The ruling on women uncovering their faces in public places
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Question:
Recently, the phenomenon of women uncovering their faces, especially in public places, has been observed, which has caused fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) for men. It has spread in the cities and continues to persist. I ask for a guiding word for these women and for their guardians, and what is my position regarding this evil, and how do I perform its prohibition?
Answer:
Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) commanded hijab (the covering prescribed for women) in many verses, and the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded it as well. Among this is His saying:[Al-Ahzab 33:59] The jilbab (the outer garment) is the large outer covering that a woman wears over her clothes to cover the rest of her body, and she lowers a part of it over her face.
Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked, as in the narration of his student 'Ubaydah al-Salmani, about the meaning of[Al-Ahzab 33:59]? So he (may Allah be pleased with him) lowered the edge of his garment and covered his face with it to clarify the meaning of "let them draw their jilbab over their faces." This indicates the obligation of covering the face, because Allah commanded it. He said, "so they will not be harmed," which indicates that hijab protects the woman from harm and from the exposure of open sinners to her. In it is safety for her from the harm of open sinners and their following her.
If a woman who is covered in her entire body passes by you, you do not recognize her and do not look at her. But when an uncovered woman passes by, some people follow her with their gaze and are preoccupied with her, and some fools and open sinners may harm her. So hijab is protection for the woman, it is safeguarding for the woman, and it is mercy for the woman. And Allah commanded it for the wives of His Prophet, who are the purest women on the face of the earth.
And He said:[Al-Ahzab 33:53] So if the wives of the Prophet are commanded to observe hijab for the purity of their hearts and the purity of the hearts of people, then others are all the more so. They are all the more entitled to be commanded to observe hijab to seek this purity for the hearts. This indicates that abandoning hijab involves corruption of the hearts, and that hijab involves purity for the hearts. So who would deny this except one whose insight has turned upside down, may Allah protect us from that? So the women of the Muslims should fear Allah and act upon what Allah commanded them to do. And they should leave those who command them or make the matter of hijab seem light, and not turn to him, because he is an enemy to them. Their friend and brother is the one who commands them to observe hijab, the one who gives them sincere advice. As for the one who commands them to abandon hijab, he is an enemy to them and wants harm for them, even if he calls himself by the name of knowledge or by the name of research, he is an enemy to women. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you.
Recently, the phenomenon of women uncovering their faces, especially in public places, has been observed, which has caused fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) for men. It has spread in the cities and continues to persist. I ask for a guiding word for these women and for their guardians, and what is my position regarding this evil, and how do I perform its prohibition?
Answer:
Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) commanded hijab (the covering prescribed for women) in many verses, and the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded it as well. Among this is His saying:
O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused.
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُل لِّأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلَابِيبِهِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰ أَن يُعْرَفْنَ فَلَا يُؤْذَيْنَIbn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked, as in the narration of his student 'Ubaydah al-Salmani, about the meaning of
to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments
يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلَابِيبِهِنَّIf a woman who is covered in her entire body passes by you, you do not recognize her and do not look at her. But when an uncovered woman passes by, some people follow her with their gaze and are preoccupied with her, and some fools and open sinners may harm her. So hijab is protection for the woman, it is safeguarding for the woman, and it is mercy for the woman. And Allah commanded it for the wives of His Prophet, who are the purest women on the face of the earth.
And He said:
And when you ask [his wives] for something, ask them from behind a partition. That is purer for your hearts and their hearts.
وَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُنَّ مَتَاعًا فَاسْأَلُوهُنَّ مِن وَرَاءِ حِجَابٍ ذَٰلِكُمْ أَطْهَرُ لِقُلُوبِكُمْ وَقُلُوبِهِنَّThe presenter:
May Allah reward you.
Source
شرح كتاب الكبائر للإمام محمد بن عبد الوهاب، بداية من باب ما جاء في الفتن — islamhouse.com (1:16:05)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.