبُهُ نَفْسُهُ، مُرَجِّلٌ جُمَّتَهُ، إِذْ خَسَفَ اللَّهُ بِهِ، فَهو يَتَجَلْجَلُ إلى يَومِ القِيَامَةِ(صحيح البخاري:5789)
Translation: "(In the children of Israel) a person was walking with a pair of shoes, with pride and arrogance, with his hair combed, when Allah Almighty buried him in the earth, now he will be tossing and turning in it until the Day of Resurrection (Qiyamah)."
- While walking on the road, a woman may pass by many people, in such a situation, is it okay for a woman to greet a strange man or for a man to greet a woman?
Sahl (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
كُنَّا نَفْرَحُ يَومَ الجُمُعَةِ قُلتُ: ولِمَ؟ قالَ: كَانَتْ لَنَا عَجُوزٌ، تُرْسِلُ إلى بُضَاعَةَ - قالَ ابنُ مَسْلَمَةَ: نَخْلٍ بالمَدِينَةِ - فَتَأْخُذُ مِن أُصُولِ السِّلْقِ، فَتَطْرَحُهُ في قِدْرٍ، وتُكَرْكِرُ حَبَّاتٍ مِن شَعِيرٍ، فَإِذَا صَلَّيْنَا الجُمُعَةَ انْصَرَفْنَا، ونُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْهَا فَتُقَدِّمُهُ إلَيْنَا، فَنَفْرَحُ مِن أجْلِهِ، وما كُنَّا نَقِيلُ ولَا نَتَغَدَّى إلَّا بَعْدَ الجُمُعَةِ(صحيح البخاري:6248)
Translation : "We used to be happy on Friday." I asked why? He said, "We had an old woman who used to go to Bada'ah." Ibn Salma said, "Bada'ah was a palm grove of Madinah." Then she used to bring back beets and put them in a pot and mix some crushed wheat (in it). When we finished the Friday prayer, we used to come to greet (Salaam) her, and she used to serve us this beetroot mixed with flour. We used to be happy on Friday for this reason, and we used to have our qailulah (mid-day meal) after Friday."
This hadith shows that men can greet women, that's why Imam Bukhari has titled the chapter
(بَابُ تَسْلِيمِ الرِّجَالِ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ، وَالنِّسَاءِ عَلَى الرِّجَالِ)
(Chapter: Men greeting women and women greeting men).
The Prophet (ﷺ) also used to greet women.
Shahr bin Haushab says that Asma bint Yazid (may Allah be pleased with her) informed him:
مرَّ علينا النبيُّ صلَّى اللهُ عليهِ وسلَّمَ في نسوةٍ، فسلَّم علينا( صحيح أبي داود:5204)
Translation : 'The Prophet (ﷺ) passed by us women and greeted us.'
Umm Hani bint Abi Talib, who was the Prophet's (ﷺ) cousin sister, greeted him (on the occasion of the conquest of Makkah) despite being a non-mahram relative. (See Bukhari: 6158)
The summary of all these things is that a woman can greet a man and a man can greet a woman when there is no fear of fitnah (temptation), such as from a distance or in the presence of women and men's gatherings or in the presence of a mahram. But if there is a fear of fitnah, it is better to avoid greeting. And it should be known that greeting is not obligatory, it is a Sunnah.
Final Word
Allah has created women with a completely different structure and characteristics from men, so women are called the embodiment of veils, and veils should always be prominent in their lives. This veil should be reflected in their clothing, gait, dealings, and conversation. In the above lines, some important issues related to women's walking have been mentioned, and there may be more issues, but the basic things have been mentioned. Along with this, women should also know that they should not go out wearing fashionable clothes, revealing clothes, clothes of fame, and clothes of obscene women, as this will spread mischief and the woman will also be sinful. Similarly, they should not go out wearing heel sandals, laughing and joking while walking, talking loudly without necessity, walking while talking on the mobile phone, stopping and greeting unnecessarily in a crowd of people, and looking at men unnecessarily, etc. are not suitable for women. Women should not imitate men, it is a cause of curse.
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا، قَالَ:" لَعَنَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْمُتَشَبِّهِينَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ بِالنِّسَاءِ، وَالْمُتَشَبِّهَاتِ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ بِالرِّجَالِ(صحيح البخاري:5885)
Translation: Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) cursed those men who imitate women in their gait and those women who imitate men in their gait.
