The Region Referred to in Verse 31 of Surat an-Nur

In the above verses, God is referring to the use of ornaments and adornments. However, as explained in detail, the word “ornament” in verse 31 of Surat an-Nur has nothing to do with beads or anything like that; the verse cites family life of women as an example and shows the kind of freedom given to women in the family. Let us now examine the relevant section of the verse word by word:

... They should only display their adornments to their husbands or their fathers or their husbands' fathers, or their sons or their husbands' sons or their brothers or their brothers' sons or their sisters' sons or other women or those they own as slaves or their male attendants who have no sexual desire or children who still have no awareness of women's private parts. Nor should they stamp their feet so that their hidden ornaments are known. Turn to God every one of you, believers, so that hopefully you will have success. (Qur'an, 24:31)

The word “ornaments” here does not refer to beads or accessories, but very obviously to the private parts and the people to whom these “ornaments” may be shown are then listed. These include servants who have no need of women (who have no sexual desire or are impotent) and children who as yet have no awareness of women's private parts. The fact that especially the children who have no awareness of women's private parts are mentioned shows that the word “adornments” refers to those parts.

The language used in the Qur'an is most pure and perfect. The words are used with great care, they are delicate and this can be immediately understood when examined in detail. The private parts are described in accordance with the delicacy and literary artistry of the Qur'an, and are described as adornments.

One of the main pretexts raised by some commentators in order to produce their interpretation of the headscarf in verse 31 of Surat an-Nur is various fabricated hadiths. These false hadiths so deeply and blatantly contradict the verse that it can be very easily seen with a clear analysis. Let us now examine how the false hadiths in question conflict with the Qur'an, how they mislead the community of Islam on the subject of the head-covering and the feeble logic they contain: