Shukar & Kufar - By Mufti Shaykh Kamaluddin

Allah [swt] in the Qur’an-e-Karim has ordained us to do shukr.  Shukr means to have gratitude for the blessings of Allah [swt]. In a very powerful way, Allah [swt] has equated shukr with kufr:  Fashkuruli – have shukr towards me, wa la takfuru – and do not have kufr; because kufr in Arabic means to deny.

Defining Shukr:

To acknowledge the blessings of Allah [swt] and therefore be thankful & grateful for them

A person, who does not have shukr, is in reality denying the blessings of Allah [swt] which is a kind of denial of Allah [swt] Himself.

To illustrate this, let’s look at the types of Kufr:

• To deny Allah [swt]’s existence, His being.  [i.e. Atheism]
• To deny Allah[swt]’s attributes, His Asma-ul-Husna [ i.e. shirk]
• To deny any of the blessings of Allah[swt] or any of the commandments of Allah[swt]

[That is essentially a sin & Allah [swt] is also referring to it as ‘kufr’ in the above ayah]

So, ‘Be grateful to me and do not be ungrateful” =“Be grateful to me and do not be an unbeliever”

  

Now, what exactly is Shukr? 

1.)  First way to do shukr is – to be grateful and thankful with your tongue i.e. what we normally do in our lives with one another.  You’ll be amazed that we’re so trained in being polite  that if anybody gives us something it is considered impolite if we don’t say thank you i.e. for a fellow human being we are so insistent on doing shukr. Somebody can give you a single coke and you will feel obliged to say thank you. While Allah [swt] can feed us a whole meal and we still forget to say Alhumdulillah after it.

According to the first way, to do shukr of Allah [swt] with our tongue is by means of doing Hamd of Allah [swt], saying ‘Alhumdulillah’

2.) The second way to do shukr is through obedience, ita’at – a grateful servant is an obedient servant i.e. to do shukr of Allah [swt] through performing obligatory and voluntary worship & good deeds etc. 

3.) Another way is to use the blessings that Allah [swt]’s given us in His obedience or at the very least not to use them in His disobedience.

E.g. If a person is truly grateful for having eyesight – he will say that Allah[swt] you have blessed me with this gift of vision and my shukr to you will lie in using these eyes in Your obedience and not Your disobedience.

4.) Remember our humility.

True Story: RasulAllah [saw] said that there were three men of the Bani Isra’il, a leper, a bald man and a blind man. Allah [swt] sent an angel to test them. The angel met the leper and asked him, “What would you like best?” He said that he would like a beautiful complexion and skin and a relief from this sickness which drove people away from him. The angel stroked his body and he had what he wished for. The angel then asked him what he would like for wealth and gave him a pregnant camel when he asked for camels, saying ‘May Allah bless this for you.”

Next the angel met the bald man, and asked him the same questions. He wished to have healthy hair and a cure from the disease which drove people away from him. On a stroke of the angel’s hand, he got beautiful strong hair and when he wished for cows, the angel gave him a pregnant cow, praying for Allah [swt]’s blessings.

The angel then went to the blind man who wished to have his sight restored to him. The angel passed his hand over his eyes and he regained his sight. “What wealth do you wish for?” “Goats” the man said. The angel gave him a pregnant goat and prayed for Allah [swt]’s blessings for that.

All the animals procreated and soon there were camels, cows and goat with them in large numbers. Then Allah [swt] sent the angel in the same form as before and he said to the leper, “I am a poor man who has exhausted all his provision and means and cannot reach home. I ask you in the Name of Allah [swt] who has blessed you with a nice skin and complexion give me a camel that it may take me home.”  He shouted, “Away with you, I have other things to do and do not have anything to give you.” The angel exclaimed, “Oh I think I do recognize you! You were the poor leper whom people despised but Allah blessed you with wealth. He shouted, “Nonsense!” This wealth I inherited from my ancestors.” The angel prayed, “If you lie, you may become as you were.”

The angel went to the bald man after that and he turned out to be no better than the first and the angel said, “If you lie you may become as you were.”

