4. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from his father from Khalaf ibn Hammad from Rib’iy ibn ‘Abd Allah from al-Fudayl ibn Yasar who has said the following:

“About the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘O believers, those whom your right hands possess and those who have not yet gained feeling of carnal desire must ask permission from you three times’, (24:58) abu ‘Abd Allah ; and in answer to a question about who such people are has said, ‘They are male and female slaves and the children who are not yet mature. They must ask permission from you during the three hours of privacy; after Salat (prayer) of al-‘Isha’ which is al-‘Atmah, when you undress at noon time and before the morning Salat (prayer). After the three privacy times, your slaves and children can come and go without permission if they wanted.’”