This passage provides a pause for comment, which is one of a few instances in this sūrah. It is a long pause after the first scene in the great story of mankind. A similar pause is made at the end of every stage, as if we are told: let us stop here to reflect on the lessons of the previous epoch before we go further on our unique journey.

This pause comes at the beginning of the battle which is about to rage between Satan and man. It is meant as a warning against Satan’s schemes and exposes the numerous ways and fashions his scheming may take. But the Qur’ān does not issue any directive unless it is needed to face a practical situation, and does not relate a story unless it is relevant to the day-to-day life of the Islamic movement. It does not relate a story for the sake of literary enjoyment, and does not state a fact only to place it in a theoretical context. Islam is serious and practical, and its statements and directives are meant only to deal with realities which the Islamic movement may have to face.

This comment on the story of man’s fall from heaven is given here by way of facing up to the Arabian jāhiliyyah when, prior to the advent of Islam, the Quraysh, the major tribe in Arabia, had claimed for itself certain rights against the unbelievers of the rest of Arabia who went to Makkah for pilgrimage and paid homage to the idols which were placed in the Ka`bah. The Quraysh based its claims on concepts which it alleged to be part of the divine faith. It formulated these in laws, claiming them to be part of the divine law. How else could the Quraysh have won acceptance to its claim by the rest of Arabia? It had to resort to the same tactics followed by priests, chiefs and leaders in every ignorant community. The Quraysh gave itself a special name, al-Hums, and claimed for itself special privileges, some of which relate to the ritual of ţawāf which takes the form of walking round the Ka`bah, the first house ever to be dedicated for worshipping God. They claimed that al-Hums, or the Qurayshīs, were the only people to have the privilege of doing ţawāf wearing ordinary clothes. The rest of the Arabs could not do ţawāf wearing clothes that had previously been worn. Instead, they had to borrow clothes from al-Hums people, or wear brand new clothing. Otherwise, they had to do ţawāf in the nude, even though they had their women with them.

In his commentary on the Qur’ān, Ibn Kathīr states:

The Arabs, other than the Quraysh, did not do ţawāf around the Ka`bah wearing clothes that they had already used. Their argument was that they could not do ţawāf wearing clothes that they had worn when committing disobedience to God. The Quraysh, who called themselves al-Hums, were the only ones to wear their ordinary garments when they did ţawāf. If anyone was able to borrow a garment from a Qurayshī man, he could use it for ţawāf Anyone who had a brand new garment could also use it in ţawāf, provided that he threw it away on finishing his ritual and that no one else used it afterwards. Otherwise, he had to do ţawāf naked. Even women were naked when they did ţawāf, but they could partially cover their private parts.

However, women mostly did ţawāf at night. This was something they invented, following the footsteps of their fathers, and believing that what their fathers did was based on divine orders. God reproached them for that, saying: “When they commit a shameful deed, they say, `We found our fathers doing it,’ and, `God has enjoined it upon us.’” (Verse 28) In reply God tells His Messenger, Muhammad, to answer their claims by saying: “Never does God enjoin what is indecent. Would you attribute to God something of which you have no knowledge?” (Verse 28)

Thus, he condemns their practice as unacceptable indecency. God would never enjoin anything like that: “Would you attribute to God something of which you have no knowledge?” Would you allege that God has said something when you do not know it to be correct? God also instructs His Messenger to tell his people that He only orders justice, the maintaining of the right path and sincere devotion: “Say: My Lord has enjoined justice, and that you set your whole selves [to Hind at every time and place of prayer, and call on Him, sincere in your faith in Him alone.” (Verse 29) That is to say that wherever you wish to worship God, you have to be sincere in your worship, following in the footsteps of messengers to whom God gave miracles to endorse the laws they gave you. Moreover, you have to be truly sincere in your worship, because God does not accept any action unless it combines these two essentials: that it is in line with His law and dedicated purely to Him alone.12

To deal with this practical state of ignorance and its manifestations in the shape of regulations for worship, ţawāf and dress, as well as similar traditions concerning food, and all that is claimed to be part of God’s law, the Qur’ān gives these comments on the first stage in the life of humanity. This stage involves the permission to eat of the fruit of the garden of heaven, except for what God has forbidden, and mentions man’s need to have clothes. We have learned how Satan seduced Adam and his wife and persuaded them to eat of the forbidden tree in order to expose their nakedness. Their natural shyness is also mentioned and the fact that they tried to cover their nakedness with leaves.

