On the issue that a woman’s face is not an awrah (part of the body that must be covered).
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The questioner : In truth, we hear that a woman’s face is not an awrah (part of the body that must be covered), and we would like to benefit from this. May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward me through you.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And beware of that.
The questioner : What are the evidence (dalil) for the permissibility of a woman uncovering her face?
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : Knowing that... and we see that the manner... but those who are not at a high level... look at women with glances that are not simple... for a woman to focus on her face, and if you sit in their gatherings, you find them discussing her whiteness, her beauty, her eye, her nose, her mouth, and the poets of old have poured out their verses on these things and on the cheeks, and the softness therein, and so on... May Allah preserve you and bless you, and reward you for the Muslims with good, and may you spread the knowledge that you are engaged in spreading, provided it is in accordance with the Book and the Sunnah; we ask Allah to make it easy until the end of time and to benefit you with its reward... Islam came with blocking the means to harm (sadd al-dhara'i'), as is not hidden from you. Praise be to Allah, we know its evidence; knowing that it has been established with a real, decisive certainty... the famous, respected scholars of the Muslim community who... I praise them, and indeed we all follow them; they are those whom Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) commanded us to take from... Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, andThe Shaykh : Ahmad ibn Abd al-Salam and Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) and Ibn al-Qayyim, and many others from the four Imams; that is: from other than Imam Ahmad... and thereby—May Allah do you good—likewise the fatwa of Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), who lived in the era of the Prophetic mission and the descent of revelation, and clarified what the women were upon... he said when he said: ... one eye, and in what is narrated—as Ibn Taymiyyah mentioned—from Ibn Abbas that in the last of the two opinions he said: ... May Allah reward you?
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. After you mentioned the reference to Ibn Abbas and Ibn Mas'ud, I looked into it. In any case, the detail now regarding this weakness seems premature. Your request for evidence that a woman’s face is not an awrah (part of the body that must be covered) is a right. However, in my belief, you know that the original ruling for all things is permissibility, and that the one who claims the prohibition of something is the one who should bring the evidence prohibiting that thing; otherwise, remaining on the original ruling, which is permissibility, is the scientific rule that I believe is not hidden from you—if Allah wills. In any case, as you mentioned, some of the Imams whom we respect and follow, or as you mentioned, but what leads some of our distinguished scholars to adhere to some Imams over others? For example, I mentioned in my book "The Hijab of the Muslim Woman in the Book and the Sunnah" that the opinion of the majority of scholars is that a woman’s face is not an awrah (part of the body that must be covered). If that is the case—and it is—Imam Ahmad holds that a woman’s face is an awrah (part of the body that must be covered); Imam Malik, Imam Abu Hanifa, and Imam al-Shafi'i hold that a woman’s face is not an awrah (part of the body that must be covered). If we want to start the topic and proceed from the statements of the scholars, the issue is undoubtedly disputed among scholars, both past and present. What came in your speech that is attributed to Ibn Mas'ud is correct, but what you attributed to Ibn Abbas is not correct. The narration attributed to Ibn Abbas in some books of tafsir (Qur'anic exegesis), including "Tafsir Ibn Jarir al-Tabari"; he presented this narration with its chain of narration (isnad) as is his custom, and in the chain... the first defect is the break between Ali ibn Abi Talhah and Ibn Abbas, and the other defect is that it contains Abu Salih, the scribe of al-Layth, who is criticized due to his poor memory. Therefore, in my belief, it is not appropriate to start or delve into this issue by looking at the opinions of the scholars; because it is undoubtedly a disputed issue. In that case, it is obligatory to return to the saying of Allah (the Exalted):[An-Nisa 4:59].
The Shaykh: I did this when I wrote that book, "The Hijab of the Muslim Woman," which I mentioned earlier. I concluded with the saying of Ibn Abbas and the saying of Ibn Umar that a woman’s face is not an awrah (part of the body that must be covered). There is no evidence at all with those who explicitly state that a woman’s face is an awrah (part of the body that must be covered); not from the Book of Allah, nor from the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Since that is the case, it is obligatory to remain on the original ruling, which is permissibility. The one who claims prohibition is the one who must bring the evidence. If he is successful in that... we remain on the agreed-upon original ruling; which is the permissibility of any matter for which there is no indication of prohibition in the Book or the authentic Sunnah. This is what I have initially in answer to that question. If you have evidence for prohibition other than... what you resort to and circle around, which is that the most beautiful thing in a woman is her face; this speech is akin to philosophical speech that can be countered with the same. This does not constitute evidence, by the agreement of scholars, for the prohibition of something by mere opinion, but rather by evidence from the Book and the Sunnah. If you have evidence from the Book and the Sunnah, we hope to hear it. And I am certain that there is no evidence; because I researched this issue extensively in the book mentioned earlier. If you have anything of what I pointed to, please share it and we will hear it—if Allah wills.