Next, the angel went to the blind man and repeated his plight to him, seeking a goat from him in the name of Allah [swt] Who had given him eyesight. He replied, “That’s right, I was blind and the Merciful gave me eyes to see. Take away whatever you want and leave for me whatever you like. The angel said, “By Allah, I have not come for anything except to try the three of you. Allah is pleased with you but displeased with the other two.”

Just like this, we also get into the same process. We do our MBA’s PhD’s, get good jobs etc and forget that all these are simply the bestowals of Allah [swt]. If you have a Mercedes etc you feel like you are on top of the world that you are something really great. The reality is that we are nothing in front of Allah [swt]. So, we should remember our humility.

A part of the reason why we have so much heedlessness [ghaflah] is laziness. In fact, the biggest illness in Pakistani youth is ‘Laziness’. The second illness is ‘Takkabur’ – not having humility in front of Allah [swt]. Without humility there is no way a person can come on this Deen. Allah [swt] said that anyone who has an atom’s weight of takabbur would not enter Jannah. This is one of His attributes ‘Akbar’ – His Greatness [Kibriyaee] that nobody can have a share in it. Although we are supposed to adorn ourselves with Allah [swt]’s other attributes like His Karam, Rehma etc. But about His Kibriyaee Allah [swt] has revealed in a Hadith-e-Qudsi that ‘‘Pride is My cloak and greatness My robe, and he who competes with Me in respect of either of them I shall cast into Hell-fire.’”

So, we need to make ourselves among the shakireen; if we become shakireen, we will automatically be amongst the zakireen. 

One way to increase our shukr is: To give Charity [Sadaqah] 

• Allah [swt] mentions in the Qur’an, describes people that they give from that which they love. One way, it can be interpreted is that we love our money or earnings i.e. it’s difficult to part with our hard earned money. Another way it has been interpreted is that we give from the good things we have, the things that we are fond of or attached to we give those away in the way of Allah. And when you do that, it becomes an act of sacrifice and you will become less attached to this world. We are talking here about Sadaqah not Zakat. Zakat is obligatory, its part of the necessities of life …like eating/drinking. Do you congratulate yourselves on the ability to eat and drink or breathe? So, we shouldn’t congratulate ourselves on giving Zakat.

• Sadaqa means to give from that which we have to someone who is more deserving of it; everyone should give Sadaqah according to their own means. The amount should be such that we should feel something when giving it away it shouldn’t so petty that we don’t feel anything when giving it away…like one, two or five rupees etc. It should ATLEAST equal the amount we usually spend on ourselves so that we FEEL the pinch of giving it away, because otherwise it goes against the Qur’anic philosophy of giving from that which you love. InshaAllah when you do that then you will feel the benefit of giving Sadaqa.

• Our pious predecessors used to give so much Sadaqa that they would endanger their own lives and even their family! The ultimate example of this is of Hazrat Abu Baqr Siddiq[ra]. When RasulAllah [saw] made a call for Sadaqa, he gave away everything he had, even his clothes; he wrapped himself in a type of rag/match and came to RasulAllah [saw] like that. So, RasulAllah [saw] asked him, ‘O Abu Bakr! What have you left for your family?’ He said, ‘I have left Allah [swt] and His Messenger [saw]’. Then the angel Jibra’el [as] came and he was wearing the same rag/match. When Prophet [saw] asked him what are you wearing? He replied that Allah [swt] is so happy with Hazrat Abu Baqr[ra] that he has asked all the angels to adopt his likeness and so all the angels are wearing this same rag/match. Allah-o-Akbar Kabira

• Prophet [saw] never used to keep any money. He used to spend it as it came; on the ashbab-e-sufa, poor people etc…there was really no concept of saving money at that time…

• A person who is on a tight budget but still gives Sadaqa, he/she will feel the baraqah immediately. They’ll start viewing money as a burden, that’s what the Sahaba[ra] used to feel that they would be accountable for each and every penny so they would give away as much as they could!