What is related of the events of the story and the comments made on those events are thus meant as an answer to a particular situation that prevails in an ignorant community unity. The story is mentioned elsewhere in the Qur’ān, addressing other situations. Every time certain scenes and events are emphasized in order to give comments and statements that relate to those other situations. Everything that is mentioned is true and accurate but the choice is made at each time to confront a relevant situation. Thus harmony is established on every occasion with the subject matter to be emphasized.

Children of Adam, We have sent down to you clothing to cover your nakedness, and garments pleasing to the eye; but the robe of God-consciousness is the finest of all. In this there is a sign from God, so that they may reflect. (Verse 26)

This address contrasts with the scene of exposed nakedness and the patching up of leaves from the garden to cover that nakedness. That exposure came as a result of disobeying an express order given by God and eating something He had forbidden.

It is not the sin mentioned in certain legends which has inspired endless artistic images in the West as also Freud’s poisonous suggestions. That sin was not eating the fruits of the tree of knowledge, as claimed in the legend of the Old Testament.

There is no truth in the absurd claim that God felt jealous of man and feared that he would eat of the tree of life and become a God as well. Nor is the sin the sexual pleasure around which much of the European artistic imagery is concentrated in order to interpret all life activities in terms of sexual pleasure as Freud’s disciples try to affirm.

In contrast to the nakedness that followed Adam’s sin we have here a fitting reply to the arbitrary impositions of nakedness practised by the unbelievers in the days of ignorance in Arabia. In His address, God reminds people of His grace as He taught them and made things easy for them, and made it a law for them that they should wear garments to cover their nakedness so that they replace naked ugliness with the beauty of dressing up. In the Arabic text, the term used here for dressing with clothes, “We have sent down to you clothing”, is often used to denote `revelation’. This gives the Qur’ānic statement added connotations so as to mean, “We have legislated in the revelations We have sent down to you, etc.” The term used in the Arabic text for `clothing’ may denote underwear which covers the private parts, and may also denote general clothing, and the term denoting `garments’ gives the sense of top outfits normally selected for their beautiful appearance. It may also connote wealth and comfortable living. These meanings often go hand in hand:

“Children of Adam, We have sent down to you clothing to cover your nakedness, and garments pleasing to the eye.” (Verse 26) This is followed by a mention of the robe of piety, described here as ‘fine’: “But the robe of God-consciousness is the finest of all. In this there is a sign from God, so that they may reflect.” (Verse 26)

`Abd al-Raĥmān ibn Aslam, an early scholar, says: “When a person fears God, he covers his nakedness. Thus he clothes himself with the robe of piety.” In divine law, then, there is a close relationship between garments that a person wears to cover his nakedness and to give himself a fine appearance on the one hand and fearing God and being pious on the other. Both are garments, with one covering mental or abstract nakedness and the other physical nakedness. Both give a human being a fine appearance and both go together. When a person is conscious of God and feels ashamed to appear in a way which is unpleasing to Him, he feels physical nakedness to be abhorrent and shies away from it. On the other hand, a person who feels no sense of shame in front of God and does not fear Him is one who does not hesitate to appear naked or to call people to do likewise. Being modest and covering one’s body are not matters of social tradition, as claimed by those who try to destroy the humanity of people by attacking their sense of shame and chastity in order to carry out the wicked designs of the Protocol of the Elders of Zion. To have a sense of shame is something that God has implanted in human nature and embodied in His law which He sent down to be implemented in human life. He has made them able to implement this law by giving them talents, abilities and provisions.

God reminds the children of Adam of His grace as He requires them to cover their nakedness with dress in order to protect their humanity against sinking to the level of animals. Everything He has facilitated for them is also an aspect of His grace. He reminds them of it “so that they may reflect.” (Verse 26) A Muslim, then should never overlook the clear link between the attacks on people’s morality and sense of shame while calling for physical nudity in the name of friendliness and civilization, and the Zionist scheme which aims to destroy their humanity and spread immorality as a prelude to forcing them to submit to Zion’s power. He should also realize that there is a direct link between all this and the schemes trying to uproot even the vague religious sentiments that remain in the hearts of Muslim people. Even these vague sentiments are not tolerated. The aim is to eradicate them all. Hence, a wicked and shameless campaign advocating physical and mental nudity is launched with the support of writers and media working in the service of world Zionism. Human beauty is that of dress and cover while animal beauty is that of nudity. Human beings in this day and age are sinking into the depth of ignorant reaction that sends them down to the level of animals. Hence they do not remember God’s grace which enables them to protect and maintain their humanity.

