﴿ لَّا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِنَّ فِىٓ ءَابَآئِهِنَّ وَلَآ أَبْنَآئِهِنَّ وَلَآ إِخْوَٰنِهِنَّ وَلَآ أَبْنَآءِ إِخْوَٰنِهِنَّ وَلَآ أَبْنَآءِ أَخَوَٰتِهِنَّ وَلَا نِسَآئِهِنَّ وَلَا مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُهُنَّ ۗ وَٱتَّقِينَ ٱللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ شَهِيدًا ﴾

“[However,] it is no sin for them [to appear freely] before their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their brothers’ sons, or their sisters’ sons, or their womenfolk, or such [male slaves] as their right hands may possess. But [always, O wives of the Prophet,] remain con­scious of God - for, behold, God is witness unto everything.”

In the foregoing verse, men were prohibited from coming before the Prophet’s consorts. In this verse, it has been clarified that near relatives (with whom marriage is not permissible) and frequent lady visitors are exempt from these restrictions. In the range of relations mentioned here, other relations will be included which come within the ambit of this instruction, further details of which are contained in chapter 24, verse 31. The sum and substance of all these instructions is that men and women should have the fear of God in their hearts. They should lead their lives bearing in mind that God is keeping a watch on them at all times.