10. Why did the Prophet ﷺ instruct Fatima bint Qais to remain in the house of her cousin Ibn Umm Maktoom, while he is a non-Mahram?

An-Nawawi rahimahullah said: “Some people have argued on the basis of this the permissibility of a woman looking at a strange man but not vice versa, and this is a weak view. Rather the correct view held by the majority of scholars and most of the Companions is that it is forbidden for a woman to look at a strange man just as it is forbidden for him to look at her, due to the statement of Allah Almighty: {قل للمؤمنين يغضوا من أبصارهم...} “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze...” {وقل للمؤمنات يغضضن من أبصارهن...} “Tell the believing women to lower their gaze...” [Surah An-Nur 30 - 31] Likewise, temptation is present in both; so just as he fears being tempted by her, she also fears being tempted by him. This is further proven by the hadith of Nab-haan, the freed slave of Umm Salamah, on the authority of Umm Salamah, that she and Maymunah were with the Prophet ﷺ, so Ibn Umm Maktum entered, and the Prophet ﷺ said: ((احتجبا منه)) “Veil yourselves from him.” They said, 'He is blind and cannot see.' So the Prophet ﷺ said: ((أفعمياوان أنتما فليس تبصرانه؟)) “Are you both blind such that you cannot see him?” This hadith is a sound hadith narrated by Abu Dawood, At-Tirmidhi and others. At-Tirmidhi said, 'It is a sound hadith, and no attention is to be given to the criticism of those who criticise (its authenticity) without a valid argument.' As for the hadeeth of Fatima bint Qais with Ibn Umm Maktum, then it does not contain permission for her to look at him, but rather that she is safe with him from looking at others (as apposed to staying in Umm Shareek's house which was frequented by various male Companions), and despite that she is still commanded to lower her gaze, which is something she is able to do without much difficulty (while in his house), unlike her staying in the house of Umm Shareek.” [End of Quote from An-Nawawi's explanation of Saheeh Muslim] Note: the hadeeth of Nab-han has been declared 'Dha'eef' by a number of scholars, including Sheikh Muqbil and Sheikh Albani rahmatullah alayhim, however, most scholars (jumhoor) still hold the opinion that women must lower their gaze due to the other evidences, such as the Ayah cited above.