(481) بَابُ: كَيْفَ نَزَلَتْ آيَةُ الْحِجَابِ؟
Anas said that he was ten years old when the Messenger of Allah,may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to Madina. He said, "My mothersdecided that I would serve him and I served him for ten years. He diedwhen I was twenty. I am the person who knows best about the business ofthe veil. The first instance that was revealed occurred when the Messengerof Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, built a room for Zaynabbint Jahsh. He celebrated the wedding there, invited the people who came,ate and then left. A group remained with the Prophet, may Allah bless himand grant him peace. They stayed for a long time and then the Prophet wentout and I went out hoping that they would leave. He walked and I walkedwith him until he came to the threshold of 'A'isha's room. Then, thinkingthat they would have left, he returned and I returned with him. He wentto Zaynab but they were still sitting there. He left again and I left withhim until he once more reached the threshold of 'A'isha's room. When hethought that they would have gone, he went back again and I went back withhim. This time they had indeed left. The Prophet, may Allah bless him andgrant him peace, then put up a curtain between me and him, and the veilwas revealed."
Reference: Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 1051
In-book reference: Book 43, Hadith 1
English translation: Book 43, Hadith 1051