that he was a boy of ten at the time when the Prophet ﷺ emigrated to Medina. He added: I served Allah's Apostle for ten years (the last part of his life time) and I know more than the people about the occasion whereupon the order of Al-Hijab was revealed (to the Prophet). Ubai b n Kaʿb used to ask me about it. It was revealed (for the first time) during the marriage of Messenger of Allah ﷺ with Zainab bint Jahsh. In the morning, the Prophet ﷺ was a bride-groom of her and he Invited the people, who took their meals and went away, but a group of them remained with Messenger of Allah ﷺ and they prolonged their stay. Messenger of Allah ﷺ got up and went out, and I too, went out along with him till he came to the lintel of ʿAisha's dwelling place. Messenger of Allah ﷺ thought that those people had left by then, so he returned, and I too, returned with him till he entered upon Zainab and found that they were still sitting there and had not yet gone. The Prophet ﷺ went out again, and so did I with him till he reached the lintel of ʿAisha's dwelling place, and then he thought that those people must have left by then, so he returned, and so did I with him, and found those people had gone. At that time the Divine Verse of Al-Hijab was revealed, and the Prophet ﷺ set a screen between me and him (his family).  

أَنَّهُ كَانَ ابْنَ عَشْرِ سِنِينَ مَقْدَمَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْمَدِينَةَ فَخَدَمْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَشْرًا حَيَاتَهُ وَكُنْتُ أَعْلَمَ النَّاسِ بِشَأْنِ الْحِجَابِ حِينَ أُنْزِلَ وَقَدْ كَانَ أُبَىُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ يَسْأَلُنِي عَنْهُ وَكَانَ أَوَّلَ مَا نَزَلَ فِي مُبْتَنَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِزَيْنَبَ ابْنَةِ جَحْشٍ أَصْبَحَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ بِهَا عَرُوسًا فَدَعَا الْقَوْمَ فَأَصَابُوا مِنَ الطَّعَامِ ثُمَّ خَرَجُوا وَبَقِيَ مِنْهُمْ رَهْطٌ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَطَالُوا الْمُكْثَ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَخَرَجَ وَخَرَجْتُ مَعَهُ كَىْ يَخْرُجُوا فَمَشَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَمَشَيْتُ مَعَهُ حَتَّى جَاءَ عَتَبَةَ حُجْرَةِ عَائِشَةَ ثُمَّ ظَنَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنَّهُمْ خَرَجُوا فَرَجَعَ وَرَجَعْتُ مَعَهُ حَتَّى دَخَلَ عَلَى زَيْنَبَ فَإِذَا هُمْ جُلُوسٌ لَمْ يَتَفَرَّقُوا فَرَجَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَرَجَعْتُ مَعَهُ حَتَّى بَلَغَ عَتَبَةَ حُجْرَةِ عَائِشَةَ فَظَنَّ أَنْ قَدْ خَرَجُوا فَرَجَعَ وَرَجَعْتُ مَعَهُ فَإِذَا هُمْ قَدْ خَرَجُوا فَأُنْزِلَ آيَةُ الْحِجَابِ فَضَرَبَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ سِتْرًا  

I know (about) the Hijab (the order of veiling of women) more than anybody else. Ubai bin Kaʿb used to ask me about it. Messenger of Allah ﷺ became the bridegroom of Zainab bint Jahsh whom he married at Medina. After the sun had risen high in the sky, the Prophet ﷺ invited the people to a meal. Allah's Apostle remained sitting and some people remained sitting with him after the other guests had left. Then Messenger of Allah ﷺ got up and went away, and I too, followed him till he reached the door of ʿAisha's room. Then he thought that the people must have left the place by then, so he returned and I also returned with him. Behold, the people were still sitting at their places. So he went back again for the second time, and I went along with him too. When we reached the door of ʿAisha's room, he returned and I also returned with him to see that the people had left. Thereupon the Prophet ﷺ hung a curtain between me and him and the Verse regarding the order for (veiling of women) Hijab was revealed.  

أَنَا أَعْلَمُ النَّاسِ بِالْحِجَابِ كَانَ أُبَىُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ يَسْأَلُنِي عَنْهُ أَصْبَحَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَرُوسًا بِزَيْنَبَ ابْنَةِ جَحْشٍ وَكَانَ تَزَوَّجَهَا بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَدَعَا النَّاسَ لِلطَّعَامِ بَعْدَ ارْتِفَاعِ النَّهَارِ فَجَلَسَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَجَلَسَ مَعَهُ رِجَالٌ بَعْدَ مَا قَامَ الْقَوْمُ حَتَّى قَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَمَشَى وَمَشَيْتُ مَعَهُ حَتَّى بَلَغَ باب حُجْرَةِ عَائِشَةَ ثُمَّ ظَنَّ أَنَّهُمْ خَرَجُوا فَرَجَعْتُ مَعَهُ فَإِذَا هُمْ جُلُوسٌ مَكَانَهُمْ فَرَجَعَ وَرَجَعْتُ مَعَهُ الثَّانِيَةَ حَتَّى بَلَغَ باب حُجْرَةِ عَائِشَةَ فَرَجَعَ وَرَجَعْتُ مَعَهُ فَإِذَا هُمْ قَامُوا فَضَرَبَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ سِتْرًا وَأُنْزِلَ الْحِجَابُ  

I was the best informed among the people pertaining to Hijab (veil and seclusion). Ubayy b. Ka'b used to ask me about it. Anas (Allah be pleased with him) thus narrated: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ got up in the morning as a bridegroom of Zainab bint jahsh (Allah be pleased witt her) as he had married her at Medina. He invited people to the wedding feast after the day had well risen. There sat Messenger of Allah ﷺ and there kept sitting along with him some persons after the people had stood up (for departure) ; then Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up and walked on and I also walked along with him until he reached the door of the apartment of 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her). He then thought that they (those who had been sitting there after meal) had gone away. So he returned and I also returned with him, but they were still sitting at their places. So he returned for the second time and I also returned until he reached the apartment of 'A'isha. He again returned and I also returned and they had (by that time) stood up, and he hung a curtain between me and him (at the door of the apartment of Hadrat Zainab, where he had to stay), and Allah revealed the verse pertaining to veil. (Using translation from Muslim 1428f)  

عَنْهُ قَالَ أَنَسٌ أَصْبَحَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ عَرُوسًا بِزَيْنَبَ ابْنَةِ جَحْشٍ قَالَ وَكَانَ تَزَوَّجَهَا بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَدَعَا النَّاسَ لِلطَّعَامِ بَعْدَ ارْتِفَاعِ النَّهَارِ فَجَلَسَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَجَلَسَ مَعَهُ رِجَالٌ بَعْدَمَا قَامَ الْقَوْمُ حَتَّى قَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَمَشَى وَمَشَيْتُ مَعَهُ حَتَّى بَلَغَ حُجْرَةَ عَائِشَةَ ثُمَّ ظَنَّ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ خَرَجُوا فَرَجَعَ وَرَجَعْتُ مَعَهُ قَالَ فَإِذَا هُمْ جُلُوسٌ مَكَانَهُمْ فَرَجَعَ وَرَجَعْتُ مَعَهُ الثَّانِيَةَ حَتَّى بَلَغَ حُجْرَةَ عَائِشَةَ فَرَجَعَ وَرَجَعْتُ مَعَهُ فَإِذَا هُمْ قَدْ قَامُوا فَضَرَبَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ بِالسِّتْرِ وَأُنْزِلَالْحِجَابُ  

[Machine] "He was the son of ten years, preceding the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to Medina. He said, 'My mothers used to make me serve the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , and so I was aware of people's affairs regarding the hijab when it was revealed. The first revelation was about my adopting son, Zaynab bint Jahsh. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ became a bridegroom with her in the morning. He invited the people for a meal, and they ate and left, but a group of them remained in the house of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and did not leave. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then got up and went out. I also went out with him so that they could leave. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ walked and we walked with him until he reached the doorstep of Aisha's room. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ thought that they had left, so he returned. I also returned with him, and then we saw that they had indeed left. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then struck a blow between us."  

