The Lawful Garment for Women and the Ruling on Covering the Face and Hands
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Question:
I hope you will inform us about the lawful garment for women, and whether the Shari'ah has made it obligatory to cover the face and hands? And what is the authenticity of the hadith narrated by Abu Dawud from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) thatMishkat al-Masabih 4372 the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and from , we seek information on this? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
The garment of the woman is that which covers her entire body with sufficient coverage, and it must be loose; this is the covering of the woman, and it must not contain adornment. That is, these conditions must be met. First, it must be sufficient to cover her entire body. Second, it must be loose so that it is not tight and reveals the shape of her limbs. Third, it must cover what is beneath it, so it is not transparent. Fourth, it must not contain adornment that draws attention to her when she goes out, because the woman is an 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) and a fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), and Allah the Exalted has commanded women to observe hijab. He said:[Al-Ahzab 33:59] [Al-Ahzab 33:59], [An-Nur 24:31], [An-Nur 24:31].
And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also commanded women to observe hijab. Among this is what came in the hadith of, and this indicates the obligation of covering the face as well. This answers the questioner's question. Yes. Is it obligatory for the woman to cover her face? Yes.
It is obligatory for her to cover her face in this hadith, and because of the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Ahzab 33:53] The hijab is the covering for her entire body from a man who is not one of her mahram (a relative one may not marry). And His saying: [An-Nur 24:31] The khimar is the head covering; Allah commanded that it be cast down, meaning that it be let down over the neck, which is the throat. It follows from this that it must pass over the face and cover the face. Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Ahzab 33:59] It has come in the tafsir (Qur'anic exegesis) that the meaning of this is that she should throw the end of the outer garment she is wearing over her face. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 2128, Muwatta Malik 48:8.
This is a severe warning for the women who do not cover themselves, but rather wear a deceptive garment, the appearance of which is the appearance of a covering garment, but in reality it does not cover, because it is transparent, or because it is short and some of her limbs are visible from it, or because it is a garment of adornment that tempts men with it.
As for the hadith of Asma' that she entered upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in thin garments, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said that it is not permissible for a woman to reveal anything of her body except this and this, and he pointed to his face and his two hands, this is used as evidence by those who hold the permissibility of revealing the face for the woman before men, and revealing the two hands. But this hadith is rejected for several reasons. First, it is a weak hadith. Second, it is a munqati' (a report with a broken chain); because between Aisha and its narrator there is a narrator who was not mentioned, so it is munqati'. Third, it is munkar (a denounced narration); because it is not fitting for Asma' bint Abi Bakr al-Siddiq, the sister of Aisha Umm al-Mu'minin (Mother of the Believers), it is not fitting for a woman from the house of Abi Bakr al-Siddiq, and the sister of Umm al-Mu'minin, to enter upon the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in the manner described in the hadith. This is far from what is likely, which indicates that it is not authentic.
So, in summary of these criticisms of this hadith, it is not valid to argue with it. In addition, it is opposed to the Qur'anic verses and Prophetic hadiths that are more authentic than it. So, even if it were assumed to be authentic, if it opposes what is more authentic from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), then it is not permissible to act upon it. How so, when it is weak and munqati', and has severe munkarah (denunciation)? But the people of desires cling to a spider's thread, because they want to justify their desires. And they justify what people are doing, even if it is contrary to the Shari'ah. Yes. May Allah reward you with good, and may Allah reward you.