Nor should a Muslim woman imitate any reprehensible or obscene thing or trait of a disbelieving or obscene woman. And it should be known that a woman can go alone for a short distance, but if she has to travel to another place, it is not permissible to travel without a mahram. Rather, even in times of necessity, a woman should not go alone to unsafe places, no matter how close they are. Nowadays, people travel even short distances by vehicle, in which case women should sit away from men in the vehicle. And it is sad to say that some women sit on motorcycles with non-mahram men, this act is not permissible. I pray to Allah Almighty to give Muslim mothers and sisters the ability to follow the religion, to adopt Islamic veils, and to move within Islamic limits. Amin.
I thought this question was very important, so I decided to collect important information related to it so that the inquirer and other Muslim sisters could benefit from it. Therefore, in the context of the aforementioned question, I will briefly mention the guidance from the Shariah in the following lines.
When a woman decides to leave her house, she should first keep three things in mind:
(1) Allah Almighty has commanded women to stay in their homes, so women should stick to their homes and not step out of the house without necessity. When a woman needs to go out of the house, she should only go out then.
Allah Almighty says:
وَقَرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ الْأُولَىٰ(الاحزاب:33)
Translation: "And stay in your homes and do not display your beauty like the display of the former times of ignorance."
In this verse, Allah has commanded women to stay in their homes on the one hand, and on the other hand, it is also known that women can go out of the house if necessary, but not like the display of beauty in the days of ignorance, rather with a veil.
Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to dislike women going out of the house very much. Once, Hazrat Saudah (may Allah be pleased with her) went out of the house for a need (after the command of veil was revealed), Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) recognized her due to her heavy body and said, "How are you going out?" She returned home, and the incident was mentioned to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and then the revelation came, and he (peace be upon him) said:
:إِنَّهُ قَدْ أُذِنَ لَكُنَّ أَنْ تَخْرُجْنَ لِحَاجَتِكُنَّ(صحیح البخاری:4795)
Translation: "You have been given permission (by Allah) to go out to defecate."
This hadith also shows that women can go out of the house if necessary, and what that necessity can be, such as for treatment, necessary meetings, prayer, buying and selling under necessity, and performing lawful actions within the limits of Shariah, and other necessities for which there is no alternative.
Why is the woman forbidden from going out of the house without necessity? One of the main reasons is mentioned by the Prophet (ﷺ) as follows:
المرأةُ عورةٌ فإذا خرجتِ استشرفَها الشَّيطانُ(صحيح الترمذي:1173)
Translation: "A woman is a private part, when she goes out, Satan looks at her."
In another hadith, it is stated:
إنَّ المرأةَ عورةٌ ، فإذا خَرَجَتْ استَشْرَفَها الشيطانُ ، وأَقْرَبُ ما تكونُ من وجهِ ربِّها وهي في قَعْرِ بيتِها(صحيح ابن خزيمة:1685 وقال الألباني إسناده صحيح)
Translation: "A woman is a private thing, when she goes out of the house, Satan looks at her, and a woman is closest to Allah when she is in a corner of her house."
That is, the woman is a means for Satan to lead the woman and man astray, so Islam has prohibited women from going out of the house without necessity as a means of preventing sin. The woman who stays at home is safe and close to her Lord, and the woman who goes out of the house can be a cause of temptation.
(2) The second thing is that when a woman goes out of her house due to necessity, she should go out in complete hijab and veil. The previous verse of Ahzab is also evidence of this. In this verse, Allah has forbidden women from displaying their beauty and adornment while going out due to necessity. Maulana Abdul Rahman Kelani (may Allah have mercy on him) explains the meaning of 'tabarruj' under this verse, saying:
"'Tabarruj' means to show off one's beauty, physical charms, and makeup to others, especially men, and to try to attract their attention. This includes five things: (1) displaying one's physical charms, (2) displaying jewelry and ornaments, (3) displaying one's clothes, (4) walking with pride and coquetry, and (5) using perfumes that attract others' attention." (Tafseer Tayseer al-Rahman)
Also, consider this hadith, when the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered women to go out to the Eidgah, Umm Atiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked him, "If a woman does not have a jilbab (large cloak), how can she go out?" He replied, "Her sister can lend her a cloak." (Sahih Bukhari: 324) This means that in any case, a woman should go out in complete hijab, and if she does not have hijab, she should go out in someone else's hijab.
