The meaning of *sadal* in the language of the Arabs.
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : What is *sadal* in our language?
The Shaykh : The explanation comes to you now. *Sadal* is as I did just now: you let the *ghitrah*, that is, the *khimar*, hang down like this, but you do not tie it.
The questioner : From above the head, you cover it from people and you can see the road.
The Shaykh : But a woman cannot walk with this because it hinders her movement. This can only be achieved for a short distance, for example.
The questioner : Among men.
The Shaykh : Yes, for a short distance, or if she is riding, for example, on a camel or a car or something similar. In that case, it is permissible for her to wear the *abayah* that she has placed on her head, with her face uncovered, doing it like this without tying it on her head. This tying is what is forbidden, and that is the *niqab* or the handkerchief. Is that clear?
Therefore, we must combine the explanation of the obligatory in general with the explanation of the forbidden in particular. The obligatory, as those who say that the face is *awrah* state, is to wear the *niqab*. But this *niqab* is forbidden for the woman in *ihram*. So we explain this and we explain that, so that there is no excessive strictness among women and a reaction arises in them, because they are accustomed to always hearing that the woman's face is *awrah*, and they have not heard with this generality the restriction that the woman in *ihram* is not allowed to wear the *niqab*. But in special circumstances, she may let it hang down, *sadal* without tying it on the forehead.
An example of this: You, as a man, for example, in *ihram*, are not allowed to place the *khimar* on your head. But it is permissible for you to shield the sun from you with a tent or what is called a parasol or something like that. This is like that. And these are the limits of Allah, so do not transgress them.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good. We love you for the sake of Allah.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : The explanation comes to you now. *Sadal* is as I did just now: you let the *ghitrah*, that is, the *khimar*, hang down like this, but you do not tie it.
The questioner : From above the head, you cover it from people and you can see the road.
The Shaykh : But a woman cannot walk with this because it hinders her movement. This can only be achieved for a short distance, for example.
The questioner : Among men.
The Shaykh : Yes, for a short distance, or if she is riding, for example, on a camel or a car or something similar. In that case, it is permissible for her to wear the *abayah* that she has placed on her head, with her face uncovered, doing it like this without tying it on her head. This tying is what is forbidden, and that is the *niqab* or the handkerchief. Is that clear?
Therefore, we must combine the explanation of the obligatory in general with the explanation of the forbidden in particular. The obligatory, as those who say that the face is *awrah* state, is to wear the *niqab*. But this *niqab* is forbidden for the woman in *ihram*. So we explain this and we explain that, so that there is no excessive strictness among women and a reaction arises in them, because they are accustomed to always hearing that the woman's face is *awrah*, and they have not heard with this generality the restriction that the woman in *ihram* is not allowed to wear the *niqab*. But in special circumstances, she may let it hang down, *sadal* without tying it on the forehead.
An example of this: You, as a man, for example, in *ihram*, are not allowed to place the *khimar* on your head. But it is permissible for you to shield the sun from you with a tent or what is called a parasol or something like that. This is like that. And these are the limits of Allah, so do not transgress them.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good. We love you for the sake of Allah.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you with good.