Denouncing Women’s Tabarruj (Display of Adornment) and the Muslim’s Duty Toward It

Question:
Your Eminence the Shaykh! By Allah, my heart is nearly torn apart by what I see today in the streets of the Muslims: women displaying their adornment. The matter has increased to the point that in these days we have seen many women raise their garments close to their private parts, such that if she were to bend down, her private part would be visible. When many of our brothers see these abominations, they merely lower their gazes and do not denounce them. But others, the slaves of desire, neither denounce them nor lower their gazes; rather, they commit zina (unlawful sexual intercourse) with their eyes and satisfy their desires. But unfortunately, my heart is torn to the end, and I say, standing alone in the square: What is Your Eminence’s opinion on this?

Answer:
This is like what you heard in the lecture and the seminar. It is obligatory (wajib) for the one who sees it to denounce it, and not to say, “This belongs to so-and-so” or “This belongs to so-and-so.” He denounces it according to his ability, saying, “O servant of Allah, fear Allah. This is not permissible,” just as you heard. If ten people pass by a woman or a man, each one says, “Why did you do this? Fear Allah, so-and-so.” He sees his neighbor and the people praying, so he denounces it to him. He sees her exposing herself, so he denounces it to her, whether she exposed her face, her head, her legs, or something else. He denounces it to her and says, “O modesty of Allah, this is not permissible; this is an abomination.” And if she is a non-Arab who does not understand, such as a Japanese woman or someone else, the point is that each person addresses the one who understands: the one who understands Arabic in Arabic, and the one who understands otherwise in that other language, because the countries have various types of people. So denunciation is required in all cases. It is not said, “This is a European or such, so leave her alone.” It is denounced to everyone until they become aware. Until they become aware, if they are among Muslims, they wear what covers them among Muslims.
The result is that this does not exempt a person from denunciation, even if she is a non-Arab, even if she is European, or even if she is American. It is indicated by gesture if it is not understood by gesture, so that they know that there are people who denounce this and that this is not correct in this country. This is not specific to Riyadh; it is in any place.