The questioner : May Allah bless you... Yes, and I quote some of the words of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah that the Arabs used to circumambulate the House naked. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) revealed this, as Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah explains in Surat al-A'raf, and He revealed therein:[Al-A'raf 7:31], and His saying (the Exalted): [Al-A'raf 7:26]... Then, when they went to Madinah, the first of the two commands came down to cover everything except the face and the hands. Then, after that, the last of the two commands, according to what Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said, was to cover the face. And he—meaning Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah—also cited this saying of Ibn Abbas and used it as evidence. And I only said: and it was narrated from Ibn Abbas. But Ibn Mas'ud, as it appears to me, is describing the state that was in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when he said: she covers her face and one eye is visible. This is also narrated in "Sahih al-Bukhari."
The Shaykh : This—May Allah bless you—is not from Ibn Mas'ud. This is not narrated from Ibn Mas'ud in any book. This is narrated only from Ibn Abbas and from Ubaydah al-Salmani. As for Ibn Mas'ud, this narration is not narrated from him. This narration is from Ibn Abbas only.
The questioner : In a narration.
The Shaykh : Yes, in which book?
The questioner : In tafsir... ...
The Shaykh : This narration does not exist... so I do not know...
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : I hope we do not prolong the research... the evidence, as you know, from the saying of the scholars, and especially the saying of Ibn al-Qayyim:
"Knowledge is: Allah said, His Messenger said, *** The Companions said, not by deception
What knowledge has placed you in foolishness *** Between the Messenger and the opinion of a jurist
Nor denial of the attributes and their negation *** out of fear of denial of the divine attributes (ta'til) and likening Allah to creation (tashbih)
The questioner: 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 started quoting 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 you mentioned in the verse earlier, to the saying of Allah and the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). So you—May Allah bless you—must shorten the path for us; because we have less than an hour of time with us, and we want to hear from you what is the evidence for this prohibition that you insist on? The issue is disputed among the Companions and among the scholars, and the majority of scholars—as I mentioned earlier—are of the opinion that a woman’s face is not an awrah (part of the body that must be covered). This does not mean that covering is not permissible, and covering is better. But the research—May Allah bless you—is what is the evidence prohibiting a woman from uncovering her face? This is what is required, and this is the path that brings us closer to knowing the truth—if Allah wills.
Then there is another point: when we mention a narration, we must be aware of its authenticity and not occupy ourselves with explaining its weakness; because what is authentic is sufficient for us in place of what is not authentic. You mentioned a narration from Ibn Mas'ud that he permitted uncovering one eye. This narration—as far as I recall—is from Ibn Abbas, and the chain of transmission to him has two defects: a break between Ali ibn Abi Talhah and Ibn Abbas, and it also includes 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 from which it is understood that Ibn Mas'ud held that a woman's face must be covered; that is possible. But that a narration is reported from him that he permitted a woman to uncover one eye—I think you have confused this narration with another. We know this narration from Ibn Abbas, but from Ibn Mas'ud, there is absolutely nothing like it. What is reported from him is that a woman covers her face and covers her entire body. Even he did not mention the face explicitly in a text, as I believe, but rather that she covers her entire body. This is well known from Ibn Mas'ud, and it is not hidden from us, praise be to Allah. But that it is attributed to him that he said what was reported from Ibn Abbas—I do not recall that. Therefore, I asked you for the reference, and here it is now: "Tafsir Ibn Kathir." Give it to the Shaykh, let him...
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" (the two authentic collections) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when a beautiful woman came to him and asked him about delegating the 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. Then, after that, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) placed his hand on al-Fadl's face, then turned his face to the other side, and then...
The Shaykh : Who turned his face?
The questioner : The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned al-Fadl's face...
The Shaykh : I understand, but...
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : I mean, when the Messenger saw al-Fadl looking at the woman, he turned al-Fadl's face to the other side.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Then...
The questioner : We will suffice with this.
The Shaykh: All right.
The questioner : When he turned his face to the other side; this is evidence that if the woman's face were not an 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered), he would not have prevented him from looking at her.
The Shaykh : ... 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 : I mean, attractive.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : ... Was her face covered or was her face uncovered?
The questioner : Her face was uncovered.
The Shaykh : So what was the position of the Messenger (peace be upon him) toward her?
The questioner : He prevented al-Fadl.
