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Fatwa CenterInterpretation of the Hadeeth about 'women who are dressed yet naked'
Question
As salaamu aleykum. Can you please give me the full detail explanation of this hadith: Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, "There are two types of people who will be punished in Hell and whom I have not seen: men having whips like the tails of cows and they will be beating people with them, and, women who will be dressed but appear to be naked, inviting to evil; and they themselves will be inclined to it. Their heads will appear like the humps of the Bactrian camel inclined to one side. They will not enter Jannah and they will not smell its fragrance which is perceptible from such and such a distance." [Muslim] Sunnah.com reference: Book 18, Hadith 123 Arabic/English book reference: Book 18, Hadith 1633 What does this mean: "women who will be dressed but appear to be naked, inviting to evil; and they themselves will be inclined to it." - Is it referring to women who have zina or does it simply mean that dressing tight that shows the shape of the body and appears to be naked, is an evil action and brings evil in it self?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
The scholars considered this Hadeeth as a miracle of the Prophecy as this really happened exactly as the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, informed us, while such people did not exist in his time, but rather, this happened after him; and the Hadeeth is a reprimand to these two kinds of people:
- The first type: people who have whips like the tails of oxen with which they beat people unjustly.
- The second type: women who are dressed yet appear to be naked. They are inclined to evil and invite to it.
This was interpreted in different ways:
- It was interpreted as meaning that they are clothed with the favors of Allaah but naked of gratefulness for these favors.
- It was also interpreted as meaning that they cover part of their body while exposing other parts of their body and the like.
- It was further said: women will wear see-through and transparent clothing in such a manner that the color of their body will be visible.
The meaning of “They are inclined to evil and invite to it”:
It was said: They incline away from the obedience of Allaah and whatever they are obliged to keep, and they teach others to do their evil acts.
It was also said: They walk with a proud swagger (inclined), tilting (inclining) their shoulders.
And it was said: They style their hair in an inclined hairdo like that of prostitutes, and they style the hair of others in the same way.
The meaning of “Their heads will be like the humps of Bactrian camels” is that they enhance the volume of their hair or wrap it with a turban or the like.
The saying of the Prophet, “They do not enter Paradise and they will not smell its scent”, the scholars interpreted it as meaning that they will not enter Paradise and they will not smell its scent when the pious and chaste women enter it and smell its scent; but it does not mean that they will never enter it. Or, it means that the ones who consider doing so to be lawful will not enter it; or it is meant to deter them from doing so; or, they will not smell its scent even if they eventually enter it in the end.
The scholars interpreted the Hadeeth according to the above interpretations because Ahl As-Sunnah have agreed that the fate of the Muslims is Paradise even if they are to be punished for sins which they commit, and that they will not be in the Hellfire for eternity.
At-Tahaawi said in his book ‘Aqeedah At-Tahaawiyyah: “The people who have committed grave major sins from the Ummah of Muhammad who enter the Hellfire will not be in it for eternity if they die believing in the One true God (Allaah).”
Allaah Knows best.
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