English translation
5192. It was narrated from ‘Ikrimah, that some people from Al-Iraq said: “O Ibn ‘Abbās, what do you think about this Verse in which we are enjoined to do something but no one does it? Allāh says: O you who believe! Let your slaves and slave-girls, and those among you who have not come to the age of puberty ask your permission (before they come to your presence) on three occasions: before Fajr (morning) Ṣalāh (prayer), and while you put off your clothes for the noonday (rest), and after the ʾIshāʾ (night) Ṣalāh (prayer). (These) three times are of privacy for you; other than these times there is no sin on you or on them to move about - Al-Qaʿnabī (one of the narrators) recited up to: And Allāh is All-Knowing, All-Wise.”[1] Ibn ‘Abbās said: “Allāh is Forbearing, Compassionate towards the believers, and He loves concealment. The people did not have curtains or screens in their houses, and a servant, or child, or orphan girl under a man’s care might enter when the man was having intercourse with his wife, so Allāh commanded them to seek permission to enter at those times of undress, so Allāh enjoined concealment and goodness for them, but I did not see anyone doing that afterwards.” (Hasan) Abū Dāwūd said: And the narration of ‘Ubaidullāh and ‘Aṭā’ shows the invalidity of this narration.[2] CHAPTERS ONTHE SALĀM