In the time of the Prophet (ﷺ), women used to come out with their entire body covered, including their face, hands, and feet, and their clothes would drag on the ground. Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) says:
رَخَّصَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِأُمَّهَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي الذَّيْلِ شِبْرًا ثُمَّ اسْتَزَدْنَهُ فَزَادَهُنَّ شِبْرًا فَكُنَّ يُرْسِلْنَ إِلَيْنَا فَنَذْرَعُ لَهُنَّ ذِرَاعًا(ابوداؤد:4119، صححہ البانی)
"The Prophet (ﷺ) gave permission to the mothers of the believers امہات المؤمنین (may Allah be pleased with them) to hang down a forearm's length of cloth, but they wanted more, so he gave them permission to hang down another forearm's length."
Here, by 'a forearm's length' is meant a forearm's length from the half of the calf, which the Prophet (ﷺ) allowed. See the desire for veil among the companions, they demand more veil, then the Prophet (ﷺ) allowed another forearm's length. In this way, a woman should keep her dress down two forearm's lengths from the half of the calf in front of men. Two forearm's lengths are equal to one hand, therefore Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to measure the cloth from the half of the calf to one hand.
Here, consider another hadith, a woman asks the Prophet (ﷺ), "O Messenger of Allah! Our way to the masjid is dirty and full of filth, what should we do when it rains?" He (ﷺ) replied, "Is there no better and cleaner way ahead of it?" I said, "Yes, there is." He (ﷺ) said, "Then this is the answer." (Abu Dawud: 384, Sahih al-Albani)
This hadith also proves that a woman's dress should drag on the ground while walking. And the purpose of this detailed explanation of veil is that today's women should take heed of these things and reform themselves.
(3) The third thing is that a woman should not go out wearing perfume. Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
كلُّ عينٍ زانيةٌ ، والمرأةُ إذا استعطَرَت فمرَّت بالمَجلسِ ، فَهيَ كذا وَكذا. يعني زانيةً( صحيح الترمذي:2786)
Translation: "Every eye is adulterous, and when a woman passes by a gathering wearing perfume, she is like this, meaning she is an adulteress."
This hadith contains a severe warning for the woman who goes out wearing perfume. She is called an adulteress because the perfume will attract people to her, meaning she is causing them to be attracted to her. Therefore, there is a severe warning for her.
This is why a woman is allowed to come to the masjid, but if she is wearing perfume, she is not allowed to come. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
أيُّما امرأةٍ أصابت بخورًا فلا تشهدنَّ معنا العشاءَ(صحيح أبي داود:4175)
Translation: "A woman who has applied perfume should not join us to the masjid for Isha prayer."
Also, note that she should not wear anything that makes a jingling sound while walking, such as a bangle or anklet, because people will be attracted to the sound. She should not wear anything that attracts people, including attractive clothing or qualities. The Prophet (ﷺ) said about the woman who attracts and the woman who is attracted:
لَا يَدْخُلْنَ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَا يَجِدْنَ رِيحَهَا، وَإِنَّ رِيحَهَا لَيُوجَدُ مِنْ مَسِيرَةِ كَذَا وَكَذَا(مسلم:2128)
Translation: "They will not enter Paradise (Jannah), and they will not even smell its fragrance, even though its fragrance can be smelled from a great distance." ( Sahih Muslim)
While keeping these basic things in mind, a woman should pay attention to the following things while walking on the road:
- The first thing is that a woman should walk on the side of the road because the Prophet (ﷺ) has forbidden women from walking in the middle of the road. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
ليس لِلنِّساءِ وسَطُ الطَّرِيقِ( السلسلة الصحيحة:856)
Translation: "It is not right for women to walk in the middle of the road."
- Due to vehicles , it is difficult for everyone to walk in the middle of the road, but on different roads where people walk, women should walk on the side. Abu Usaid Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
أنَّه سَمِعَ رسولَ اللهِ صلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ يقولُ وهو خارِجٌ من المسجِدِ، فاختَلَطَ الرِّجالُ مع النِّساءِ في الطَّريقِ، فقال رسولُ اللهِ صلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ للنِّساءِ: استَأخِرْنَ؛ فإنَّه ليس لَكُنَّ أنْ تَحقُقْنَ الطَّريقَ، عليكُنَّ بحافَاتِ الطَّريقِ. قال: فكانتِ المرأةُ تَلصَقُ بالجِدارِ حتى إنَّ ثَوبَها ليتعلَّقُ بالجِدارِ من لُصوقِها به(سنن ابی داؤد:5272، حسنہ البانی)
Translation: "He heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying when he came out of the masjid and people were mixed with women on the road, 'O women! Move back, it is not right for you to walk in the middle of the road, it is better for you to walk on the side of the road.' Then women started walking so close to the wall that their clothes (scarves, etc.) would get stuck in the wall."