The Shaykh : I am asking you, what was the position of the Messenger toward her, not toward al-Fadl?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you, ... and I was looking at her, and she was beautiful—as you kindly said—and attractive.
The questioner : And she was looking at him.
The Shaykh : Now, if you allow me to speak, there is a beautiful, attractive woman, and I am looking at her, and you are a righteous and good man who does this for me, ... what is your position toward her while she is uncovering her face?
The questioner : My position toward her?
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : In certain situations.
The Shaykh : In this situation, we do not want to assume... what happened?
The questioner : If she was—for example... the message, and she was far from knowledge and the city, she was from Khath'am, and those on the periphery are always... ignorant of some rulings, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) left some things out of fear of certain matters, blocking some means (sadd al-dhara'i') which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) left, such as not building the House on the foundations of Ibrahim out of fear for Quraysh; because they were new to Islam; so when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned al-Fadl's face; because al-Fadl was more established in Islam than she was, and he...
The Shaykh : Leave that... O Shaykh... the way is clear. I am speaking about you and me and the woman I saw and looked at, and I saw me looking at her, so you did what was obligatory upon you and turned my face to the other side. What do you do? What is your position toward that woman?
The questioner : ... If... now, the Qur'an was revealed about 1400 years ago, there are those who cover themselves—even more... you can advise one of them... a man with such and such, and you cannot advise... , so perhaps we have spoken enough...
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you, this is well known, but if I see her beautiful and attractive; I mean, is it blameworthy (munkar) to say to her: O my daughter, turn your face away, or cover your face? Is this blameworthy or is this enjoining good (amr bi al-ma'ruf)? Why do you not enjoin good upon her?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : But you did not command her?
The questioner : You did not command her, you cut short!
The Shaykh : ... The Messenger cuts short!!
The questioner : The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not cut short...
The Shaykh : I understood—May Allah bless you—, so please do not repeat it to me. First, do you have certain knowledge that this woman was coming from the desert, and that she knew nothing of Islam, and that the Messenger (peace be upon him), if he had said to her: Cover your face from us, lower your veil over your face, turn your face away, would that be blameworthy? Do you have knowledge?
The questioner: No.
The Shaykh : So what is it.
The questioner : I have knowledge that she was from Khath'am.
The Shaykh : No problem, Professor, being from Khath'am and cultured is not important in the matter. The important thing is: do you have knowledge that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), while she knew that he was the Messenger of Allah, and she was consulting him about her incapacitated father and so on, as you know in the hadith; do you have knowledge that if the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) had said to her: O my daughter, this is my cousin who almost fell into temptation because of you; so cover your face—May Allah bless you—or lower the khimar (head covering) on your head; do you have knowledge that if the Messenger had said this to her, it would have been a trial (fitnah) for her?
The questioner : In fact—O Shaykh—I am telling you: I do not want to burden you or impose my opinion on you.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you with good.
The questioner : In fact, when we say that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned al-Fadl's face because looking is forbidden by His saying (the Exalted):
The Shaykh : This is a diversion!—May Allah bless you—
The questioner : No problem, I...
The Shaykh : No—May Allah bless you—I am saying: the time is short, because the subject...
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : If you please, you are now diverting from the subject. The subject of looking is agreed upon. Now... is al-Fadl's face an 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) for the woman?
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : Is al-Fadl's face an 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) for the woman?
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : Even so... even so, it was not permissible for the woman to look at al-Fadl's face; correct?
The questioner : But I want to...
The Shaykh : I am asking you—May Allah bless you—I gave you the opportunity.
The questioner : You did not give me, you interrupted me!
The Shaykh : I interrupted you because you are repeating and saying: I mean, except this, ... you said this is my speech, not mine.
The questioner : I am saying—O Shaykh—: ... and I am finished. I say: I have finished.
