GUARD YOUR VOICE: OH SISTERS

 *GUARD YOUR VOICE: OH SISTERS*

Allah said in *Qur’an 33:32:*

فَلَا تَخْضَعْنَ بِالْقَوْلِ فَيَطْمَعَ الَّذِي فِي قَلْبِهِ مَرَضٌ ۖ وَقُلْنَ قَوْلًا مَعْرُوفًا

“So do not be soft in speech, lest one in whose heart is a disease should be moved to desire; and speak in a manner that is appropriate.”

...and some of our noble scholars explain and support the principle, particularly regarding avoiding seductive softness, unnecessary familiarity, and inappropriate speech with non-maḥrams.

1. Imām al-Qurṭubī رحمه الله

أمرهن الله أن يكون قولهن جزلاً وكلامهن فصلاً، ولا يكون على وجه يظهر في القلب علاقة بما يظهر عليه من اللين...

And he further says:

والمرأة تندب إذا خاطبت الأجانب... إلى الغلظة في القول، من غير رفع صوت، فإن المرأة مأمورة بخفض الكلام.

Allah instructed women to speak firmly and clearly, rather than with softness that could create attraction. When speaking to non-maḥrams, the woman should avoid softness and speak appropriately without raising her voice.

*Source:* al-Qurṭubī, Al-Jāmiʿ li-Aḥkām al-Qur’ān, Tafsīr Sūrat al-Aḥzāb 33:32.

2. Imām Ibn Kathīr رحمه الله

قال السدي وغيره: يعني بذلك ترقيق الكلام إذا خاطبن الرجال...

And he further said:

ومعنى هذا أنها تخاطب الأجانب بكلام ليس فيه ترخيم، أي لا تخاطب المرأة الأجانب كما تخاطب زوجها.

“Do not be soft in speech” means do not soften or sweeten the voice when addressing men. A woman should speak to non-maḥrams in a normal, appropriate manner—not in the manner in which she speaks to her husband.

*Source:* Ibn Kathīr, Tafsīr al-Qur’ān al-ʿAẓīm, Tafsīr Sūrat al-Aḥzāb 33:32.

3. Imām al-Ṭabarī رحمه الله

For al-Ṭabarī's interpretation, the central meaning of خضوع القول is the woman deliberately making her speech soft in a way that can awaken desire in the listener.

فلا تلنَّ بالقول لمن تخاطبنه من الرجال، ولا تخضعن لهم في القول.

Do not soften your speech when addressing men, and do not speak to them in a manner of submissive or alluring softness that may encourage inappropriate desire.

*Source:* al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ al-Bayān, Tafsīr Sūrat al-Aḥzāb 33:32.

This does not mean that a woman's ordinary voice is ʿawrah, nor does it mean she must speak harshly, whisper, or literally cover her mouth whenever speaking to a non-maḥram.

Rather, the scholars' explanation revolves around:

خضوع القول — softening/sweetening the speech in a manner that can create attraction or temptation.

So the practical principle can be summarized:

كلامٌ معروف، واضحٌ، بقدر الحاجة، بلا تليينٍ أو تغنُّجٍ أو مزاحٍ يفتح باب الفتنة.

“Appropriate, clear speech, to the extent needed, without seductive softness, flirtatiousness, or joking that opens the door to fitnah.”

..and this point is clearly means the woman should firm, brief, professional, and dignified communication with non-maḥrams—not unnecessary softness or casual intimacy. 

Al-Qurṭubī specifically mentions speaking firmly without raising the voice, while Ibn Kathīr explains that the woman should not address non-maḥrams as she addresses her husband.

*DON'T SKIP NAWAFIL DU'HA*

May Allah accept it from you and us. Aameen

*Allaahu I Musta'aan*