67/119. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 5241 — Protecting Privacy and Modesty
A woman should not look at or touch the body of another woman to describe to her husband
Hadith on Women's Privacy: Protect Modesty in What You Say
Sahih Bukhari : 5241
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 5241
حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ حَفْصِ بْنِ غِيَاثٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي شَقِيقٌ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ، قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ تُبَاشِرِ الْمَرْأَةُ الْمَرْأَةَ فَتَنْعَتَهَا لِزَوْجِهَا كَأَنَّهُ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهَا ".
`Abdullah Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "A woman should not look at or touch another woman to describe her to her husband in such a way as if he was actually looking at her."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5241In-book reference : Book 67, Hadith 174USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 62, Hadith 168
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 5241
This narration repeats the same important teaching about women's privacy and modest speech. A woman should not look at or touch another woman and then describe her to her husband in a vivid way. The phrase used in the hadith makes the point very clear: it would be as if he were actually looking at her. The lesson is not only about avoiding physical exposure. It is also about stopping verbal exposure. Words can create images in the mind, so Islam teaches care with the tongue. This hadith about modesty helps families keep clean boundaries and protects people from being spoken about in a way they did not agree to.
What we learn from this hadith
- Do not turn another person's private features into conversation.
- Speech can affect modesty just as actions can.
- Marriage does not make every outside description appropriate.
- Respect for others includes protecting what they would not want shared.
