Hijab

Salaams!

Thanks for your questions! From my reading of the text, 'Umar censured them for covering due to such action resembling the free Muslim women. Of course, as you know, the distinctions between slave and free are important in the implementation of laws and the like. 

As I mentioned previously, the actions of 'Umar are not a hujja exclusively; rather, the fact that he wasn't corrected for such by any Companion--principal of whom was 'Ali, upon him be peace--shows that there was consensus on the legitimacy of his action. Similar is the case with the sermon of Abu Musa al-Ashari that we mentioned. 

As for the argument that the distinction between slave women and free women exempts present day Muslim women from covering, I would say that the emphasis is incorrectly placed on Muslim women being exempted from covering as opposed to the emphasis being placed on slave women not having to cover. By that, I mean that if we argue that the nonexistence of slavery in a society permits Muslim women to uncover their hair, it would mean that the status that was given to slave women is now given to free Muslim women.

This cannot be argued from a number of points. First of all, if we were to take that same principle and apply it across the board, we would see that the laws that apply to slaves in terms of requirements, punishments, etcetera would now apply to Muslim free women because slavery no longer exists in our societies. This is illogical, irrational and unfounded. However, if we look at the situation from a different perspective, we can see that the nonexistence of slavery in our societies would mean that there should be no Muslim women with their hair uncovered because the status of a free Muslim women in a society where there is no slavery would be that of the requirement to cover their hair and not the opposite. Therefore, it would be nonsensical to say that a Muslim woman no longer has to cover her hair because there are no slaves. This is because the absence of slavery does not impose the laws of slavery on the free.

And Allah knows best!

IRS

Salaams!

Thanks for your question! I have no textual reference to this. As I mentioned, as a translator, I simply translate what was. The reference simply mentioned him censuring slavewomen for resembling free women by wearing headscarves. As for their beauty or otherwise, this isn't evident in the text. 

And Allah knows best!

IRS