• Prophet [saw] said in a hadith that that person who gives someone something when they’re not expecting it, surprises that person, then Allah [swt] sends His special Mercy upon that person. Once someone came to Harun ur Rashid asking for 700 Dinars. He wrote something on a chit of paper and asked that person to give it to his treasurer. That man went to the treasurer and told him that I asked for 700 Dinars and so Harun Rashid has sent this so you’d give me the money. When the treasurer saw the amount it was for 7000 Dinar. He thought it was a mistake and went to Harun Rashid to notify him of the error. Harun Rashid took the chit wrote something else and gave it back. Later the treasurer came to Harun Rashid and asked him the whole story as to why he’d first asked to give 7000 Dinar when the man only wanted 700 Dinars and later issued an order for 14000 Dinars. So, Harun Rasheed related the same Hadith and said that since that person was only expecting 700 Dinars when he came to me, I initially asked you to give 7000 to him to surprise him. But when you revealed it to him, he must be expecting that amount and I had to double it now to give him more than his expectations so that Allah [swt] would send His special Mercy on me.

• Upon the call for Sadaqa, Syeddina Umar[ra] gave half of his wealth. And when RasulAllah [saw] asked him what he’d left for his family he said ‘half’.

• So, even among the four Khulafa-e-Rashideen we see different examples: Hazrat Abu Baqr gave all of his wealth, Hazrat Umar[ra] gave half Hazrat Uthman[ra] gave a lot of money, that was his tarz; he was very well-off and he gave away a lot. Hazrat Ali [ra] didn’t even have much money, his Zakat was obligatory. At times he was even eligible for Zakat, so he gave away a few dates; gave something whenever he had. So, we should also become people of Sadaqah.

• When you give Sadaqah you will feel humbled; thankful to Allah that He has enabled you to give it. And so, it will increase you in your feeling of Shukr towards Allah [swt].

• At the Conquest of Makkah, Prophet [saw] slaughtered many Camels for the Muslim Ummah as Sadaqah; the camels were willingly lining up to be sacrificed by the blessed Prophet [saw]. That is why Muslims now sacrifice an animal for Prophet [saw] because he [saw] did it many times for his Ummah. So, we can even also make the niyyah of sending the rewards to our loved ones, Muslim Ummah, whether living or who have passed away.

Whenever we don’t adorn ourselves with any attribute of the believers that Allah [swt] mentions in the Qur’an; we just don’t lose that attribute or the blessings associated with it…we also lose part of our iman. Our iman becomes weak, and it will affect our entire practice of Deen. Similarly then, if we do adorn our self with any of these attributes, like shukr we not only get the state of shukr but our heart is also adorned with the part of iman and deen associated with that attribute.

May Allah [swt] accept our Sadaqa whether it is monetary, our time, helping our fellow muslim in time of need, kindness, giving council or advice or even a smile…May Allah[swt] make us such people of perpetual shukr that whenever we receive any nai’ma in our life, we are grateful for it and use it in His obedience and not in His disobedience. May He enable us to remember Him every moment of the day and May Allah [swt] accept us among His shakireen and enable us to give more and more Sadaqa. Ameen.

Listen Audio:

http://islamicspirituality.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/shukar%20and%20kufar.mp3

NOTE: [This is a transcript[not word-by-word] of the talk delivered by Shaykh Kamaluddin on 09.24.2008. ]

This material may be used for non-commercial use, provided it is unaltered and this copyright information and a link to Shaykh’s official website ‘www.islamicspirituality.org‘ is included.

'You Will Die The Way You Live' - Choose your path

Allah (swt) is saying: :Success, Whoever can save Himself, from the eternal punishment, punishment that will not come to an end, but will increase by the second, pain beyond the comprehension of the human mind, whoever can save Himself from that jahannam, and He is admitted under into gardens under which rivers flow, He is the one that has Succeeded.

My young friend Do not be deceived by that BMW that you may drive, Do not be deceived by that Ferrari or that big Range Rover that you may have, do not be deceived by the Bunglaows that you may live in , tall lofty buildings, beautiful houses, the beautiful and fashionable latest clothes that you may wear, do not be deceived by this Dunya  (world), Why?