The Shaykh : Take whatever you want, do not deviate from the answer. I am asking you a question, and then you speak as you please. The face of al-Fadl, in relation to the woman, is not an awrah (part of the body that must be covered). Yet your opinion says that it is not permissible for a woman to look at the face of a man, even though his face is not an awrah. What do you want me to say to you now: that it is permissible for a man to look at a woman? No, I do not say that. If we all agree that it is not permissible for a woman to look at the face of a man, and the face of a man is not an awrah, then there is no necessary connection—may Allah bless you—between the prohibition of looking at a face and that face being an awrah. So, it is not permissible for a woman to look at the face of a man, not because it is an awrah, but because it is not befitting to intentionally look at the face of a man. On the contrary, if a man looks at a woman, it is haram (forbidden) and not permissible, but that does not imply that the face being looked at is an awrah. The issue, as you know, is that our Lord commanded men to lower their gazes, and commanded women to lower their gazes. That does not mean that the face of both the woman and the man is an awrah. Nevertheless, looking is not permissible. The issue of looking is one thing, and the issue of a man uncovering his face is another. It is permissible for a man to uncover his face by the consensus of the Muslims, but it is not permissible for a woman to look at this face, even though it is not an awrah. So, it is not permissible for you to infer, merely from the prohibition by the Wise Lawgiver of a man looking at the face of a woman, that the face of the woman is an awrah. I asked you in the previous example: If the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) had said to that woman, "O my daughter, you almost caused fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) for my cousin here; cover your face from us, lower your veil over your face... fitnah? You came to me... 'Were it not that your people are newly converted'..." and so on. Where is this in relation to that? The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is the best of those who advise and enjoin good and forbid evil. How do you imagine that the Messenger (peace be upon him) remained silent about this munkar (what is wrong), which was the uncovering of the face by the Khath'am woman? You say... it is possible that she came from the desert and was newly converted to Islam. If she was newly converted to Islam, does the Messenger not know how to advise her so that... from this advice... or to discipline and teach her, as he did in the story of Mu'awiyah ibn al-Hakam al-Sulami? Perhaps you are aware of it. Do you remember the story...?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : I have heard part of it.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you with good. As in "Sahih Muslim," Mu'awiyah ibn al-Hakam al-Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed one day behind the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). A man among the worshippers sneezed, and he said to him, "May Allah have mercy on you," while they were praying. They looked at him with the corners of their eyes, silencing him.
The questioner : I know it.
The Shaykh : Did you know it? Ah, in the end, the man realized that he had made a mistake in the prayer. He said: "When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) finished the prayer, he turned to me. By Allah, he did not humiliate me, nor did he overpower me, nor did he hit me, nor did he insult me. He only said to me:Riyad as-Salihin 700 to the end of the hadith." This is also an example of what you may be going around in circles about: that the man was newly converted to Islam. Otherwise, how would he speak during the prayer? And how would he shout during the prayer and say, "Woe to my mother, why do you not look at me?" The Messenger (peace be upon him), with his wisdom and gentleness, as is stated in the Noble Qur'an: [Ali 'Imran 3:159], disciplined him and disciplined him well. And he felt this discipline and this gentleness when he narrated to us by saying, "By Allah, he did not humiliate me, nor did he overpower me, nor did he hit me, nor did he insult me." So, if... if the face of the woman were an awrah, would the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) say to this beautiful, radiant woman, "Cover your face, lower your veil over your face," as Lady A'ishah did when she was in the caravan, and they did in Hajj when a group of men passed by them, saying, "We lowered our veils over our faces"? Why did the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) not command her to lower her veil over her face, or at least, as he did with the face of al-Fadl, "Lower your veil over your face"? If we come to... and you say it is possible that she came from the desert and was newly converted to Islam, so the Messenger remained silent about her munkar (what is wrong)! The Messenger does not remain silent about a munkar (what is wrong). And the not changing of the Ka'bah out of fear of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) for the people was not out of fear of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) for one person to whom he says, "Do such and such." May Allah bless you. It is not befitting for us to nullify the indication of the hadiths by supporting the opinion of one of the Imams of the Muslims, and to leave aside the trust in the opinions of the other scholars.
So, I ask you now, and I give you the space to be as careful as you wish. I ask you to note my request: What is the binding legal evidence from the Book of Allah or from the hadith of the Messenger of Allah that obliges every Muslim to submit to it, that the face of the woman is an awrah (part of the body that must be covered)? The hadith of the Khath'am woman is for us and not against us, as I have clarified for you...
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : And here it is—Allah willing.
The questioner : I want—may Allah do you good—ten minutes, which I may not reach.
The Shaykh : What time is it now?
The questioner : ... except seven minutes.
The Shaykh : Ah, except seven. Take seven and five.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh: All right.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : And may He reward you.
The questioner : And I ask you to bear with me, I may not be able to—for example—... like this, I say what I have and then after that.
The Shaykh : Please, but allow me. We will give you 12 minutes. Perhaps one of two things. And I ask the professor... I ask your permission to mention a few points at that time... you cut me off as well... write down every point that is noted so that I can return and look into it with you. So, which of the two ways do you choose?
The questioner : ... you choose. I do not want more than ten minutes...
The Shaykh : You did not answer me?
The questioner : ... to express what I have.
