(290) Chapter: Prohibition of gazing at women and Beardless Handsome Boys except in Exigency

Umm Salamah (May Allah be pleased with her) said: I was with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) along with Maimunah (May Allah be pleased with her) when Ibn Umm Maktum (May Allah be pleased with him) (who was blind) came to visit him. (This incident took place after the order of Hijab). The Prophet (ﷺ) told us to hide ourselves from him (i.e., observe Hijab). We said: "O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), he is blind and is unable to see us, nor does he know us." He replied; "Are you also blind and unable to see him?" [Abu Dawud and At- Tirmidhi]. Commentary: One of the subnarrator of this Hadith is An-Nabhan, the freed slave of Umm Salamah (May Allah be pleased with him)u, who is Majhul (unknown). (This is the opinion of Sheikh Al-Albani). Thus this Hadith is not correct. Against this there is a reliable Hadith according to which the Prophet (PBUH) ordered Fatimah bint Qais (May Allah be pleased with her) to spend her `Iddah (probation observed on divorce or death of the husband) in the house of `Abdullah bin Umm Maktum and said that "Since he is blind, you will be in a position to your veil there.'' Thus it is clear that keeping the veil from the blind is not ordained in Islam.