“This world is Deceiving” because everything within this world will come to an end and this world will also come to an end sooner or later.: “There is only One thing to remain, and that is none other than The Lord of the Arsh and Kursi, The Creator of the World, Other than this every single thing will perish. Say O’ Muhammad (saw), tell these people, You know this death that you are running away from, You and I are this moment in time are running away from death, we really don’t believe it. We Might not say it with our mouth that we don’t believe in death, we may acknowledge it because we’ve seen people going before us, so we may say we believe but our actions are proof that we don’t believe, You see the masajid full on Friday, you see tha masajid full today, you see the masajid full on the day of Eid, but the rest of the year my young friend, tomorrow come Fajr prayer you see one or two safs (rows) inside the masjid, and the same goes around for every other masajid in every country.

When it’s time for prayer we become deaf and blind to the teachings of Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw), When it’s time for Zakat we become deaf and blind to the teachings of Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw), When it’s time for Hajj we become deaf and blind to the teachings of Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw), Our Amaal are saying that we don’t believe in death we’re running away from death. 

Allah (swt) says: “You tell them O’ Muhammad (saw), you can run wherever you like, you can go in the depths of the Atlantic in the total darkness,  my friend you can climb the peak of the mount Everest, my friend you can hide in the darkness of the Amazon or The Kalahari Bush, When your time comes to an end wherever you are, Then say The Pentagon & For Knox are places where no one can penetrate and get through, you can go and hide there, when your times comes to an end all of a sudden the barrier will be removed from your eyes, you’re in the dunya but now you can see the Akhirah (Hereafter), and you will see that Angel standing   before you, Wherever you are in any corner of the globe, you cannot escape, You can be Bill Gates and you can possess billions and billions of Dollars, You can take the virgin spaceship and go to space, you can try what you like, when your time comes to an end, Believe or Not believe you will that Angel standing before you and He will get you.

Then, every one of us will return to The Knower of the seen and The Unseen, every one of us will return to The Absolute Master, At this moment in time, you may do wrong, you want to do wrong? You can do wrong you mother and father won’t find out. You probably go to every satanic place (night clubs etc.) making sure none of your mother and father or anyone of your relatives have a clue to what you do, But you know what? Despite of committing such sins secretly He The Most High is watching every single thing that you do and you can never escape from Him, you can never hide yourself from Allah (swt). He is aware of every word that your tongue utters, And He will inform you of every single thing that you’ve done in this world. He will inform you of every single thing, the Angels recording you deeds, you can’t hide and you will not get away, The Angels recording your deeds they will inform Him of what you did, and you want to try denying? Then my friend the very Earth which you wronged Him! The Earth on which you stole, the earth on which you fornicated, The earth on which you lied, the earth on which you went to the night clubs, the earth will begin to say. “O Allah Abdullah (Your servant) was here on the 29^th of December at 10:30, O Allah I saw Him he was here” And if you still try to deny!  Then you know these sacred body parts of yours they belong to you, these hands belong to you, this tongue belongs to you, these legs belong to you, but on that day my friend you will realize that you don’t even have control over your own tongue, your own hands, you own feet, My friend even they will not be loyal to you , on that day when you stand before The Lord of The Arsh and Kursi, Your saying to Allah (swt), “O Allah (swt), No I did not do this wrong, O Allah (swt) no, I didn’t commit this sin” “You know your hands they will being to speak and say: “O Allah (swt), no he is lying he committed this sin”, your feet will begin to speak and your feet will begin to say: “No Allah (swt) He did commit this sin!”. Your trying to say something with your tongue, but you will find that you have no control over your own tongue, And your tongue will bear witness against you and say: “O Allah (swt), indeed Abdullah committed this sin and I am a witness to this”.

Disrespecting Mother and Father, today all mothers and fathers are crying, that they don’t even have control of children as young as 5. As young as 5 they will turn around and look up at their mothers and fathers and say, “Who are you to tell me to do this? Who are you?” they will answer back, the hadith which Hafiz Al-Mindhir has related in Targhib wa tarhib comes to mind, He says: “I went to a tribe, and there was tomb near this tribe, and after Asr prayer this grave opened and a man came out of this grave, his head was that of a donkey and his body was that of a human being, he came out of the grave, he Hee Hawed three times like a donkey, three times he Hee Hawed like a Donkey and after this he went back inside the grave, and the grave closed”.

