Advice for Women in the Context of the Attack on Hijab and Face Covering

Question:
What advice do you offer to women in light of the attack being launched against Islam and Muslims, demanding that women not cover their faces and removing them from the hijab? Some say that covering the face is a custom and not an act of worship, and that there is no text from the Book of Allah or the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) commanding a woman to cover her face.

Answer:
Those who say this do not say it because they respect the texts and act upon them; rather, they say it as a challenge to the scholars. Even if we presented the texts to them, they would not act upon them. They say this as a challenge and a correction of the scholars. The texts exist, praise be to Allah, in the Book and the Sunnah and in the words of the people of knowledge. We do not pay attention to the statements of these people, because this is the rambling of a delirious person in which there is no good, so we do not pay attention to it. We are clear in our matter, praise be to Allah, regarding what Allah has prescribed for Muslim women: hijab, the prohibition of seclusion, the prohibition of free mixing, and the prohibition of traveling without a mahram. In fact, there are authentic texts from the Qur'an and the Sunnah regarding this. But when these people say, "Bring us the texts," they do not want the texts; they want to hasten to claim them, or they want to challenge. Even if we brought them the texts, they would not accept them. Pharaoh to Musa When he came with the sign, he said, "This is sorcery, and we have sorcery like it." He did not intend the evidence, nor did he intend the sign and the proof; rather, his intention was to challenge Musa (peace be upon him). So it is with these people.