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Does 'Believing Women' In 33:59 Include Believing Slave Women?
In Surah al-Ahzab (33:59), the verse states:“O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments (jilbāb). That is more suitable that they will be recognized and not be harmed. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.”
(33:59, Sahih International)
Historically, this command was meant to help free Muslim women be distinguished from slave women, as some men were harassing them and using the excuse that they mistook them for slaves.
However, if a slave woman was also a believer (mu’minah), wouldn’t she technically fall under the term “believing women”? Why then was this directive applied only to free women in practice, even though the language appears general?
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2 Replies
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Does 'Believing Women' In 33:59 Include Believing Slave Women?
updated 2 days, 10 hours ago
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Replies
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Not every generic term is absolutely generic. It is understood with its context. This verse addresses an issue about free women, therefore, they are the addressees. However, if a maid faces the same issue, for the same reasons, she is required to do the same as suggested in the verse.
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This follow-up leads to two questions:
1. Why didn’t God take measures for the safety of slave women? In other words, why was their harassment allowed in this specific context, even if they were believing women?
2. You said that if they had faced the same situation, they would also have been required to follow the same ruling — but wasn’t the ruling actually meant to differentiate between free believing women and slave women, even if the latter also believed?
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