He says, I asked the locals with regards to this individual as to who he was and why Allah (swt) was punishimg him in this manner, so he says the locals informed me that this young individual, he would take alcohol, he would drink, he had a habit of drinking, an d when he would drink too much and he would return home to his mother, just as our mothers do, you know when we are out, having a good night out, haven’t told our mothers, our mothers are sleepless their not even sleeping, their waiting for us inside of our homes,  fearing with regards to our wellbeing are we ok?, where are we?, they wait and wait. His mother would do the same, when he would return and she would see him intoxicated, to save him from the Jahannam and from the fire of hel and the punishment of the Akhirah (hereafter), she would give her son Naseeha (advice), and she would say to her son, “O My song fear Allah (swt), stay away from this thing, this is the mother of all evils, O My son this is a filthy thing, it’s from the works of the Satan (Iblees), O My Son if you want success, if you want to go to paradise then don’t even go near this, O My son do you not realize the Satan through this, The satan through this wants to stop you from the Zhikr (remembrance) of Allah (swt), and wants to stop you from prayer”. When she would give her son Naseeha (advice) in this manner, he would turn around to his mother and say, “O Mother stop Hee hawing like a donkey” (Astaghfrirullah). He would say to his mother: “Stop Hee Hawing like a Donkey”.

You know what? The exact same thing happens today! This particular individual used these words, we use words which are right in this day and age, which are no different to the words that he used, what do youngsters turn around and say to their mother and father, when their mother and father are saving them from Jagannam and the fire of hell they give them Naseeha, what do the sons turn around to their mother and father say?: “O Mother get off my back, your always breathing down upon me, You don’t give me a chance to breath, your always coming on top of me, give me a chance to breathe, give me my own space, give me my freedom , stay out of my life”  This is what the youngsters utter today. My friends there is no difference between this and what that individual uttered at that time, those words were right at that time, these words are right at this time, always remember, after Asr prayer that individual died, and after Asr prayer Allah (swt) punished him in such a manner, that his head is turned into a donkey, He is the one that comes out of the grave and Hee Haws like a donkey.

Note: This hadith was related in front of masters of Hadith, not one single master rejected or questioned it.

This is why I say my young friends if you want to believe, then you believe, But if you don’t want to believe, if you don’t want to believe in Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw), if you don’t want to believe in the hereafter than my friends the choice is yours don’t believe.

Allah (swt) says: “Nobody will be forced to declare the Kalima ‘La ilaha iLAllah’, Nobody will be forced to embrace Islam and accept the Kalima ‘La ilaha iLAllah’”

You want to believe you believe, you don’t want to believe you don’t believe, you want to reject Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw)?  Then my friend you reject Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw), you want to give preference to this world over the hereafter and you want to enjoy this life, the 50 years that you might get, the 60 years that you might get, and if you’re lucky you get a 100 years, you want to enjoy this and you want to give this preference to the eternal bliss in Paradise? Then my friend its your choice you do this, you wanna live a life wining and dining, you wanna live a life pubbing and clubbing, you wanna live a life chilling and thrilling? Then my friend you do this, but let me tell you the last laugh will be none other than The Lord of The Arsh and Kursi. Because,

Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: “You do as you please but remember, you will die just like you lived, you will die just like you lived and you will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment just like you died”. You will die just like you lived, if you’ve lived wining and dining, chilling and thrilling and giving preference to the world over the hereafter, and then you think in your little minds that on the point of death you will utter the Kalima, ‘La ilaha iLaAllah Muhammadur Rasoolullah’, or you will die reciting Zhikr or spending salutations on Muhammad (saw), or you will die on a state of prostration, then people like you and me are living in a Cuckoo’s Land, Yes We’re living in Cuckoo Land! If we believe that we reject Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw), then we will never die by reciting tha Kalima, Just as it is hope that one who pleases Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw) and suppresses his desires, and gives preference to the hereafter over this world, Allah (swt) will honour him at the time of death, It’s so possible that Allah (swt) takes out his soul, when his in the state of prostration, when his bowing down before The Lord of The Arsh and Kursi, in prayer Allah (swt) takes out his soul, when His woken up during the nights and his hands are raised before His Master, and his begging for Allah (swt’s) mercy, O my friends Allah (swt) takes his soul, while he is sitting in the Masjid of Prophet Muhammad (saw), before roza-e-mubarik of Prophet Muhammad (saw), or His in His Masjid Al-Haram (Khanna-e-Kaa’bah) in the state of Ihram making tawaaf around the house of Allah (swt).

Just as it is hope that Allah (swt) will honour that individual who gives preference to the hereafter over the world, it is feared one who gives preference to the world over the hereafter and rejects the teachings of Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw), and neglects His obligation to Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw), My friends it is feared that Allah (swt) will disgrace himat the time of death, Allah (swt) will disgrace him at the time of death!, and if Allah (swt) disgrace’s him at the time of death, then you tell me what you think Allah (swt) has installed for him? Thereafter in the grave? Day of Judgment? And Jahannam?

Taking Hijaab (Cloak & Veil) In The Light of Sunnah - [Part 2]

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: The Prophet said: Allah does not accept the prayer of a woman who has reached puberty unless she wears a veil. [Sunnan Abu Dawud 2:641]

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: Asma bint Abu Bakr, entered upon the Apostle of Allah wearing thin clothes. The Apostle of Allah turned his attention from her. He said: O Asma', When a woman reaches the age of mensuration, it does not suit her that she displays her parts of body except this and this, and he pointed to her face and hands. [Sunnan Abu Dawud 32:4092]

Narrated Umm Salama Hind bint Abi Umayya, Ummul Mu'minin: When the verse: "That they should cast their outer garments over their persons" was revealed, the women of Ansar came out as if they had crows over their heads by wearing outer garments. [Narrated by Abu Dawood, 4101; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 3456]

Narrated Safiya bint Shaiba: 'Aisha used to say: "When the verse: "They should draw their veils over their necks & bosoms," was revealed, (the ladies) cut their waist sheets at the edges and covered their faces with the cut pieces." [Sahih Bukhari 6:60:282, Sunnan Abu Dawud 32:4091]

Narrated Anas ibn Malik: I know (about) the Hijab (the order of veiling of women) more than anybody else. Ubay ibn Ka'b used to ask me about it. Allah's Apostle became the bridegroom of Zaynab bint Jahsh whom he married at Medina. After the sun had risen high in the sky, the Prophet invited the people to a meal. Allah's Apostle remained sitting and some people remained sitting with him after the other guests had left. Then Allah's Apostle got up and went away, and I too, followed him till he reached the door of 'Aisha's room. Then he thought that the people must have left the place by then, so he returned & I also returned with him. Behold, the people were still sitting at their places. So he went back again for the second time, And I went along with him too. When we reached the door of 'Aisha's room, he returned & I also returned with him to see that the people had left. Thereupon the Prophet hung a curtain between me & him & the Verse regarding the order for (veiling of women) Hijab was revealed.[Bukhari 7:65:375, Sahih Muslim 8:3334]

The Prophet (saw) said: “I disown every Muslim who settles among the mushrikeen.” [Narrated by Abu Dawood, 2645; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.] 

According to a tradition related by Hazrat Buraidah, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) instructed Hazrat Ali (RA): “O Ali, do not cast a second look after the first look. The first look is pardonable but not the second one.” (Trimizi, Ahmad, Abu Da’ud)

Hazrat Jarir bin Abdullah Bajali says that he asked the Holy Prophet (saw) replied, “What should I do if I happen to case a chance look? “ The Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) replied, “Turn your eyes away or lower your gaze.” (Muslim, Ahmad, Trimizi, Abu Da’ud, Nasai)

Hazrat Abdullah bin Masud quotes the Holy Prophet (saw) as having said: “Allah (swt) says that the gaze is one of the poisonous arrows of Satan. Whoever forsakes it, out of His fear, he will be rewarded with a faith whose sweetness he will relish in his own heart.” (Tabarani)

According to a traidion related by Abu Umamah, The Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: “If a Muslim happens to glance at the charms of a woman and then turns his eyes away, Allah (swt) will bless his worship and devotion and will make it all the more sweet.” (Musnand Ahmad).

