Hijaab of the Ansaari women
Question I am looking for the hadith that gives reference to the Ansar women appearing as crows after the verse 33:59 was revealed. It was my understanding that this was considered as proof that black as a color for hijaab was Sunnah, and therefore mustahab. Could you tell me where I could find this hadith,…
Question
Praise be to Allah.
The hadeeth to which you refer was narrated by Abu Dawood,
may Allaah have mercy on him, in al-Sunan, from Umm Salamah who said:
“When the aayah ‘… to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their
bodies…’ [al-Ahzaab 33:59 – interpretation of the meaning]
was revealed, the women of the Ansaar came out looking as if there were crows
on their heads, because of their clothing.” (Sunan Abi Dawood, Kitaab
al-Libaas, Baab fi qawlihi ta’aala: yubneena ‘alayhinna jalaabeebihinna).
The author of ‘Awn al-Ma’bood fi Sharh Sunan Abi
Dawood said, commenting on this phrase: “Their veils were likened to
crows because of their black colour.”
However, it is not a condition of hijaab that the clothes should
be black, but it may be better because it is more concealing. For the conditions
of Muslim woman’s hijaab, please refer to question #214.