The Shaykh : It is okay, but I am telling you: either I will have to interrupt you if—for example—you mention a hadith, and you want to speak for ten minutes.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. For example, for example,[Al-Hashr 59:21] . Suppose that in the extra ten minutes you bring a hadith, and this hadith, in my opinion, is weak and does not serve as a proof.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Ha, that is the answer... So, give us a paper. Please, it is five to seven. Say with me... please.
The questioner : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon Muhammad and upon his family and all his Companions... and in Him we seek help and upon Him we rely...
Regarding the hadith of the Khath'am woman... you said to me: Why did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) not command her to cover her face, and we are all in agreement that.
The Shaykh: Go ahead.
The questioner : We are all in agreement that looking is haram (forbidden) by the text of the Book and the text of the Sunnah, and the saying of Allah (the Exalted):[An-Nur 24:30], and His saying (the Exalted)...: [An-Nur 24:31]. Either the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prevented al-Fadl from looking at her because he was forbidden from looking at her, and he was also a handsome man, according to what the Sunnah stated, and it is haram (forbidden) for her to look at him. Why? Because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not command her, either, to lower her gaze, and she is commanded by the Book to lower her gaze from men, until the hadith explicitly stated: "And he used to look at her and she used to look at him";... until the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned his gaze away from her, and did not command her to lower her gaze, until... covering her face or lowering her gaze; so this is what, Allah knows best, supports what we said, that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) left the issue of covering the face. This is one matter.
As for the other matter; it is the verse, His saying (the Exalted):[Al-Ahzab 33:59]. We look at the tafsir (Qur'anic exegesis) of Ibn Mas'ud if the brothers have found it. And in truth, I say: I do not like to say more than what I have said, and I ask Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) to benefit us all in what is in His Book and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). And if you want me to say a final word, then I say:
The enemies of Allah in this age, the Western fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) that exists now, first fought against the hijab, which is the covering of a woman’s face. When Cromer, the English governor, called for it, the Muslims opposed him in that. The Muslims in Egypt and elsewhere restored it. ... That is the one who published the book ... he is called Qasim Amin. And when, as we were told, the granddaughter of one of the leaders either frightened him or encouraged him, he changed, became agitated, and called for what Cromer had called for. Then, after that, I think one of the rulers, who is called Sa'd Zaghlul, the Prime Minister ... took a woman and removed her hijab. And this indicates to us that the enemies of Allah ... are fighting this covering of the face. And when the hijab is removed from the face, the rest follows. But this removal is on the margins. And even if you prefer that we do not discuss this ... but my statement is what I said at the beginning: when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) covered the face of al-Fadl, and did not order her to cover her face; - also - and at the same time it was forbidden for her to look at the man, he did not order her (peace and blessings be upon him) to lower her gaze from him. We ask Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) to forgive us all and to ... us; indeed, He is Able to do all things, and to inspire us with the right, and may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh: O Allah, amen, O Lord of the worlds. It seems to me - O honorableThe Shaykh- that you have not read my book "The Hijab of the Muslim Woman"; did you read it?
The questioner: By Allah, I read it.
The Shaykh: Strange! So why do you not answer my questions?! Glory be to Allah! I told you what it is.
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The completion of the answer is in the next tape, number:.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward me through you.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And beware of that.
The questioner : What are the evidence (dalil) for the permissibility of a woman uncovering her face?
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : Knowing that... and we see that the manner... but those who are not at a high level... look at women with glances that are not simple... for a woman to focus on her face, and if you sit in their gatherings, you find them discussing her whiteness, her beauty, her eye, her nose, her mouth, and the poets of old have poured out their verses on these things and on the cheeks, and the softness therein, and so on... May Allah preserve you and bless you, and reward you for the Muslims with good, and may you spread the knowledge that you are engaged in spreading, provided it is in accordance with the Book and the Sunnah; we ask Allah to make it easy until the end of time and to benefit you with its reward... Islam came with blocking the means to harm (sadd al-dhara'i'), as is not hidden from you. Praise be to Allah, we know its evidence; knowing that it has been established with a real, decisive certainty... the famous, respected scholars of the Muslim community who... I praise them, and indeed we all follow them; they are those whom Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) commanded us to take from... Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, andThe Shaykh : Ahmad ibn Abd al-Salam and Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) and Ibn al-Qayyim, and many others from the four Imams; that is: from other than Imam Ahmad... and thereby—May Allah do you good—likewise the fatwa of Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), who lived in the era of the Prophetic mission and the descent of revelation, and clarified what the women were upon... he said when he said: ... one eye, and in what is narrated—as Ibn Taymiyyah mentioned—from Ibn Abbas that in the last of the two opinions he said: ... May Allah reward you?
