Surah 33

Surah 33:54

"Whether you reveal a thing or hide it, surely God has knowledge of everything."
The Etiquette of entering the Houses of the Prophet and the Command of Hijab Verses 33:53-54
Show Full Scripture Context (33:53-54) — 2 Verses
Verse 53

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَدۡخُلُواْ بُيُوتَ ٱلنَّبِيِّ إِلَّآ أَن يُؤۡذَنَ لَكُمۡ إِلَىٰ طَعَامٍ غَيۡرَ نَٰظِرِينَ إِنَىٰهُ وَلَٰكِنۡ إِذَا دُعِيتُمۡ فَٱدۡخُلُواْ فَإِذَا طَعِمۡتُمۡ فَٱنتَشِرُواْ وَلَا مُسۡتَـٔۡنِسِينَ لِحَدِيثٍۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكُمۡ كَانَ يُؤۡذِي ٱلنَّبِيَّ فَيَسۡتَحۡيِۦ مِنكُمۡۖ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَسۡتَحۡيِۦ مِنَ ٱلۡحَقِّۚ وَإِذَا سَأَلۡتُمُوهُنَّ مَتَٰعٗا فَسۡـَٔلُوهُنَّ مِن وَرَآءِ حِجَابٖۚ ذَٰلِكُمۡ أَطۡهَرُ لِقُلُوبِكُمۡ وَقُلُوبِهِنَّۚ وَمَا كَانَ لَكُمۡ أَن تُؤۡذُواْ رَسُولَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَآ أَن تَنكِحُوٓاْ أَزۡوَٰجَهُۥ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦٓ أَبَدًاۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكُمۡ كَانَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ عَظِيمًا

You who believe! Do not enter the houses of the prophet to (attend) a meal without waiting (until it) is ready, unless permission is given to you. But when you are invited, enter, and when you have eaten, disperse, and do not linger for conversation. Surely that is hurtful to the prophet, and he is ashamed of you, but God is not ashamed of the truth. When you ask them for anything, ask them from behind a veil. That is purer for your hearts and their hearts. It is not for you to hurt the messenger of God, nor to marry his wives after him – ever. Surely that is a great (offense) in the sight of God.

Verse 54

إِن تُبۡدُواْ شَيۡـًٔا أَوۡ تُخۡفُوهُ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمٗا

Whether you reveal a thing or hide it, surely God has knowledge of everything.

This is the Ayah of Hijab, which includes several legislative rulings and points of etiquette. This is one of the cases where the revelation confirmed the opinion of TJmar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, as it was reported in the Two Sahihs that he said: “My view coincided with that of my Lord in three things. I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, why do you not take Maqam Ibrahim as a place of prayer?’ Then Allah revealed: {And take you (people) the Maqam (place) of Ibrahim as a place of prayer} (2:125). And I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, both righteous and immoral people enter upon your wives, so why do you not screen them?’ Then Allah revealed the Ayah of Hijab. And I said to the wives of the Prophet when they conspired against him out of jealousy, {may be if he divorced you (all) that his Lord will give him instead of you, wives better than you } (66:5), and this is what Allah revealed.”

In a report recorded by Muslim, the prisoners of Badr are mentioned, and this is a fourth matter (in which the view of TJmar coincided with that of his Lord).
Al-Bukhari recorded that Anas bin Malik said: “Umar bin Al-Khattab said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, both righteous and immoral people enter upon you, so why not instruct the Mothers of the believers to observe Hijab?’ Then Allah revealed the Ayah of Hijab.

Al-Bukhari recorded that Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “When the Messenger of Allah married Zaynab bint Jahsh, he invited the people to eat, then they sat talking. When he wanted to get up, they did not get up. When he saw that, he got up anyway, and some of them got up, but three people remained sitting. The Prophet wanted to go in, but these people were sitting, then they got up and went away. I came and told the Prophet that they had left, then he came and entered. I wanted to follow him, but he put the screen between me and him. Then Allah revealed, {O you who believe! Enter not the Prophet's houses, unless permission is given to you for a meal, (and then) not (so early as) to wait for its preparation. But when you are invited, enter, and wlten you have taken your meal, disperse.}

Al-Bukhari also recorded this elsewhere. It was also recorded by Muslim and An-Nasal.

Then Al-Bukhari recorded that Anas bin Malik said: “The Prophet married Zaynab bint Jahsh with (a wedding feast of) meat and bread. I sent someone to invite people to the feast, and some people came and ate, then left. Then another group came and ate, and left. 1 invited people until there was no one left to invite. I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I cannot find anyone else to invite.’ He said, “Take away the food .” There were three people left who were talking in the house. The Prophet went out until he came to the apartment of ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, and he said. “May peace be upon you, members of the household, and the mercy and blessings of Allah.” She said, ‘And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah. How did you find your (new) wife, O Messenger of Allah? May Allah bless you.’ He went round to the apartments of all his wives, and spoke with them as he had spoken with ‘A’ishah, and they spoke as ‘A’ishah had spoken. Then the Prophet came back, and those three people were still talking in the house. The Prophet was extremely shy, so he went out and headed towards ‘A’ishah’s apartment. I do not know whether I told him or someone else told him when the people had left, so he came back, and when he was standing with one foot over the threshold and the other foot outside, he placed the curtain between me and him, and the Ayah of Hijab was revealed.”
This was recorded only by Al-Bukhari among the authors of the Six Books, apart from An-Nasal, in Al-Yaum wal-Laulah.

{Enter not the Prophet's houses,} the believers were prohibited {without sitting for a talk .} meaning, as those three people did who stayed behind and chatted, and forgot themselves to such an extent that this caused inconvenience for the Messenger of Allah as Allah says: {Verily, such (behavior) annoys the Prophet, and he is shy of (asking) you (to go);}
It was said that what was meant was, your entering his houses without permission causes him inconvenience and annoyance, but he did not like to forbid them to do so because he felt too shy,’ until Allah revealed that this was forbidden. Allah says: {but Allah is not shy of (telling you) the truth.} meaning, “this is why He is forbidding and prohibiting you from doing that.’

Then Allah says: {And when you ask (his wives) for anything you want, ask them from behind a screen,} meaning, just as it is forbidden for you to enter upon them, it is forbidden for you to look at them at all. If anyone of you has any need to take anything from them, he should not look at them, but he should ask for whatever he needs from behind a screen.’

Prohibition of annoying the Messenger and the Statement that His Wives are Unlawful for the Muslims

Quoted Scripture
"And it is not (right) for you that you slwuld annoy Allah's Messenger, nor that you should ever marry his wives after him (his death). Verily, with Allah that shall be an enormity."
About this Source & Scholarly Authority (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Universal Sunni Consensus: Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 AD) is universally regarded across all major schools of Sunni Islam (traditional, Salafi, Ash'ari) as the most authoritative classical exegesis. It is prized because it relies on Tafsir bil-Ma'thur—interpreting the Quran using the Quran itself, authentic Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and recorded statements of the early Companions (Sahabah).

Standard English Edition: This text is from the standard 10-volume English abridgment published by Dar-us-Salam Publications (supervised by Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri), which is the official, most widely distributed English Quranic commentary in mosques and Islamic libraries worldwide today.