How can we reconcile Aisha's narration about the immigrant women covering themselves, Ibn Hajar's statement regarding their covering their faces, and Allah's saying: "and to draw their veils over their bosoms" (24:31), which necessitates covering the face, with the hadith of "safa' al-khaddayn" (the woman with darkened cheeks) and Ibn Abbas's interpretation of "except what is apparent thereof" (24:31) as referring to the ring, face, and hands, taking into account that the interpretation of a Companion is a proof?

Ibn Abbas's interpretation of the verse can be disagreed with, as Ibn Mas'ud and others interpreted the verse to refer to outer garments. Assuming the correctness of the interpretation attributed to Ibn Abbas, the interpretation of a Companion from whom no dissenting view is known is not an absolute proof unless it is a matter in which there is no room for personal opinion or it was not taken from the People of the Book. Scholars have differed on the extent to which a Companion's interpretation is considered like a Marfu' (a narration directly attributed to the Prophet); some believe it is not strong because the Companions exercised ijtihad (definition) (independent reasoning) and differed in interpretation.