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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Islamic Modest Dress Fourth Lesson The Command “not to reveal their adornment" “And to guard their private parts." The word farj is used in Arabic to refer to both a man and a woman's private parts.

The fact that men and women have both been commanded to guard their modesty, to guard their private parts is in relation to two things: the view of others and this includes everybody except a husband and wife, and the other is that one should guard one's modesty from corruption, from adultery.

If we look at the external form of the verse, perhaps we would conclude that it only refers to corruption but because, from the time of the Prophet's and the very first commentaries on the Holy Quran, it has been clearly recorded that wherever the Holy Quran says, "guard their private parts," it means from adultery except in those verses where it is to guard the private parts from the view of others.

Thus, this verse, either refers to the collective view or it refers to the view of others if we take the traditions into account. There is no difference of opinion here. The third duty is not to reveal "their adornment..." which refers to that which is separate from the body like jewels and gold as well as things that are attached to the body like henna or collyrium. The Exceptions As to the fact that they should "reveal not their adornment," there are two exceptions in the Holy Quran.

The first is "except such as is outward" and the second is "except to their husbands...etc." Both of these have to be discussed further, in particular, the first exception. Women should "not reveal their adornment... except such as is outward." What does this refer to? Is it beauty which is most often hidden under clothes that must not be revealed?

Then what is that which "is outward?" From the beginning of Islam, many questions arose in relation to "except such as is outward" which were asked from the of the Holy Prophet and the Helpers and many Shi'ites asked the pure Imams. There is almost total agreement regarding this point.

That is, whether one is a Sunni who refers to the and Helpers of the Holy Prophet or one be a Shi'ite who refers to the recorders of those traditions, there is more or less agreement that which "is outward" is collyrium, a ring and, in some, an anklet. That is, adornments which are used on the two hands and the face. This then shows that it is not obligatory for women to cover their face or their hands.