Do let those whom your right hands possess...

Do let those whom your right hands possess, and those of you who have not reached to puberty, ask permission of you at three times (for coming into your room): before the morning prayer, and at midday when you put off your clothes, and after the night prayer...” As Raqib says in his book, Mufradat, and Firuz’abadi in Qamus, the Arabic word /zahirat/ means midday and about noontime when people take off their outer clothes and man and wife may be together privately. “...

(These are) three times of privacy for you...” The Arabic word /’aurat/ originally is derived from the word /‘ar/ meaning shame and fault. Since showing genital organs is the cause of fault and shame, in Arabic language it is called /’aurat/. Sometimes the word /’aurat/ is also used to mean an opening and cut in wall and dress and the like. Sometimes it means absolutely fault.

Anyway, using this word for these three times is for the matter that people do not compel themselves to be veiled fully as in other times they do and they consider these times their privacy. It is obvious that this command only involves parents who must force their issues to do this, for children have not come of age yet so that they are not obligated to carry out divine duties, therefore parents are addressed here.

Moreover, the verse is applied to both girls and boys, and the word /’allaǒina/ (those) that is a masculine pronoun is not against generality of the concept of the verse, because in many cases this word is used for all people, as we read in the verse that obligates all Muslims to fast, in which the word /’allaǒina/ is used to address all Muslims.[^1] It is necessary to mention that the verse is about children who can discern and comprehend sexual issues and genital organs, etc, because the matter of taking permission itself indicates that they at least understand what taking permission means.

Using the phrase ‘Thalatha ’aurat’ (Three times of privacy) is another evidence for this meaning, too. Whether this verse covers male slaves only or it covers female slaves, too, there are various narrations. The verse apparently involves all, that is, it refers to both groups, so the narrations that are in harmony with the appearance of the verse can be preferred.

In the end of the verse, the Qur’an says: “...It is no sin for you or for them (if) after those (three times), some of you go round attendant upon the others.