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. After you mentioned the reference to Ibn Abbas and Ibn Mas'ud, I looked into it. In any case, the detail now regarding this weakness seems premature. Your request for evidence that a woman’s face is not an awrah (part of the body that must be covered) is a right. However, in my belief, you know that the original ruling for all things is permissibility, and that the one who claims the prohibition of something is the one who should bring the evidence prohibiting that thing; otherwise, remaining on the original ruling, which is permissibility, is the scientific rule that I believe is not hidden from you—if Allah wills. In any case, as you mentioned, some of the Imams whom we respect and follow, or as you mentioned, but what leads some of our distinguished scholars to adhere to some Imams over others? For example, I mentioned in my book "The Hijab of the Muslim Woman in the Book and the Sunnah" that the opinion of the majority of scholars is that a woman’s face is not an awrah (part of the body that must be covered). If that is the case—and it is—Imam Ahmad holds that a woman’s face is an awrah (part of the body that must be covered); Imam Malik, Imam Abu Hanifa, and Imam al-Shafi'i hold that a woman’s face is not an awrah (part of the body that must be covered). If we want to start the topic and proceed from the statements of the scholars, the issue is undoubtedly disputed among scholars, both past and present. What came in your speech that is attributed to Ibn Mas'ud is correct, but what you attributed to Ibn Abbas is not correct. The narration attributed to Ibn Abbas in some books of tafsir (Qur'anic exegesis), including "Tafsir Ibn Jarir al-Tabari"; he presented this narration with its chain of narration (isnad) as is his custom, and in the chain... the first defect is the break between Ali ibn Abi Talhah and Ibn Abbas, and the other defect is that it contains Abu Salih, the scribe of al-Layth, who is criticized due to his poor memory. Therefore, in my belief, it is not appropriate to start or delve into this issue by looking at the opinions of the scholars; because it is undoubtedly a disputed issue. In that case, it is obligatory to return to the saying of Allah (the Exalted):
And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result.
وإن تنازعتم في شيء فردُّوه إلى الله والرسول إن كنتم تؤمنون بالله واليوم الآخر ذلك خير وأحسن تأويلًاThe Shaykh: I did this when I wrote that book, "The Hijab of the Muslim Woman," which I mentioned earlier. I concluded with the saying of Ibn Abbas and the saying of Ibn Umar that a woman’s face is not an awrah (part of the body that must be covered). There is no evidence at all with those who explicitly state that a woman’s face is an awrah (part of the body that must be covered); not from the Book of Allah, nor from the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Since that is the case, it is obligatory to remain on the original ruling, which is permissibility. The one who claims prohibition is the one who must bring the evidence. If he is successful in that... we remain on the agreed-upon original ruling; which is the permissibility of any matter for which there is no indication of prohibition in the Book or the authentic Sunnah. This is what I have initially in answer to that question. If you have evidence for prohibition other than... what you resort to and circle around, which is that the most beautiful thing in a woman is her face; this speech is akin to philosophical speech that can be countered with the same. This does not constitute evidence, by the agreement of scholars, for the prohibition of something by mere opinion, but rather by evidence from the Book and the Sunnah. If you have evidence from the Book and the Sunnah, we hope to hear it. And I am certain that there is no evidence; because I researched this issue extensively in the book mentioned earlier. If you have anything of what I pointed to, please share it and we will hear it—if Allah wills.
The questioner : May Allah bless you... Yes, and I quote some of the words of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah that the Arabs used to circumambulate the House naked. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) revealed this, as Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah explains in Surat al-A'raf, and He revealed therein:
O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid
يَا بَنِي آدَمَ خُذُوا زِينَتَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍWe have bestowed upon you clothing to conceal your private parts
قَدْ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ لِبَاسًا يُوَارِي سَوْآتِكُمْThe Shaykh : This—May Allah bless you—is not from Ibn Mas'ud. This is not narrated from Ibn Mas'ud in any book. This is narrated only from Ibn Abbas and from Ubaydah al-Salmani. As for Ibn Mas'ud, this narration is not narrated from him. This narration is from Ibn Abbas only.
The questioner : In a narration.
The Shaykh : Yes, in which book?
The questioner : In tafsir... ...
The Shaykh : This narration does not exist... so I do not know...
