Thus, from the point of view of jurisprudence, we have two...

Thus, from the point of view of jurisprudence, we have two kinds of covering, one is the covering which is obligatory for the ritual prayer which has certain rules such as the clothes worn must be ritually pure, not usurped, etc. The other is the covering which is obligatory, other than for the ritual prayer, before men whom a woman is not mahram and which does not have the special requirements of the covering for the ritual prayer.

As we will later point out, there appears to be no difference as far as the extent of covering is concerned between the covering for ritual prayer or the covering before a mahram. The second point to be noted is that the religious jurisprudents employ a term which refers to the body other than the face and two hands. This term is "aurah" 'exposed' or 'bare' or 'naked'.

It is possible that this term appears unattractive to some people in the sense that nakedness may be considered to be unattractive. We then ask if a woman's body, other than her face and hands, be something which is considered to be ugly or unattractive from the point of view of Islamic jurisprudence? The answer is that the word "aurah" in no way refers to something ugly or unattractive. In the first place, not every ugly or undesirable act is referred to as "aurah" and the opposite is also true.

The word "aurah" is often used in reference to something which has nothing to do with ugliness. In the Holy Quran, the word is used in verse 33:12 "Truly our houses are open (exposed, vulnerable "aurah" by which excuse they hoped to be exempt from fighting. It is clear that no ugliness is referred to in relation to their houses.

In verse 24:59, which will be referred to, three times are mentioned where even a mahram needs to seek permission to enter an area of another's privacy (except a husband or wife) and these are called the time of three "aurah".

In the Majma' ul-Bayan the author, who is uncomparable among the commentators in his ability to cleave apart the meaning of words in reference to the use of the word "aurah" in verse1 says, "aurah" refers to anything which can easily be harmed which one is concerned about like the borders or frontiers of a country or something related to a war. A bar or exposed or naked place or house is a house which is vulnerable and easily harmed".

Thus, it becomes clear that the word is not used by the religious jurisprudents to abase or weaken.