Discussion: The issue of the woman's face as 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered).
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The Shaykh : By saying that the most beautiful thing about a woman is her face, is that not so?
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : We said, "No, he is asking me." So I told him what I had said. He said, "How can it be said that the face is not 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered)?" I said, "And you maintain that the face is 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered)." He said, "Yes, indeed." Due to his enthusiasm, and the room was small—half the size of this one—he stood up like this, as if he were delivering a sermon, preparing for the khutbah (sermon), and confronted me with this question. So I answered him with complete calmness, meaning, yes, it is so; the most beautiful thing about a woman is her face. He then built his objection to me on the basis that I say it is not 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered). I said, "And you say that it is 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered)." He said, "Yes." I said, "If the face is 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered), what is obligatory for the woman?" He said, "That she cover it." He was still standing, of course. I said, "Show me how the woman covers her face." He stood up, lifted the abaya like this, and draped it over his face. So I said to him, "Walk, walk down the street," because there were people in front of him and he could not walk. He then realized what was behind the veil.
He said, "She opens the jilbab (outer garment) to the extent of the eye so that she can see her way." I said to him, "Fine, you came to me from the path of philosophy, not from the path of the text. You preempted me by asking, 'What is the most beautiful thing about a woman? Is it not her face?' I answered you, 'Yes.'"
Now I am asking you, and what is the most beautiful thing about her face? Is it not her eyes? So he answered, "Yes," just as I answered regarding the face in general. I said, "So where did you take from that it is permissible for her to uncover her eye? Here you are confused and do not know how to proceed?"
So now we want to benefit, because I have read many books in which they responded to me and argued that the verse of the hijab in the jilbab (outer garment) is a text regarding the obligation of the woman covering her face. And if that is the case, and the face is the most beautiful thing in her, and her eyes are the most beautiful thing in her face, from where did you make an exception and say, as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "The woman is 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered)," meaning all of her? Here you have made an exception for one eye, or both eyes together. From where did this exception come?
And of course, if you say something about this exception without a text, then it is open for others to do as you do. And just as it is not denied against you, do not deny it against others, especially if there are authentic athar (reports from a Companion or successor) and some hadiths (reports of the Prophet's words or deeds) in which there is disagreement regarding their authenticity.
So now, the woman's face is 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered), and in it are her eyes, so they are 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered)—may Allah reward you with good, I am satisfied with this—so what is the evidence for the exception of the single eye? If you say, "So that she can see her way," she sees her way better with both eyes than with one eye. Is there a text that obligates the Muslim to allow his wife to uncover one eye or both eyes?
The questioner : But Shaykh, if it is said that the hadith (report of the Prophet's words or deeds) is general and that... in it, the woman is able to see her way even if she covers her face, meaning other than the hadith[Al-Ahzab 33:59], that is my intention.
The Shaykh : No, we are now discussing the verse.
The questioner : No, the discussion I want now is in the hadith (report of the Prophet's words or deeds).
The Shaykh : Fine, we learned in Syria that what does not come with you, come with it. So I want you to start by researching the verse, because the verse is undoubtedly stronger in establishment than the hadith (report of the Prophet's words or deeds), and it may also be stronger in indication, because you know that the Sunnah (the Prophet's way) clarifies the Qur'an, but sometimes the case is completely reversed. Perhaps you will join me in this.
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : Is my speech clear?
The questioner : It is clear.
The Shaykh : Fine, now, which is clearer in indication in this issue: the verse, the verse of the jilbab (outer garment), or the hadith (report of the Prophet's words or deeds) that the woman is 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered)?
The questioner : The verse is clearer.
The Shaykh : Then you should be with me.
The questioner : The hadith (report of the Prophet's words or deeds) is clearer.
The Shaykh : You should be with me.
The questioner : The hadith (report of the Prophet's words or deeds) is general, and the verse...
The student: Regarding the clarity.
The Shaykh : Therefore, Professor, you should be with me. I asked you to research the verse because the verse is clearer. But nevertheless, I conceded my right for that Syrian custom or wisdom of "what does not come with you, come with it." After this explanation, as you wish, you can research the hadith (report of the Prophet's words or deeds) or research the verse, because the truth is also, as they say, there is "every road leads to the mill", because after you research the hadith (report of the Prophet's words or deeds), you must return to the verse. So whether you start with it as I see, or start with the hadith (report of the Prophet's words or deeds) as you see, the return must be to the verse, because there is no difference at all; the issue is only the organization of the research.