In order to emphasize the urgency of His warning, their Lord tells mankind that Satan and his tribe can see them whereas they cannot see or perceive satans. Satan, then, has a greater ability to seduce them, utilizing his subtle means. They need to be on their guard all the time so that they are not taken unawares: “Surely, he and his tribe watch you from where you cannot perceive them.” (Verse 27) Then follows an increased heightening of the effect by saying that God has allowed a relationship of patronage to develop between satans and unbelievers. Doomed indeed is the one whose patron is his enemy. For this enables his enemy to direct him the way he wishes, when he has no real help or support and cannot resort to God’s patronage since he is an unbeliever: “We have made the devils as patrons for those who do not believe.” (Verse 27)

It is a true fact that Satan is the patronizing friend of the nonbelievers, while God is the protector of believers.

The effect of this state of affairs is far-reaching, but it is mentioned here in absolute terms before the pagans are given an example of its operation in their real world. We are thus made to feel how Satan’s patronage can distort people’s concepts and ruin their lives: “When they commit a shameful deed, they say, ‘We found our fathers doing it,’ and, ‘God has enjoined it upon us.’” (Verse 28)

That was indeed what the pagan Arabs used to do and say. They performed ţawāf around God’s sacred house in the nude, accompanying their women. This they claimed God had ordered them to do, just as He had ordered their fathers: in other words, they inherited the practice from them. Despite their paganism, the Arabs did not make boastful claims similar to those used by people of latter day ignorance who wonder why religion should interfere with human life. They claim that they are the only ones who have any authority to enact laws, develop values and standards, and endorse habits and traditions while the pagan Arabs used to make their false inventions and claim that God ordered them to do so. That may be a more sly and cunning method because it deceives those who still maintain some religious sentiment to the extent that they imagine that their practices are acceptable to God.

Nevertheless, it is less impudent than the attitude of those who claim that they have the right to enact legislation in preference to God’s.

God commands the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to make it clear to them that their inventions are false and that their claims to have God’s endorsement are insupportable. He is further ordered to declare that God’s law is incompatible with indecency. God would not command anything that is indecent: “Say: ‘Never does God enjoin what is indecent. Would you attribute to God something of which you have no knowledge?’” (Verse 28)

The word `indecency’ refers to any act which goes beyond the limits of what is acceptable. Nudity is one such act. Hence, God does not enjoin it, for how would He enjoin the transgression of the limits He laid down, and the violation of His orders to cover one’s nakedness and to be always modest and God-fearing? Besides, who told them that God enjoined that? What God orders and enjoins cannot be the subject of unsupported claims. These are contained in the Books He has revealed to His messengers. There is simply no other source from which to learn what God says and enjoins. No one can describe any matter as belonging to divine law unless he can rely on a statement in the divine book or by God’s Messenger. This is the only way to know for certain what God enjoins. If everyone claims that whatever he sees fit belongs to God’s law, then humanity will end up in endless chaos.

A new address is now made to mankind, serving as a pause to comment on the events related earlier before resuming the main theme in the sūrah: “Children of Adam, dress well when you attend any place of worship. Eat and drink but do not be wasteful. Surely He does not love the wasteful. Say, ‘Who is there to forbid the beauty which God has produced for His servants, and the wholesome means of sustenance?’ Say, ‘They are [lawful] in the life of this world, to all who believe — to be theirs alone on the Day of Resurrection.’ Thus do We make Our revelations clear to people of knowledge. Say, ‘My Lord has only forbidden shameful deeds, be they open or secret, and all types of sin, and wrongful oppression, and that you should associate with God anything for which He has given no authority, and that you attribute to God anything of which you have no knowledge.’” (Verses 31-33)

In this address, we note the emphasis on the basic principle of faith in order to stress the falsehood of the practices of the pagan Arabs. One of the clearest examples is to link their arbitrary prohibition of good wholesome things God has provided for His servants with ascribing partners to God. This is indeed the proper description of anyone who falsely claims the authority to make such a prohibition, attributing to God things of which he has no knowledge.

God tells mankind to don their best clothes, which He has given them and taught them how to make, whenever they attend to any act of worship, including ţawāf, which means walking round the Ka`bah glorifying God, acknowledging His Lordship and asking Him to grant our wishes. Those Arabs used to do ţawāf naked, forbidding themselves the wearing of any garments when God did not forbid them that. On the contrary, He made the provision of such clothes an aspect of His grace.