Observe how eagerly the companions used to act upon any command that came from the Prophet (ﷺ). Subhan Allah.
- An important Islamic rule for women while walking on the road is to keep their eyes downcast. This command is given to men as well, but especially to women. Allah Almighty says:
وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا ۖ وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّ(النور:31)
Translation: "And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their chastity, and not to show off their adornment except what is apparent, and to draw their veils over their chests."
This verse is general for all situations, whether there are strange men or while walking on the road or traveling, a woman should keep her eyes downcast, hide her adornment, and cover her chest with a veil. In short, while walking on the road, a woman should basically follow these things.
- In the light of the mentioned verse, it is also known that a woman should not walk while looking around, glancing at everything, and paying attention to all sides, but rather walk with her head down, eyes downcast, and looking straight ahead, and only look up and pay attention when necessary. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) describes the Prophet's (ﷺ) way of walking:
اتَّبَعْتُ النبيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ، وخَرَجَ لِحَاجَتِهِ، فَكانَ لا يَلْتَفِتُ، فَدَنَوْتُ منه(صحيح البخاري:155)
Translation: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out once to relieve himself. It was His (ﷺ) noble habit that He (ﷺ) would not look around while walking, so I also reached close to him, following him from behind."
And there are more ahadith that the Prophet (ﷺ) did not look around while walking, like Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
كان لا يَلْتَفِتُ ورَاءَهُ إذا مَشَى
(صحيح الجامع:4870)
Translation: "The Prophet (ﷺ) did not look back while walking."
And in one narration, it is said:
كان إذا مَشَى لَم يلتَفِت
(صحيح الجامع :4786)
Translation: "He (ﷺ )did not look around while walking."
If this is the condition of the Prophet (ﷺ) as a man, then a woman who is completely veiled should be even more sensitive in this matter.
- It is forbidden for a woman to walk with a thud, i.e., to walk with a loud noise. Allah Almighty says:
وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّ (النور:31)
Translation : "And do not walk with a thud so that your hidden adornment is revealed."
In this verse, a restriction is being placed on the walk of a woman, that she should not walk by striking her feet on the ground, so that the adornment of her feet is revealed or the jingling of her anklets etc. is heard. A woman should walk in a normal gait, in which there is seriousness and dignity.
- A woman's ornament is her modesty, and this ornament should always be with her. When she leaves the house, she should walk with modesty while walking on the road, and not walk like a prostitute, with pride and coquetry. You must have read the story of the two sisters related to Musa's (علیہ السلام) journey to Madiyan, in which the arrival of one of the sisters is mentioned in a certain way:
فَجَاءَتْهُ إِحْدَاهُمَا تَمْشِي عَلَى اسْتِحْيَاءٍ(القصص:25)
Translation: "Then one of the two women came to them, walking with modesty."
Musa (علیہ السلام) had prayed to Allah for goodness, Allah accepted the prayer, and one of the two sisters came to Musa (علیہ السلام) with modesty and said,
"My father is calling you so that you can pay for the water you gave to our animals."
- No one, whether a woman or a man, is allowed to walk with pride and arrogance on Allah's earth. And a woman is a delicate species, she should walk with even more humility than a man, and Allah does not like the arrogant attitude at all, so He has forbidden His servants from walking with arrogance on the earth, and as a lesson, the incident of the Bani-israeel (children of Israel) is also worth seeing. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
بيْنَما رَجُلٌ يَمْشِي في حُلَّةٍ، تُعْجِبُهُ نَفْسُهُ، مُرَجِّلٌ جُمَّتَهُ، إِذْ خَسَفَ اللَّهُ بِهِ، فَهو يَتَجَلْجَلُ إلى يَومِ القِيَامَةِ(صحيح البخاري:5789)
Translation: "(In the children of Israel) a person was walking with a pair of shoes, with pride and arrogance, with his hair combed, when Allah Almighty buried him in the earth, now he will be tossing and turning in it until the Day of Resurrection (Qiyamah)."
- While walking on the road, a woman may pass by many people, in such a situation, is it okay for a woman to greet a strange man or for a man to greet a woman?