أَنَّهُ كَانَ ابْنَ عَشْرِ سِنِينَ مَقْدِمَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ الْمَدِينَةَ قَالَ وَكَانَ أُمَّهَاتِي يُوطِئْنَنِي عَلَى خِدْمَةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَكُنْتُ أَعْلَمَ النَّاسِ بِشَأْنِ الْحِجَابِ حِينَ أُنْزِلَ وَكَانَ أَوَّلَ مَا أُنْزِلَ ابْتَنَى رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ بِزَيْنَبَ بِنْتِ جَحْشٍ أَصْبَحَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ بِهَا عَرُوسًا فَدَعَا الْقَوْمَ فَأَصَابُوا مِنَ الطَّعَامِ ثُمَّ خَرَجُوا وَبَقِيَ رَهْطٌ مِنْهُمْ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَأَطَالُوا الْمُكْثَ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَخَرَجَ وَخَرَجْتُ مَعَهُ لِكَيْ يَخْرُجُوا فَمَشَى رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَمَشَيْنَا مَعَهُ حَتَّى جَاءَ عَتَبَةَ حُجْرَةِ عَائِشَةَ وَظَنَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ خَرَجُوا فَرَجَعَ وَرَجَعْتُ مَعَهُ فَإِذَا هُمْ قَدْ خَرَجُوا فَضَرَبَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ بَيْنَهُ  

[Machine] "He was ten years old when he accompanied the Prophet ﷺ to Medina, and my mothers incited me to serve the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . I served the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for ten years of his life in Medina, and the Prophet ﷺ passed away while I was twenty years old. He said, 'I had the most knowledge about matters of hijab when it was revealed. Ubayy ibn Ka'b used to ask me about it.' He said, 'The first thing revealed in the residential quarter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was regarding Zainab bint Jahsh. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ became married to her and made a feast for the people. They ate and left, and only a few remained with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . They stayed longer, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ got up and went out, and I went out with him so that they could leave. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ walked and I walked with him until we reached Aisha's door. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ thought that they had already left, so he turned back, and I turned back with him until he entered upon Zainab. There they were sitting, and they did not stand up. So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ left, and I left with him until we reached Aisha's door. Again, he thought that they had already left, so he turned back, and I turned back until I saw that they had indeed left. He then drew the curtains between him and them, and the hijab was revealed."  

أَنَّهُ كَانَ ابْنَ عَشَرِ سِنِينَ مَقْدِمَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ الْمَدِينَةَ فَكُنَّ أُمَّهَاتِي يُحَرِّضْنَنِي عَلَى خِدْمَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ «فَخَدَمْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَشْرًا حَيَاتَهُ بِالْمَدِينَةِ وَتُوُفِّيَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَأَنَا ابْنُ عِشْرِينَ سَنَةً» قَالَ «وَكُنْتُ أَعْلَمَ النَّاسِ بِشَأْنِ الْحِجَابِ حِينَ أُنْزِلَ لَقَدْ كَانَ أُبَيُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ يَسْأَلُنِي عَنْهُ» قَالَ «وَكَانَ أَوَّلَ مَا أُنْزِلَ فِي مُبْتَنَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِزَيْنَبَ بِنْتِ جَحْشٍ أَصْبَحَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِهَا عَرُوسًا فَدَعَا الْقَوْمَ فَأَصَابُوا مِنَ الطَّعَامِ وَخَرَجُوا وَبَقِيَ مِنْهُمْ رَهْطٌ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَطَالُوا الْمُكْثَ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَخَرَجَ وَخَرَجْتُ مَعَهُ لِكَيْ يَخْرُجُوا فَمَشَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَمَشَيْتُ مَعَهُ حَتَّى جَاءَ عَتَبَةَ حُجْرَةِ عَائِشَةَ ثُمَّ ظَنَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ خَرَجُوا فَرَجَعَ وَرَجَعْتُ مَعَهُ حَتَّى دَخَلَ عَلَى زَيْنَبَ وَإِذَا هُمْ جُلُوسٌ لَمْ يَقُومُوا فَرَجَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَرَجَعْتُ مَعَهُ حَتَّى بَلَغَ عَتْبَةَ حُجْرَةِ عَائِشَةَ فَظَنَّ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ خَرَجُوا فَرَجَعَ وَرَجَعْتُ فَإِذَا هُمْ قَدْ خَرَجُوا فَضَرَبَ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَهُ سِتْرًا وَأُنْزِلَ الْحِجَابُ»  

