What is the ruling on a woman covering her face?

Question:
The questioner says: I asked my wife to cover her face, but she refused. So I prevented her from going out, even to visit her relatives. Have I sinned by doing this? Please note that in the country where I live, women covering their faces is almost nonexistent. May Allah bless you.

Answer:
Yes, this is well known. This is enjoining good and forbidding evil, and your wife is the one most deserving of this from you. You should oversee her, enjoin good upon her, and forbid her from evil. You should order her to cover her face when going out. You ordered her to obey you, and if she disobeys, you have the right to discipline her. You have the right to discipline her for her refusal, and this includes preventing her from going out to her relatives. This is a matter of discipline until she complies and repents to Allah the Exalted. This is a prescribed right and prescribed discipline. We ask Allah to guide her. Hijab is obligatory, even if the country is contrary to it. The obligation is to follow the command of the Lawgiver and what the Shari'ah has ordered, even if they oppose it.