Undoubtedly many of the women of the Muhajirin and Ansar were known to be blessed with beauty, but no one thought that this ruling applied only to them and not to others.
These ahadith show that the women of the Muhajirin and Ansar obeyed the command to cover their faces and they did not understand the command as applying only to those who were beautiful.
The scholars have explained that this ruling is general in meaning and applies to all women.
In his commentary on the verse ‘draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies’, al-Jassas al-Hanafi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“This verse indicates that young women are commanded to cover their faces in front of strangers (non-mahram men) and to be modest when they go out lest people with suspicious minds raise their hopes when they see them.” (Ahkam al-Quran, 5/245)
Ibn Jazi al-Kalbi al-Maliki (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“The Arab women used to uncover their faces as slave women do, which was an invitation to men to look at them. So Allah commanded them to cover themselves with their jilbabs and cover their faces with them.” (Al-Tas-hil li ‘Uloom al-Tanzil, 3/144)
Shaykh al-Islam ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “It is not permissible for women to uncover their faces where non-mahrams can see them. The people in authority have to enjoin what is good and forbid this evil and others. Whoever does not obey should be punished for that in a way that will deter him (from doing it again).” (Majmu’ al-Fatawa, 24/382)
Al-Suyuti (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“This is the verse of hijab which applies to all women and shows that they are obliged to cover their heads and faces.” (‘Awn al-Ma'bud, 11/106)