I was ten years old when Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived at Medina. My mother and aunts used to urge me to serve the Prophet ﷺ regularly, and I served him for ten years. When the Prophet ﷺ died I was twenty years old, and I knew about the order of Al-Hijab (veiling of ladies) more than any other person when it was revealed. It was revealed for the first time when Messenger of Allah ﷺ had consummated his marriage with Zainab bint Jahsh. When the day dawned, the Prophet ﷺ was a bridegroom and he invited the people to a banquet, so they came, ate, and then all left except a few who remained with the Prophet ﷺ for a long time. The Prophet ﷺ got up and went out, and I too went out with him so that those people might leave too. The Prophet ﷺ proceeded and so did I, till he came to the threshold of ʿAisha's dwelling place. Then thinking that these people have left by then, he returned and so did I along with him till he entered upon Zainab and behold, they were still sitting and had not gone. So the Prophet ﷺ again went away and I went away along with him. When we reached the threshold of ʿAisha's dwelling place, he thought that they had left, and so he returned and I too, returned along with him and found those people had left. Then the Prophet ﷺ drew a curtain between me and him, and the Verses of Al-Hijab were revealed. (Using translation from Bukhārī 5166)   

عَشْرِ سِنِينَ مَقْدِمَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ الْمَدِينَةَ قَالَ وَكَانَ أُمَّهَاتِي يُوَاظِبْنَنِي عَلَى خِدْمَةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَخَدَمْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ عَشْرَ سِنِينَ بِالْمَدِينَةِ وَتُوُفِّيَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَأَنَا ابْنُ عِشْرِينَ سَنَةً فَكُنْتُ أَعْلَمُ النَّاسِ بِشَأْنِ الْحِجَابِ حِينَ أُنْزِلَ وَكَانَ أَوَّلُ مَا أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ أُنْزِلَ فِي مُبْتَنَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ بِزَيْنَبَ بِنْتِ جَحْشٍ ؓ فَأَصْبَحَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ عَرُوسًا بِهَا فَدَعَا الْقَوْمَ فَأَصَابُوا مِنَ الطَّعَامِ ثُمَّ خَرَجُوا ثُمَّ بَقِيَ رَهْطٌ مِنْهُمْ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَأَطَالُوا الْمُكْثَ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَخَرَجَ وَخَرَجْتُ مَعَهُ لِكَيْ يَخْرُجُوا فَمَشَى رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَمَشَيْتُ مَعَهُ حَتَّى جَاءَ عَتَبَةَ حُجْرَةِ عَائِشَةَ ؓ ثُمَّ ظَنَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ خَرَجُوا فَرَجَعَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَرَجَعْتُ مَعَهُ حَتَّى دَخَلَ عَلَى زَيْنَبَ فَإِذَا هُمْ جُلُوسٌ لَمْ يَقُومُوا فَرَجَعَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَرَجَعْتُ مَعَهُ حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَ حُجْرَةَ عَائِشَةَ فَظَنَّ أَنْ قَدْ خَرَجُوا فَرَجَعَ وَرَجَعْتُ مَعَهُ فَإِذَا هُمْ خَرَجُوا فَضَرَبَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ الْحِجَابَ وَأُنْزِلَ الْحِجَابُ