A Woman’s Sanctuary: Why the Home is a Place of Honor in Islam
A Woman’s Sanctuary: Her Abode
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In the hustle and bustle and storms of temptations of this colorful world, the greatest blessing for a human being is peace of heart and tranquility of soul. This is a precious wealth that is not available to everyone. In reality, only that heart finds peace which submits to the command of its true Creator.
For a woman, the true refuge of peace, tranquility, and contentment of heart is the four walls of her home. This is the truth that the Lord of the worlds has stated with utmost wisdom and comprehensiveness in Surah Al-Ahzab:
{وَقَرۡنَ فِىۡ بُيُوۡتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَـرَّجۡنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ الۡاُوۡلٰى وَاَقِمۡنَ الصَّلٰوةَ وَاٰتِيۡنَ الزَّكٰوةَ وَاَطِعۡنَ اللّٰهَ وَرَسُوۡلَهٗ ؕ اِنَّمَا يُرِيۡدُ اللّٰهُ لِيُذۡهِبَ عَنۡكُمُ الرِّجۡسَ اَهۡلَ الۡبَيۡتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمۡ تَطۡهِيۡرًا} – (1)
Translation: "And stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance. And establish prayer and give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah only intends to remove from you the impurity [of sin], O people of the [Prophet's] household, and to purify you with [complete] purification."
In Allah the Almighty’s command {وَقَرۡنَ فِىۡ بُيُوۡتِكُنَّ} (And stay in your houses), lies the secret of Muslim women’s success and achievement. Scholars (Ulama) have, under this verse, deemed a woman’s stay in her home as a guarantor of her dignity, peace, chastity, and purity;
📍(1) Imam Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 774 AH) says in his commentary on this verse:
“Its meaning is: stay in your homes, and do not go out of the house without any need. However, lawful necessities, such as praying in the mosque, are exempted, provided that all its etiquettes and conditions are observed, as the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
“لَا تَمْنَعُوا إِمَاءَ اللَّهِ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّهِ، وَلَكِنْ لِيَخْرُجْنَ وَهُنَّ تَفِلَاتٌ”.
“Do not prevent the female servants of Allah from the mosques of Allah, but they should go out without applying perfume.” (2)
In another narration:
“وَبُيُوتُهُنَّ خَيْرٌ لَهُنَّ”.
"However, their homes are better for them." (3) - (4)
📍(2) Allamah Ibn Baz (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 1420 AH) says:
“Allah the Almighty has named a woman’s stay in her home ‘Qarar’ (settlement/stability), which carries a very elevated meaning, because it is in the home that a woman’s soul finds stability, her heart finds peace, and her chest finds spaciousness.
Therefore, when this veiled woman steps out of ‘Qarar’, restlessness enters her nature, anxiety in her heart, and constriction in her chest. Moreover, she may encounter undesirable situations and unpleasant consequences whose outcome is never good.” (5)
📍(3) Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 1421 AH), explaining this verse, says:
“{فِی بُیُوتِكُنَّ} meaning “stay in your houses” are very profound words, as if it is being said: “This home has been built specifically for you, for your veiling and your protection. So adhere to this home which has been built specifically for you.” (6)
📍(4) Shaykh Bakr bin Abdullah Abu Zayd (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 1429 AH) writes:
“Whoever ponders over the verses of the Holy Quran will become aware of the fact that in the Quran, in three places:
(1) – {وَقَرۡنَ فِی بُیُوتِكُنَّ} – (7)
"And stay in your houses."
(2) – {وَٱذۡكُرۡنَ مَا یُتۡلَىٰ فِی بُیُوتِكُنَّ مِنۡ ءَایَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡحِكۡمَةِۚ} – (8)
"And remember what is recited in your houses of the verses of Allah and the wisdom."
(3) – {لَا تُخۡرِجُوهُنَّ مِنۢ بُیُوتِهِنَّ} – (9)
"Do not expel them from their homes."
(In the above three verses), the homes are attributed to women, even though these homes are, in reality, the property of their husbands or guardians. This attribution (and Allah knows best) is, in reality, an indication that women are obligated to remain and settle permanently in their homes. Thus, this attribution is based on residence and stay, not on ownership.” (10)
📍(5) Shaykh Abdur Razzaq al-Badr (may Allah preserve him) further elaborates on this, saying:
“Allah the Almighty said to the pure wives of the Prophet (ﷺ):
{وَقَرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ} “And stay in your houses.”
And in another authentic recitation: {وَقِرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ}
“And abide with dignity in your houses.”
