Protecting the Privacy of Women

📖Sahih al-Bukhari 5240
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “A woman should not touch another woman and then describe her figure to her husband as if he were gazing at her.”

This hadith emphasizes modesty, privacy, and respect for others. A woman is not allowed to describe another woman’s physical features to her husband, because it may create unnecessary desire, comparison, or disrespect. Islam protects the dignity of every individual, and spreading private details about someone’s body is considered a form of betrayal.

Quranic Context:

📖Quran 24:30
Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their chastity. That is purer for them. Surely Allah is All-Aware of what they do.

📖Quran 24:31
And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their chastity. They must not expose their adornments except what is apparent of it…

📖Quran 49:12
O believers! Avoid much suspicion—indeed, some suspicion is sin. Do not spy, nor backbite one another.

Why it supports respecting privacy:

• Avoiding suspicion reflects the honor and dignity owed to others – one should not doubt or pry into private matters without valid reason.
• “Do not spy” prohibits seeking out someone’s faults or secrets – essentially answering that exposing, commenting on, or describing someone’s hidden features invades their privacy.
• “Do not backbite” means not speaking ill of someone when they are not present. By extension, speaking of someone’s private features or intimate details – even if not negative – is still an intrusion.