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : I hope we do not prolong the research... the evidence, as you know, from the saying of the scholars, and especially the saying of Ibn al-Qayyim:
"Knowledge is: Allah said, His Messenger said, *** The Companions said, not by deception
What knowledge has placed you in foolishness *** Between the Messenger and the opinion of a jurist
Nor denial of the attributes and their negation *** out of fear of denial of the divine attributes (ta'til) and likening Allah to creation (tashbih)
The questioner: 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 started quoting 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 you mentioned in the verse earlier, to the saying of Allah and the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). So you—May Allah bless you—must shorten the path for us; because we have less than an hour of time with us, and we want to hear from you what is the evidence for this prohibition that you insist on? The issue is disputed among the Companions and among the scholars, and the majority of scholars—as I mentioned earlier—are of the opinion that a woman’s face is not an awrah (part of the body that must be covered). This does not mean that covering is not permissible, and covering is better. But the research—May Allah bless you—is what is the evidence prohibiting a woman from uncovering her face? This is what is required, and this is the path that brings us closer to knowing the truth—if Allah wills.
Then there is another point: when we mention a narration, we must be aware of its authenticity and not occupy ourselves with explaining its weakness; because what is authentic is sufficient for us in place of what is not authentic. You mentioned a narration from Ibn Mas'ud that he permitted uncovering one eye. This narration—as far as I recall—is from Ibn Abbas, and the chain of transmission to him has two defects: a break between Ali ibn Abi Talhah and Ibn Abbas, and it also includes 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 from which it is understood that Ibn Mas'ud held that a woman's face must be covered; that is possible. But that a narration is reported from him that he permitted a woman to uncover one eye—I think you have confused this narration with another. We know this narration from Ibn Abbas, but from Ibn Mas'ud, there is absolutely nothing like it. What is reported from him is that a woman covers her face and covers her entire body. Even he did not mention the face explicitly in a text, as I believe, but rather that she covers her entire body. This is well known from Ibn Mas'ud, and it is not hidden from us, praise be to Allah. But that it is attributed to him that he said what was reported from Ibn Abbas—I do not recall that. Therefore, I asked you for the reference, and here it is now: "Tafsir Ibn Kathir." Give it to the Shaykh, let him...
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" (the two authentic collections) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when a beautiful woman came to him and asked him about delegating the 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. Then, after that, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) placed his hand on al-Fadl's face, then turned his face to the other side, and then...
The Shaykh : Who turned his face?
The questioner : The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned al-Fadl's face...
The Shaykh : I understand, but...
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : I mean, when the Messenger saw al-Fadl looking at the woman, he turned al-Fadl's face to the other side.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Then...
The questioner : We will suffice with this.
The Shaykh: All right.
The questioner : When he turned his face to the other side; this is evidence that if the woman's face were not an 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered), he would not have prevented him from looking at her.
The Shaykh : ... 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 : I mean, attractive.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : ... Was her face covered or was her face uncovered?
The questioner : Her face was uncovered.
The Shaykh : So what was the position of the Messenger (peace be upon him) toward her?
The questioner : He prevented al-Fadl.
The Shaykh : I am asking you, what was the position of the Messenger toward her, not toward al-Fadl?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you, ... and I was looking at her, and she was beautiful—as you kindly said—and attractive.
The questioner : And she was looking at him.
The Shaykh : Now, if you allow me to speak, there is a beautiful, attractive woman, and I am looking at her, and you are a righteous and good man who does this for me, ... what is your position toward her while she is uncovering her face?
The questioner : My position toward her?
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : In certain situations.
The Shaykh : In this situation, we do not want to assume... what happened?
The questioner : If she was—for example... the message, and she was far from knowledge and the city, she was from Khath'am, and those on the periphery are always... ignorant of some rulings, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) left some things out of fear of certain matters, blocking some means (sadd al-dhara'i') which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) left, such as not building the House on the foundations of Ibrahim out of fear for Quraysh; because they were new to Islam; so when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned al-Fadl's face; because al-Fadl was more established in Islam than she was, and he...
The Shaykh : Leave that... O Shaykh... the way is clear. I am speaking about you and me and the woman I saw and looked at, and I saw me looking at her, so you did what was obligatory upon you and turned my face to the other side. What do you do? What is your position toward that woman?
The questioner : ... If... now, the Qur'an was revealed about 1400 years ago, there are those who cover themselves—even more... you can advise one of them... a man with such and such, and you cannot advise... , so perhaps we have spoken enough...
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you, this is well known, but if I see her beautiful and attractive; I mean, is it blameworthy (munkar) to say to her: O my daughter, turn your face away, or cover your face? Is this blameworthy or is this enjoining good (amr bi al-ma'ruf)? Why do you not enjoin good upon her?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : But you did not command her?
The questioner : You did not command her, you cut short!
The Shaykh : ... The Messenger cuts short!!