Sahl (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
كُنَّا نَفْرَحُ يَومَ الجُمُعَةِ قُلتُ: ولِمَ؟ قالَ: كَانَتْ لَنَا عَجُوزٌ، تُرْسِلُ إلى بُضَاعَةَ - قالَ ابنُ مَسْلَمَةَ: نَخْلٍ بالمَدِينَةِ - فَتَأْخُذُ مِن أُصُولِ السِّلْقِ، فَتَطْرَحُهُ في قِدْرٍ، وتُكَرْكِرُ حَبَّاتٍ مِن شَعِيرٍ، فَإِذَا صَلَّيْنَا الجُمُعَةَ انْصَرَفْنَا، ونُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْهَا فَتُقَدِّمُهُ إلَيْنَا، فَنَفْرَحُ مِن أجْلِهِ، وما كُنَّا نَقِيلُ ولَا نَتَغَدَّى إلَّا بَعْدَ الجُمُعَةِ(صحيح البخاري:6248)
Translation : "We used to be happy on Friday." I asked why? He said, "We had an old woman who used to go to Bada'ah." Ibn Salma said, "Bada'ah was a palm grove of Madinah." Then she used to bring back beets and put them in a pot and mix some crushed wheat (in it). When we finished the Friday prayer, we used to come to greet (Salaam) her, and she used to serve us this beetroot mixed with flour. We used to be happy on Friday for this reason, and we used to have our qailulah (mid-day meal) after Friday."
This hadith shows that men can greet women, that's why Imam Bukhari has titled the chapter
(بَابُ تَسْلِيمِ الرِّجَالِ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ، وَالنِّسَاءِ عَلَى الرِّجَالِ)
(Chapter: Men greeting women and women greeting men).
The Prophet (ﷺ) also used to greet women.
Shahr bin Haushab says that Asma bint Yazid (may Allah be pleased with her) informed him:
مرَّ علينا النبيُّ صلَّى اللهُ عليهِ وسلَّمَ في نسوةٍ، فسلَّم علينا( صحيح أبي داود:5204)
Translation : 'The Prophet (ﷺ) passed by us women and greeted us.'
Umm Hani bint Abi Talib, who was the Prophet's (ﷺ) cousin sister, greeted him (on the occasion of the conquest of Makkah) despite being a non-mahram relative. (See Bukhari: 6158)
The summary of all these things is that a woman can greet a man and a man can greet a woman when there is no fear of fitnah (temptation), such as from a distance or in the presence of women and men's gatherings or in the presence of a mahram. But if there is a fear of fitnah, it is better to avoid greeting. And it should be known that greeting is not obligatory, it is a Sunnah.
Final Word
Allah has created women with a completely different structure and characteristics from men, so women are called the embodiment of veils, and veils should always be prominent in their lives. This veil should be reflected in their clothing, gait, dealings, and conversation. In the above lines, some important issues related to women's walking have been mentioned, and there may be more issues, but the basic things have been mentioned. Along with this, women should also know that they should not go out wearing fashionable clothes, revealing clothes, clothes of fame, and clothes of obscene women, as this will spread mischief and the woman will also be sinful. Similarly, they should not go out wearing heel sandals, laughing and joking while walking, talking loudly without necessity, walking while talking on the mobile phone, stopping and greeting unnecessarily in a crowd of people, and looking at men unnecessarily, etc. are not suitable for women. Women should not imitate men, it is a cause of curse.
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا، قَالَ:" لَعَنَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْمُتَشَبِّهِينَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ بِالنِّسَاءِ، وَالْمُتَشَبِّهَاتِ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ بِالرِّجَالِ(صحيح البخاري:5885)
Translation: Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) cursed those men who imitate women in their gait and those women who imitate men in their gait.
Nor should a Muslim woman imitate any reprehensible or obscene thing or trait of a disbelieving or obscene woman. And it should be known that a woman can go alone for a short distance, but if she has to travel to another place, it is not permissible to travel without a mahram. Rather, even in times of necessity, a woman should not go alone to unsafe places, no matter how close they are. Nowadays, people travel even short distances by vehicle, in which case women should sit away from men in the vehicle. And it is sad to say that some women sit on motorcycles with non-mahram men, this act is not permissible. I pray to Allah Almighty to give Muslim mothers and sisters the ability to follow the religion, to adopt Islamic veils, and to move within Islamic limits. Amin.
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