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : We said, "No, he is asking me." So I told him what I had said. He said, "How can it be said that the face is not 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered)?" I said, "And you maintain that the face is 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered)." He said, "Yes, indeed." Due to his enthusiasm, and the room was small—half the size of this one—he stood up like this, as if he were delivering a sermon, preparing for the khutbah (sermon), and confronted me with this question. So I answered him with complete calmness, meaning, yes, it is so; the most beautiful thing about a woman is her face. He then built his objection to me on the basis that I say it is not 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered). I said, "And you say that it is 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered)." He said, "Yes." I said, "If the face is 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered), what is obligatory for the woman?" He said, "That she cover it." He was still standing, of course. I said, "Show me how the woman covers her face." He stood up, lifted the abaya like this, and draped it over his face. So I said to him, "Walk, walk down the street," because there were people in front of him and he could not walk. He then realized what was behind the veil.
He said, "She opens the jilbab (outer garment) to the extent of the eye so that she can see her way." I said to him, "Fine, you came to me from the path of philosophy, not from the path of the text. You preempted me by asking, 'What is the most beautiful thing about a woman? Is it not her face?' I answered you, 'Yes.'"
Now I am asking you, and what is the most beautiful thing about her face? Is it not her eyes? So he answered, "Yes," just as I answered regarding the face in general. I said, "So where did you take from that it is permissible for her to uncover her eye? Here you are confused and do not know how to proceed?"
So now we want to benefit, because I have read many books in which they responded to me and argued that the verse of the hijab in the jilbab (outer garment) is a text regarding the obligation of the woman covering her face. And if that is the case, and the face is the most beautiful thing in her, and her eyes are the most beautiful thing in her face, from where did you make an exception and say, as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "The woman is 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered)," meaning all of her? Here you have made an exception for one eye, or both eyes together. From where did this exception come?
And of course, if you say something about this exception without a text, then it is open for others to do as you do. And just as it is not denied against you, do not deny it against others, especially if there are authentic athar (reports from a Companion or successor) and some hadiths (reports of the Prophet's words or deeds) in which there is disagreement regarding their authenticity.
So now, the woman's face is 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered), and in it are her eyes, so they are 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered)—may Allah reward you with good, I am satisfied with this—so what is the evidence for the exception of the single eye? If you say, "So that she can see her way," she sees her way better with both eyes than with one eye. Is there a text that obligates the Muslim to allow his wife to uncover one eye or both eyes?
The questioner : But Shaykh, if it is said that the hadith (report of the Prophet's words or deeds) is general and that... in it, the woman is able to see her way even if she covers her face, meaning other than the hadith
to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments
يدنين عليهن من جلابيبهنThe Shaykh : No, we are now discussing the verse.
The questioner : No, the discussion I want now is in the hadith (report of the Prophet's words or deeds).
The Shaykh : Fine, we learned in Syria that what does not come with you, come with it. So I want you to start by researching the verse, because the verse is undoubtedly stronger in establishment than the hadith (report of the Prophet's words or deeds), and it may also be stronger in indication, because you know that the Sunnah (the Prophet's way) clarifies the Qur'an, but sometimes the case is completely reversed. Perhaps you will join me in this.
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : Is my speech clear?
The questioner : It is clear.
The Shaykh : Fine, now, which is clearer in indication in this issue: the verse, the verse of the jilbab (outer garment), or the hadith (report of the Prophet's words or deeds) that the woman is 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered)?
The questioner : The verse is clearer.
The Shaykh : Then you should be with me.
The questioner : The hadith (report of the Prophet's words or deeds) is clearer.
The Shaykh : You should be with me.
The questioner : The hadith (report of the Prophet's words or deeds) is general, and the verse...
The student: Regarding the clarity.
The Shaykh : Therefore, Professor, you should be with me. I asked you to research the verse because the verse is clearer. But nevertheless, I conceded my right for that Syrian custom or wisdom of "what does not come with you, come with it." After this explanation, as you wish, you can research the hadith (report of the Prophet's words or deeds) or research the verse, because the truth is also, as they say, there is "every road leads to the mill", because after you research the hadith (report of the Prophet's words or deeds), you must return to the verse. So whether you start with it as I see, or start with the hadith (report of the Prophet's words or deeds) as you see, the return must be to the verse, because there is no difference at all; the issue is only the organization of the research.