I hope you will inform us about the lawful garment for women, and whether the Shari'ah has made it obligatory to cover the face and hands? And what is the authenticity of the hadith narrated by Abu Dawud from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that
Asma’ daughter of Abu Bakr came in to visit
أسماء بنت أبي بكر دخلت علىshe was wearing thin garments, so he turned away from her and said: O Asma', when a woman reaches the age of menstruation, it is not permissible for anyone to see of her except this and this, and he pointed to his face and his two hands
عليها ثياب الرقاب فأعرض عنها وقال يا أسماء إن المرأة إذا بلغت سن المحيض لم يحل أن يرى منها إلا هذا وهذا، وأشار إلى وجهه وكفيهAnswer:
The garment of the woman is that which covers her entire body with sufficient coverage, and it must be loose; this is the covering of the woman, and it must not contain adornment. That is, these conditions must be met. First, it must be sufficient to cover her entire body. Second, it must be loose so that it is not tight and reveals the shape of her limbs. Third, it must cover what is beneath it, so it is not transparent. Fourth, it must not contain adornment that draws attention to her when she goes out, because the woman is an 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) and a fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), and Allah the Exalted has commanded women to observe hijab. He said:
O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُل لِّأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلَابِيبِهِنَّThat is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.
ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰ أَن يُعْرَفْنَ فَلَا يُؤْذَيْنَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًاto wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, their brothers' sons
وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَائِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَائِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي إِخْوَانِهِنَّtheir women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment.
أَوْ نِسَائِهِنَّ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُنَّ أَوِ التَّابِعِينَ غَيْرِ أُولِي الْإِرْبَةِ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ أَوِ الطِّفْلِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يَظْهَرُوا عَلَىٰ عَوْرَاتِ النِّسَاءِ وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّAnd the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also commanded women to observe hijab. Among this is what came in the hadith of
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: We were with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in a state of ihram (the consecrated state of pilgrimage), so when the men passed by us, one of us would lower her khimar (the head covering) from her head over her face, and when they had passed, we would uncover it.
عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت كنا مع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم محرمات، فكن إذا مر بنا الرجال سدلت إحدانا خمارها من على رأسها على وجهها، فإذا جاوزونا كشفناه.It is obligatory for her to cover her face in this hadith, and because of the saying of Allah the Exalted:
ask them from behind a partition
فَاسْأَلُوهُنَّ مِن وَرَاءِ حِجَابٍto wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests
وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّO Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُل لِّأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلَابِيبِهِنَّTwo are the types of the denizens of Hell whom I did not see
صنفان من أهل النار لم أرهماWomen who are naked even though they are wearing clothes, go astray and make others go astray
نساء كاسيات عاريات، مائلات مميلاتThis is a severe warning for the women who do not cover themselves, but rather wear a deceptive garment, the appearance of which is the appearance of a covering garment, but in reality it does not cover, because it is transparent, or because it is short and some of her limbs are visible from it, or because it is a garment of adornment that tempts men with it.
As for the hadith of Asma' that she entered upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in thin garments, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said that it is not permissible for a woman to reveal anything of her body except this and this, and he pointed to his face and his two hands, this is used as evidence by those who hold the permissibility of revealing the face for the woman before men, and revealing the two hands. But this hadith is rejected for several reasons. First, it is a weak hadith. Second, it is a munqati' (a report with a broken chain); because between Aisha and its narrator there is a narrator who was not mentioned, so it is munqati'. Third, it is munkar (a denounced narration); because it is not fitting for Asma' bint Abi Bakr al-Siddiq, the sister of Aisha Umm al-Mu'minin (Mother of the Believers), it is not fitting for a woman from the house of Abi Bakr al-Siddiq, and the sister of Umm al-Mu'minin, to enter upon the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in the manner described in the hadith. This is far from what is likely, which indicates that it is not authentic.
So, in summary of these criticisms of this hadith, it is not valid to argue with it. In addition, it is opposed to the Qur'anic verses and Prophetic hadiths that are more authentic than it. So, even if it were assumed to be authentic, if it opposes what is more authentic from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), then it is not permissible to act upon it. How so, when it is weak and munqati', and has severe munkarah (denunciation)? But the people of desires cling to a spider's thread, because they want to justify their desires. And they justify what people are doing, even if it is contrary to the Shari'ah. Yes. May Allah reward you with good, and may Allah reward you.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، ما هو لباس المرأة الشرعي وهل أوجد الشرع تغطية الوجه والكفين؟ الشيخ صالح بن فوزان الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.