Discussion of what is attributed to Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding his command for a woman to cover her face with one eye visible.
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : If you have evidence for the prohibition other than the logic you resort to and keep repeating, which is that the most beautiful part of a woman is her face, then this speech is closer to philosophical discourse that can be countered with similar arguments. This does not constitute evidence, as scholars agree that the prohibition of something is established by evidence from the Book and the Sunnah, not merely by opinion. If you have evidence from the Book and the Sunnah, we hope to hear it, and I am certain there is no such evidence, because I investigated this issue extensively in the book mentioned earlier. If you have anything of what you referred to, please share it so we may hear it, if Allah wills.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. Regarding what you said that the original ruling was permissible, yes. I am quoting part of the statement of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah: "That the Arabs used to circumambulate the House naked, and Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He—so says Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah—sent down Surat al-A'raf, in which He revealed:[Al-A'raf 7:31], and His saying, the Exalted: [Al-A'raf 7:26], in the community of Makkah. Then, when they went to Madinah, the first of the two commands came down to cover everything except the face and hands. Then, afterwards, the last of the two commands, according to what Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said, was to cover the face". He also, I mean Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, cited this statement of Ibn Abbas and used it as evidence. I only said: it is narrated from Ibn Abbas. But it does not appear to me that Ibn Mas'ud describes the state that existed in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when he said: "She covers her face and shows one eye". Also, what is narrated in *Sahih al-Bukhari*.
The Shaykh : This, may Allah reward you, is not from Ibn Mas'ud. This is not narrated from Ibn Mas'ud in any book. It is narrated only from Ibn Abbas, and from 'Abidah al-Salmani. As for Ibn Mas'ud, this narration is not reported from him. This narration is from Ibn Abbas only.
The questioner : In a narration.
The Shaykh : In which book?
The questioner : In *Tafsir Ibn Kathir*, Ibn Kathir mentioned it from Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him).
The Shaykh : With this narration, there is nothing from Ibn Mas'ud. So I do not know, let us look here in *Tafsir Ibn Kathir*.
The questioner : In Surat al-Nur or al-Ahzab.
The Shaykh : So I hope, so that the research does not drag on, that you know, as you do, that the evidence is from the words of the scholars, and especially the words of Ibn al-Qayyim:
"Knowledge is: Allah said, His Messenger said, *** The Companions said, not by equivocation.
Knowledge is not setting you up for foolish disagreement *** Between the Messenger and the opinion of a jurist.
No, and neither denying the attributes and negating them, out of fear of
So I hope to receive an answer to my last question. You are very clear in your speech that the original ruling for things is permissibility. So you began to quote the words of Ibn Taymiyyah, the words of Ibn Mas'ud, and the words of Ibn Abbas, regarding the head and the eye. But the issue is disputed among the Companions. We should return, in case of disagreement, as I mentioned the verse earlier, to the word of Allah and the word of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). So you, may Allah reward you, must shorten the path for us, because we have less than an hour of time with us. We want to hear from you what is the evidence for the prohibition that you insist on. The issue is a matter of scholarly disagreement among the Companions and among the scholars. The majority of scholars, as I mentioned earlier, are of the opinion that a woman's face is not an 'awrah. This does not mean that covering it is not permissible; covering is better. But the question is: what is the evidence that forbids a woman to uncover her face? This is what is required, and this is the path that brings us closer to knowing the truth, if Allah wills.
Then another thing: if we mention a narration, we must be aware of its authenticity, and not occupy ourselves with explaining its weakness, because what is authentic suffices us for what is not authentic. You mentioned a narration from Ibn Mas'ud that he permitted uncovering one eye. This narration, as I recall, is from Ibn Abbas, and the chain to him has two defects:
The disconnection between 'Ali ibn Abi Talhah and Ibn Abbas, and also Abu Salih, the scribe of al-Layth, who is weak.
As for Ibn Mas'ud, this narration does not exist. There is only a narration understood from Ibn Mas'ud: "That a woman's face must be covered". This is possible. But that a narration is reported from him that he permitted a woman to uncover one eye, I think you have confused one narration with another. This narration is well known from Ibn Abbas. As for Ibn Mas'ud, there is absolutely nothing like it. What is narrated from him is that a woman covers her face, covers her entire body. Even he did not mention the face, as I believe, explicitly by text, but rather that she covers her entire body. This is well known from Ibn Mas'ud and is not hidden from us, and praise be to Allah.
As for attributing to him that he said what is narrated from Ibn Abbas, I do not recall it. And therefore I demanded the reference from you. Here it is now, *Tafsir Ibn Kathir*. Give it to the Shaykh, let him look at it.
The questioner : May Allah do you good, may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
The questioner : As for the evidence, it is the hadith of al-Khath'amiah, which is established in *al-Sahihayn*:, and then after that.
The Shaykh : Who turned his face?
The questioner : The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned the face of al-Fadl, and al-Fadl was riding behind him.
The Shaykh : Understood, but you say: then.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Meaning, when the Messenger saw al-Fadl looking at the woman, he turned al-Fadl's face to the other side. Then you say, what: then?
The questioner : We are satisfied with this.
The Shaykh : Very well.
The questioner : So when he turned his face to the other side, this is evidence that a woman's face is an 'awrah. If it were not an 'awrah, he would not have prevented him from looking at her.
The Shaykh : This is a mistake. You mentioned what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) did to al-Fadl ibn Abbas. Why did he turn al-Fadl's face to the other side? He was looking at the woman.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And what was the state of the woman?
The questioner : She was beautiful.
The Shaykh : Meaning, beautiful?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Beautiful. Was her face covered or uncovered?
The questioner : Uncovered.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. Regarding what you said that the original ruling was permissible, yes. I am quoting part of the statement of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah: "That the Arabs used to circumambulate the House naked, and Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He—so says Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah—sent down Surat al-A'raf, in which He revealed:
O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid
يا بني آدم خذوا زينتكم عند كل مسجدWe have bestowed upon you clothing to conceal your private parts and as adornment
قد أنزلنا عليكم لباسًا يواري سوءاتكم وريشًاThe Shaykh : This, may Allah reward you, is not from Ibn Mas'ud. This is not narrated from Ibn Mas'ud in any book. It is narrated only from Ibn Abbas, and from 'Abidah al-Salmani. As for Ibn Mas'ud, this narration is not reported from him. This narration is from Ibn Abbas only.
The questioner : In a narration.
The Shaykh : In which book?
The questioner : In *Tafsir Ibn Kathir*, Ibn Kathir mentioned it from Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him).
The Shaykh : With this narration, there is nothing from Ibn Mas'ud. So I do not know, let us look here in *Tafsir Ibn Kathir*.
The questioner : In Surat al-Nur or al-Ahzab.
The Shaykh : So I hope, so that the research does not drag on, that you know, as you do, that the evidence is from the words of the scholars, and especially the words of Ibn al-Qayyim:
"Knowledge is: Allah said, His Messenger said, *** The Companions said, not by equivocation.
Knowledge is not setting you up for foolish disagreement *** Between the Messenger and the opinion of a jurist.
No, and neither denying the attributes and negating them, out of fear of
So I hope to receive an answer to my last question. You are very clear in your speech that the original ruling for things is permissibility. So you began to quote the words of Ibn Taymiyyah, the words of Ibn Mas'ud, and the words of Ibn Abbas, regarding the head and the eye. But the issue is disputed among the Companions. We should return, in case of disagreement, as I mentioned the verse earlier, to the word of Allah and the word of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). So you, may Allah reward you, must shorten the path for us, because we have less than an hour of time with us. We want to hear from you what is the evidence for the prohibition that you insist on. The issue is a matter of scholarly disagreement among the Companions and among the scholars. The majority of scholars, as I mentioned earlier, are of the opinion that a woman's face is not an 'awrah. This does not mean that covering it is not permissible; covering is better. But the question is: what is the evidence that forbids a woman to uncover her face? This is what is required, and this is the path that brings us closer to knowing the truth, if Allah wills.
Then another thing: if we mention a narration, we must be aware of its authenticity, and not occupy ourselves with explaining its weakness, because what is authentic suffices us for what is not authentic. You mentioned a narration from Ibn Mas'ud that he permitted uncovering one eye. This narration, as I recall, is from Ibn Abbas, and the chain to him has two defects:
The disconnection between 'Ali ibn Abi Talhah and Ibn Abbas, and also Abu Salih, the scribe of al-Layth, who is weak.
As for Ibn Mas'ud, this narration does not exist. There is only a narration understood from Ibn Mas'ud: "That a woman's face must be covered". This is possible. But that a narration is reported from him that he permitted a woman to uncover one eye, I think you have confused one narration with another. This narration is well known from Ibn Abbas. As for Ibn Mas'ud, there is absolutely nothing like it. What is narrated from him is that a woman covers her face, covers her entire body. Even he did not mention the face, as I believe, explicitly by text, but rather that she covers her entire body. This is well known from Ibn Mas'ud and is not hidden from us, and praise be to Allah.
As for attributing to him that he said what is narrated from Ibn Abbas, I do not recall it. And therefore I demanded the reference from you. Here it is now, *Tafsir Ibn Kathir*. Give it to the Shaykh, let him look at it.
The questioner : May Allah do you good, may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
The questioner : As for the evidence, it is the hadith of al-Khath'amiah, which is established in *al-Sahihayn*:
That the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when a beautiful woman came to him and asked him about acting as a proxy in Hajj, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) answered her regarding that, and al-Fadl ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) was looking at her and she was looking at him, and then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) placed his hand on al-Fadl's face, and then turned his face to the other side
أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم لما أتته امرأة وضيئة وسألته عن الاستنابة في الحج وأجابها صلى الله عليه وسلم على ذلك، وكان الفضل ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما ينظر إليها وتنظر إليه، ثم بعد ذلك أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وضع يده على وجه الفضل، ثم بعد ذلك أدار وجهه إلى الجانب الآخرThe Shaykh : Who turned his face?
The questioner : The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned the face of al-Fadl, and al-Fadl was riding behind him.
The Shaykh : Understood, but you say: then.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Meaning, when the Messenger saw al-Fadl looking at the woman, he turned al-Fadl's face to the other side. Then you say, what: then?
The questioner : We are satisfied with this.
The Shaykh : Very well.
The questioner : So when he turned his face to the other side, this is evidence that a woman's face is an 'awrah. If it were not an 'awrah, he would not have prevented him from looking at her.
The Shaykh : This is a mistake. You mentioned what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) did to al-Fadl ibn Abbas. Why did he turn al-Fadl's face to the other side? He was looking at the woman.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And what was the state of the woman?
The questioner : She was beautiful.
The Shaykh : Meaning, beautiful?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Beautiful. Was her face covered or uncovered?
The questioner : Uncovered.