The Definition of Tabarruj: Understanding the Islamic Concept of Modesty

Exploring the Meaning of Tabarruj in Islam: Quotes from Renowned Scholars

THE DEFINITION OF TABARRUJ

Commenting on Allaah’s statement: 

وَقَرْنَ فِى بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ ٱلْجَٰهِلِيَّةِ ٱلْأُولَىٰۖ وَأَقِمْنَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتِينَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَأَطِعْنَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥٓۚ

“And stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves immorally (tabarruj) like that of the Days of Ignorance. And establish the prayer and give the Zakaat and obey Allaah and His Messenger.” [Surah Al-Ahzaab: 33] 

💠 Ibn Katheer (rahimahullaah) said: “Mujaahid said: ‘A woman would go out and walk amongst men (i.e. intermingling). This was the Tabarruj of the Days of Ignorance.’ Qataadah said: ‘The women would walk out, swaggering and flirting (with men) so Allaah forbade them from doing that.

💠 Muqaatil said: ‘Tabarruj is when a woman places a khimaar on her head, not fastening it properly so that it will conceal her necklace, earrings and neck. As a result of this, these are all exposed from her. This is Tabarruj.” ⁶⁴

💠 Imaam Al-Qurtubee (rahimahullaah) said: “From the ways of Tabarruj is that  a woman wears two transparent garments that describe her (body).” ⁶⁵ 

💠 Imaam ‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin Naasir As-Sa’adee (rahimahullaah) said: “This (ayah) means: Do not go out whilst you are beautified or perfumed, as the women of the Days of Ignorance used to do since they did not have any knowledge or religious characteristics.” ⁶⁶ 

💠 Imaam Al-Albaanee (rahimahullaah) said: “Tabarruj is when a woman exposes her adornment, body features and all that she is obligated to cover, which invites the desires of men.” ⁶⁷

💠 The Messenger of Allaah said: “And the worst of your women are the ones who commit Tabarruj, who strut around in arrogance. They are hypocrites. None from among them (i.e. these women) will enter Paradise except (those who are) like the rare crow.” ⁶⁸

💠 Commenting on this hadeeth, Imaam Al-Albaanee (rahimahullaah) said:  “What is meant by the rare crow is that which has a red beak and red legs, as occurs in a hadeeth that states the small amount of women that will enter Paradise.⁶⁹ This is since there are very few crows that match this type of description.” ⁷⁰

⁶⁴ Mukhlasar Tafseer Ibn Katheer: vol. 3. pg. 94 

⁶⁵ Tafseer Al-Qurtubee: vol. 12, pg. 310 

⁶⁶ Tafseer Ibn Sa adee: vol. 6, no. 107 

⁶⁷ Hijaab-ul-M ar’at-il-Muslimah: pg. 54

⁶⁸ Reported by Al-Bayhaqee (7/82) and authenticated by Al-Albaanee in his as-Saheehah (4/1849) 

⁶⁹ The hadeeth Imaam Al-Albaanee is referring to is the one reported by ‘Antr bin AI-‘Aas-j. who said: “One day we were with the Messenger of Allaah on this mountain path when he said: ‘Look! Do you see anything?’ We said: ‘We see a crow that is very strange. It’s beak and its legs are red.” So Allaah ‘s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم: ‘No one among women will enter Paradise except for those who have the similitude of this crow in strangeness.'” 

[Reported by Ahm ad (4/197) and Abu Ya’laa (1/349). and authenticated by A l-A lbaanee in as-Saheehah (4/1850)] 

⁷⁰ Silsilat-ul-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah: vol. 4. no. 1849