Imam Ja’far Sadiq (RA) has quoted from his father, Imam Muhammad Baqir (RA), who has quoted Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari  as saying: “On the occasion of the farewell Pilgrimage, Fadal binAbbas, who was a young cousin of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw), was riding with him on the camelback during the return journey from Mash’ar al Harim. When they came to a few women passing on the way, Fadal started looking at them. Thereupon the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) put his hand on his face and turned it to the other side.” (Abu Daud)

On Another occasion during the same Pilgrimage, a woman of the clan of Khath’am stopped the Holy Prophet (saw) on the way and sought clarification about a certain matter pertaining to Hajj. Fadal bin ‘Abbas fixed his gaze at her, but the Prophet (saw) turned his face to the other side. (Bukhari, Abu Daud, Trimizi)

Son of Umm Khallad was killed in a battle; she came to the Holy Prophet (saw) to enquire about him and was wearing the veil as usual. It was natural to presume that on such a sad occasion one is liable to lose one’s balance and ignore the restriction of Purdah. But when questioned she said, “I have certainly lost my son but not my modesty” (Abu Daud)

Hazrat Aisha (RA) has stated that during the farewell pilgrimage when they were moving towards Makkah in the state of ihram, the women would lower down their head sheets over their faces whenever the travellers passed by them, and would uncover their faces as soon as they had passed by. (Abu Daud)

The Holy Prophet (saw) has said: “No man should look at the satar of another man nor a woman at the satar of another woman.” (Ahmad, Muslim, Abu Daud, Trimizi).

Hazrat Ali (RA) has quoted the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) as saying: “Do not look at the thigh of another person, living or dead.” (Abu Daud, Ibn Majah)

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) has warned: “Beware, never remain naked, for with you are those (i.e angels of mercy and goodness), who never leave you alone except when you ease yourself or go you go to your wives. So feel shy of them and give them due respect.” (Trimizi)

According to another tradition, The Holy Prophet (saw) said: “Guard your satar from everybody except from your wife and your slave-girl.” The questioner asked, “Even when we are alone?” The Prophet (saw) replied, “Yes, even when alone, for Allah (swt) has a greater right that you should feel shy of Him.” (Abu Daud, Trimizi, Ibn Majah)

Hazrat Umm Salamah (RA) and Hazrat Umm Maimunah (RA), wives of Prophet Muhammad (saw) were stting with him when Ibn Umm Maktum, a blind companion, made his appearance. The Holy Prophet (saw) said to his wives: “Conceal your faces from him.” The wives said, “O Messenger of Allah: Is he not a blind man? Neither will he see us nor recognize us.” Thereupon the Prophet (saw) remarked: “Are you two also blind? Do you not see him?: Hazrat Umm Salamah (RA) has clarified that this incident occurred at a time when the commandments about the observance of Purdah had already been sent down. (Ahmad, Abu Daud, Trimizi)

The above Hadith is also supported by a tradition in Mu’atta saying that a blind man came to see Hazrat Aisha (RA) and she observed Pardah from him. When asked as to why she observed purdah when the man could not see her, she replied: “But I do see him.”

“The woman who perfumes herself and passes through a gathering is an adulteress.” [Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi].

Beware of entering where women are. A man from the Ansar asked: "O Messenger of Allah, what about the in-laws?". He (saw) replied, The in-laws is death." [Bukhari, Muslim].

“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day must never be in privacy with woman without there being a mahrem (of hers) with her, for otherwise Satan will be the third person (with them).” [Musnand Ahmad]. 

Note:In addition to the above proofs, the majority of Imams - including those of the four schools - hold the opinion that a woman is obliged to cover her entire body with the exception of her face and hands in the presence of non-maharem men.