The proper thing to be expected is that they should obey Him and make use of what He has given them, not taking off their clothing in a grossly indecent manner:

“Children of Adam, dress well when you attend any place of worship.” (Verse 31) He also tells them to enjoy the wholesome provisions He has given them, without being extravagant: “Eat and drink but do not be wasteful. Surely He does not love the wasteful.” (Verse 31)

It has been reported that the Arabs also used to forbid themselves certain types of food in a similar manner to their prohibition of certain types of clothing. All these were inventions perpetrated by the Quraysh, the ruling tribe in Makkah.

In an authentic report related by Muslim on the authority of `Urwah who quotes his father, a companion of the Prophet, as saying: “The Arabs used to do ţawāf around the Ka`bah completely naked with the exception of the Hums, a title given to the Quraysh people and their descendants. They would go around the Sacred House in the nude unless they wore clothes given them by the Hums. Some of the men of Quraysh might give some of their clothes to other men and their women might give to other women. During pilgrimage, the Hums would stay at Muzdalifah, going no further, while the rest of the pilgrims would go as far as ‘Arafat. They justified this by saying: `We, the Quraysh, are the dwellers of the Ĥaram (i.e. the sacred area). No person from the rest of Arabia may do ţawāf wearing any clothes other than our clothes or eating any food other than ours.’ Thus, any Arab who did not have a friend in Makkah to lend him a garment, or did not have the money to hire such a garment, faced the choice of either doing ţawāf naked or wearing his own clothes which he must throw away after he completed his ţawāf. No one else was allowed to touch those clothes after they had been thrown away. Such clothes were considered as discarded clothes, or liqā.” In his commentary known as Aĥkām al-Qur’ān, al-Qurţubī, a famous scholar, says:

The question that arises here concerns the link between such nakedness, twisted logic, overweening arrogance by associating partners with God and accepting laws from deities other than God.

Those pagan Arabs received their notions concerning their nakedness from false lords who were able to fool them and manipulate their ignorance to ensure their supremacy in Arabia remained unchallenged. Other ancient jāhiliyyah societies followed the same pattern and received their notions from their priests and chiefs.

The same applies to the unbelievers of today who cannot challenge the concepts that false lords are keen to establish.

Fashion houses and designers, and cosmetic manufacturers and sellers are the lords who advocate the stupidity which is blindly followed by men and women in the jāhiliyyah societies of today. Those lords have only to set their standards, and they are slavishly obeyed by the multitude of fools throughout the world. Whether this year’s fashion or the cosmetics in vogue are suitable to a particular woman or not, she must still obey, or be subjected to the ridicule of other fools who have no say in their own affairs.

It is important to ask who controls those fashion houses and cosmetic companies?

Who feeds the campaign promoting nakedness? Who promotes all those films, pictures, novels, magazines and papers that are in the forefront of this campaign?

Some of these are nothing less than an epitomized brothel. Indeed it is important to ask, who controls all this? The answer is that the main control is in the hands of Zionism. It is the Zionist Jews who usurp the qualities of God’s lordship, subjugating all these fools to their bidding. They achieve their aims, for which they organize sustained campaigns throughout the world, trying to keep the whole world preoccupied with such filth. They try hard to spread immorality and corrupt human nature so that it can be moulded by fashion designers and cosmetic manufacturers.

Beyond that, they also have economic objectives which they achieve through the wasteful usage of dress material, cosmetics and other ancillary products.

The question of dress and fashion is not separate from God’s law and the way of life He has laid down for mankind. Hence, it is linked in the sūrah to the question of faith. There are indeed several aspects linking it to faith and divine law. It has, first of all, a direct relationship with the question of Lordship and the authority which has the power to issue legislation in these matters that have a profound influence on morals, the economy and other aspects of life. Fashion and dress also have a direct bearing on enhancing the human qualities in man and giving them prominence over carnal qualities.

Jāhiliyyah distorts concepts, values and tastes, making nakedness, which is an animal quality, an aspect of progress and advancement, while considering propriety backward and old fashioned. There can be no clearer distortion of human nature.

We find some people advocating such jāhiliyyah and protesting: what has religion got to do with fashion, cosmetics and how women dress? This is only the twisted logic that is characteristic of jāhiliyyah everywhere and in all generations.