The Ruling on a Woman Displaying Her Adornment Before Men
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Fatwa No. ( 13598 )
Q: What is the Shari'ah-prescribed hijab in Islam, and are the face and hands not considered 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) in this age? What is the meaning of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation)? If a young woman goes to the market with her face uncovered, one tells her: "That is not permissible because it is fitnah." She says: "How can I know that fitnah has occurred?" What is our answer? And the hijab is an old custom, as they say. How do we respond to that? And is it permissible for a female da'iyah (caller to Islam) in Muslim countries to uncover her face and hands, and does she fall into a prohibited act?
A: The Islamic Shari'ah came to preserve honor and protect it, and to block all doors leading to vice and the paths leading to it. It commanded marriage, forbade unlawful sexual intercourse, and made hijab obligatory for the woman. Hijab is: covering her entire body, including the face and hands, from non-mahram (a relative one may not marry) men. This is to protect her and honor her status so that she is known for chastity and purity, and so she is not exposed to degradation and harm from those who follow their desires and those with diseased hearts. The hijab is not an old custom, but rather a Shari'ah ruling. The Shari'ah also called for the woman to remain in the home, away from men and their gatherings, and not to leave it except for a need, while covering herself and avoiding adornment and beautification. All of this is to preserve her dignity and keep her away from the gatherings of men, which may lead to corruption and consequences that are not praiseworthy. It commanded both the man and the woman to lower the gaze, forbade seclusion with a non-mahram woman, prohibited a woman from traveling without a mahram, and prohibited her from applying perfume when leaving her home, and from speaking in a submissive tone when addressing men, so that they do not desire her. It also prohibited attention-grabbing movements, such as displaying the sound of jewelry and the like, and other things that the Shari'ah brought to preserve honor and its purity, and to keep the woman away from places of fitnah which are followed by
evil and harm. There is no doubt that opposing these rulings leads to corruption and the occurrence of immorality, which sound instincts and straight minds reject. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: What is the Shari'ah-prescribed hijab in Islam, and are the face and hands not considered 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) in this age? What is the meaning of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation)? If a young woman goes to the market with her face uncovered, one tells her: "That is not permissible because it is fitnah." She says: "How can I know that fitnah has occurred?" What is our answer? And the hijab is an old custom, as they say. How do we respond to that? And is it permissible for a female da'iyah (caller to Islam) in Muslim countries to uncover her face and hands, and does she fall into a prohibited act?
A: The Islamic Shari'ah came to preserve honor and protect it, and to block all doors leading to vice and the paths leading to it. It commanded marriage, forbade unlawful sexual intercourse, and made hijab obligatory for the woman. Hijab is: covering her entire body, including the face and hands, from non-mahram (a relative one may not marry) men. This is to protect her and honor her status so that she is known for chastity and purity, and so she is not exposed to degradation and harm from those who follow their desires and those with diseased hearts. The hijab is not an old custom, but rather a Shari'ah ruling. The Shari'ah also called for the woman to remain in the home, away from men and their gatherings, and not to leave it except for a need, while covering herself and avoiding adornment and beautification. All of this is to preserve her dignity and keep her away from the gatherings of men, which may lead to corruption and consequences that are not praiseworthy. It commanded both the man and the woman to lower the gaze, forbade seclusion with a non-mahram woman, prohibited a woman from traveling without a mahram, and prohibited her from applying perfume when leaving her home, and from speaking in a submissive tone when addressing men, so that they do not desire her. It also prohibited attention-grabbing movements, such as displaying the sound of jewelry and the like, and other things that the Shari'ah brought to preserve honor and its purity, and to keep the woman away from places of fitnah which are followed by
evil and harm. There is no doubt that opposing these rulings leads to corruption and the occurrence of immorality, which sound instincts and straight minds reject. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.