The first recitation {وَقَرْنَ} (with a fat-ha on the Qaf) means to stay, to settle down, and to be at peace in the home.
Whereas the second recitation {وَقِرْنَ} (with a kasra on the Qaf) means to adopt dignity and seriousness.
From these two recitations, a most eloquent and comprehensive meaning emerges:
“A woman’s true dignity truly lies in her settling in her home.”
A woman who repeatedly goes out of her house without need, her dignity is harmed. Such a woman meets men, speaks to them in a loud voice, stops one with her hand, orders another to sit, tells a third to walk, as if she herself has become a man! This situation is a sign of great corruption!
In contrast, a woman who adopts peace and tranquility in her home is truly worthy of honor and respect, and she attains her true share of dignity and composure.” (11)
The women of the pious predecessors (Salaf as-Salihin) submitted to this command with full sincerity and complete obedience. Imam al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 671 AH) narrates in his tafsir that:
“Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) would cry so much when reciting this verse that her head covering would become wet with tears.
He (Imam al-Qurtubi) also narrated that Sayyidah Sawdah (may Allah be pleased with her) was asked: Why do you not go for Hajj and Umrah like your sisters (i.e., other wives of the Prophet)? She replied: I have performed Hajj and Umrah, and now my Lord has commanded me to stay in my house. The narrator says: By Allah! She never came out of the door of her chamber until her funeral was taken out from her house (may Allah be pleased with her).” (12)
Similarly, it is narrated about Fatimah bint al-Attar al-Baghdadiyah that:
“She only came out of her house three times: once when she got married, a second time when she performed Hajj, and a third time when she passed away.” (13)
My dear sisters!
We have been created to worship our Lord, to serve and obey our husbands, and to raise our children in the best possible way. We have been created to live like queens in our husband’s home, not to work or labor among non-mahram men. Our Lord has commanded us:
{وَقَرۡنَ فِىۡ بُيُوۡتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَـرَّجۡنَ تَبَرُّجَ الۡجَاهِلِيَّةِ الۡاُوۡلٰى} – (14)
Translation: "And stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance."
Therefore, if one ever has to go out for a necessity, Allah’s command is:
{وَلَا یُبۡدِینَ زِینَتَهُنَّ} – (15)
"And not display their adornment."
Similarly, there should be dignity and seriousness in walking:
{وَلَا یَضۡرِبۡنَ بِأَرۡجُلِهِنَّ لِیُعۡلَمَ مَا یُخۡفِینَ مِن زِینَتِهِنَّۚ} – (16)
"And not strike their feet so as to make known what they conceal of their adornment."
And if an unavoidable need arises to speak with a non-mahram, the tone should be firm:
{فَلَا تَخۡضَعۡنَ بِٱلۡقَوۡلِ فَیَطۡمَعَ ٱلَّذِی فِی قَلۡبِهِۦ مَرَضࣱ وَقُلۡنَ قَوۡلࣰا مَّعۡرُوفࣰا} – (17)
"Then do not be soft in speech [to men], lest he in whose heart is disease should covet, but speak with appropriate speech."
Thus, if a woman spends her entire life staying in her home in compliance with Allah the Almighty’s command and for His pleasure, never stepping out of the house without necessity, she will be rewarded with a great reward for this steadfastness and fulfilling Allah’s command.
May Allah the Almighty grant us the ability to live our lives within the bounds of the pure Sharia.
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(1) Al-Ahzab: 33
(2) Sunan Abi Dawood: 565, Shaykh Al-Albani said: Hasan Sahih
(3) Sunan Abi Dawood: 567, authenticated by Al-Albani
(4) Tafsir Ibn Kathir – T. As-Salamah (6/409)
(5) Majmoo’ Fatawa for Shaykh Ibn Baz (1/422)
(6) Tafsir Surah Al-Ahzab (p. 240)
(7) Al-Ahzab: 33
(8) Al-Ahzab: 34
(9) At-Talaq: 1
(10) Hirasahtul Fadilah: p. 58
(11) https://youtu.be/IIvl9vUhqWw?si=AhMqwdX2FEocJpF
(12) Tafsir Al-Qurtubi (14/180)
(13) Tareekh Al-Islam for Adh-Dhahabi (12/40)
(14) Al-Ahzab: 33
(15) An-Nur: 31
(16) An-Nur: 31
(17) Al-Ahzab: 32
Umm Muhammad Khushnuma Muslihuddin
Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah Mukarramah
