The Ruling on Wearing the Niqab

Question:
May Allah reward you. Honorable Shaykh, a questioner asks: What is the ruling on wearing the niqab? And what is the ruling on isbal?

Answer:
Wearing the niqab, if it covers the face and it is the custom of the women in their country to wear the niqab as their custom, and it is a covering niqab from which only the eyes appear, there is nothing wrong with it. These are the two conditions: that it is the custom in the country, the custom of the women in their country, and that it covers the face, with nothing of the face appearing except only the eyes for the sake of seeing. This is permissible. However, if the custom of the country is a complete covering of the face, and the covering is placed over the entire face, and nothing of the face appears, not the eyes or anything else, then they should remain with this. This is more complete, better, and more concealing, so the women of the country should remain with it. Yes, the niqab.

Question:
And the ruling on isbal.

Answer:
Isbal is forbidden; it is a major sin for men. As for the woman, she is required to let her garment hang down behind her by the length of a forearm in order to cover her heels. As for the man, it is not permissible for him to let his garment go below the ankles. Whatever is below the ankles is in the Fire, as stated in the hadith. He lets it hang below the ankles: not the thobe, not the bisht, not the trousers, and not the izar. The dividing line is the ankles only; anything above them is fine, but anything below the ankles is the condemned, forbidden isbal, which is a major sin. This is because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) issued a severe warning against it, saying, “Whatever is below the ankles is in the Fire.” This indicates that it is a major sin. Isbal for men is a major sin, but now the situation has reversed: men let their garments hang down, and women raise their garments. This is a reversal that contradicts the Shari'ah. What is required of women is covering, not what they cover with; they wear short clothes and lift them off their legs. Perhaps they wear them up to their knees, while the man lets his garment drag on the ground. All of this is from Shaytan, who incites Muslims to this behavior: women to wear short clothes and men to wear long ones, in order to contradict the command of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Yes.