Why Aadam and Eve covered up when their private parts were exposed

28-8-2011 | IslamWeb

Question:

why did Adam & Eve started to 'sew together the leaves of garden over their bodies' to cover themselves up mentioned in 7 : 22. isn't husband & wife allowed to see each other naked. & Adam & Eve were husband & wife as mentioned in 7.19 which precedes 7 : 22,
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.


The permissibility of each spouse to look at the ‘Awrah (parts of the body that must be covered in Islam) of the other does not mean that they would stay without clothes if their ‘Awrah is disclosed for any reason as it happened to our noble parents [Aadam and Eve], may Allaah exalt their mention. Allaah Says (what means): {…their private parts became apparent to them, and they began to fasten together over themselves from the leaves of Paradise.} [Quran 7:22]

Indeed, it is inappropriate for a person to remain naked without a need even in front of a person (spouse) who is permitted to look at him/her in this condition.

Al-Qurtubi may Allaah have mercy upon him said: “The verse is evidence that it is abominable to show the ‘Awrah and that Allaah obligated them [Aadam and Eve] to cover their private parts and it is for this reason that they endeavored to cover it.” Besides, Al-Waahidi may Allaah have mercy upon him said: “They were stripped of their garments; so each one of them saw the ‘Awrah of the other, so they became ashamed.”

Allaah knows best.

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