The questioner : The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not cut short...
The Shaykh : I understood—May Allah bless you—, so please do not repeat it to me. First, do you have certain knowledge that this woman was coming from the desert, and that she knew nothing of Islam, and that the Messenger (peace be upon him), if he had said to her: Cover your face from us, lower your veil over your face, turn your face away, would that be blameworthy? Do you have knowledge?
The questioner: No.
The Shaykh : So what is it.
The questioner : I have knowledge that she was from Khath'am.
The Shaykh : No problem, Professor, being from Khath'am and cultured is not important in the matter. The important thing is: do you have knowledge that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), while she knew that he was the Messenger of Allah, and she was consulting him about her incapacitated father and so on, as you know in the hadith; do you have knowledge that if the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) had said to her: O my daughter, this is my cousin who almost fell into temptation because of you; so cover your face—May Allah bless you—or lower the khimar (head covering) on your head; do you have knowledge that if the Messenger had said this to her, it would have been a trial (fitnah) for her?
The questioner : In fact—O Shaykh—I am telling you: I do not want to burden you or impose my opinion on you.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you with good.
The questioner : In fact, when we say that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned al-Fadl's face because looking is forbidden by His saying (the Exalted):
And say to the believing women
وقل للمؤمنينThe Shaykh : This is a diversion!—May Allah bless you—
The questioner : No problem, I...
The Shaykh : No—May Allah bless you—I am saying: the time is short, because the subject...
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : If you please, you are now diverting from the subject. The subject of looking is agreed upon. Now... is al-Fadl's face an 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) for the woman?
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : Is al-Fadl's face an 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) for the woman?
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : Even so... even so, it was not permissible for the woman to look at al-Fadl's face; correct?
The questioner : But I want to...
The Shaykh : I am asking you—May Allah bless you—I gave you the opportunity.
The questioner : You did not give me, you interrupted me!
The Shaykh : I interrupted you because you are repeating and saying: I mean, except this, ... you said this is my speech, not mine.
The questioner : I am saying—O Shaykh—: ... and I am finished. I say: I have finished.
The Shaykh : Take whatever you want, do not deviate from the answer. I am asking you a question, and then you speak as you please. The face of al-Fadl, in relation to the woman, is not an awrah (part of the body that must be covered). Yet your opinion says that it is not permissible for a woman to look at the face of a man, even though his face is not an awrah. What do you want me to say to you now: that it is permissible for a man to look at a woman? No, I do not say that. If we all agree that it is not permissible for a woman to look at the face of a man, and the face of a man is not an awrah, then there is no necessary connection—may Allah bless you—between the prohibition of looking at a face and that face being an awrah. So, it is not permissible for a woman to look at the face of a man, not because it is an awrah, but because it is not befitting to intentionally look at the face of a man. On the contrary, if a man looks at a woman, it is haram (forbidden) and not permissible, but that does not imply that the face being looked at is an awrah. The issue, as you know, is that our Lord commanded men to lower their gazes, and commanded women to lower their gazes. That does not mean that the face of both the woman and the man is an awrah. Nevertheless, looking is not permissible. The issue of looking is one thing, and the issue of a man uncovering his face is another. It is permissible for a man to uncover his face by the consensus of the Muslims, but it is not permissible for a woman to look at this face, even though it is not an awrah. So, it is not permissible for you to infer, merely from the prohibition by the Wise Lawgiver of a man looking at the face of a woman, that the face of the woman is an awrah. I asked you in the previous example: If the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) had said to that woman, "O my daughter, you almost caused fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) for my cousin here; cover your face from us, lower your veil over your face... fitnah? You came to me... 'Were it not that your people are newly converted'..." and so on. Where is this in relation to that? The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is the best of those who advise and enjoin good and forbid evil. How do you imagine that the Messenger (peace be upon him) remained silent about this munkar (what is wrong), which was the uncovering of the face by the Khath'am woman? You say... it is possible that she came from the desert and was newly converted to Islam. If she was newly converted to Islam, does the Messenger not know how to advise her so that... from this advice... or to discipline and teach her, as he did in the story of Mu'awiyah ibn al-Hakam al-Sulami? Perhaps you are aware of it. Do you remember the story...?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : I have heard part of it.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you with good. As in "Sahih Muslim," Mu'awiyah ibn al-Hakam al-Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed one day behind the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). A man among the worshippers sneezed, and he said to him, "May Allah have mercy on you," while they were praying. They looked at him with the corners of their eyes, silencing him.
The questioner : I know it.
The Shaykh : Did you know it? Ah, in the end, the man realized that he had made a mistake in the prayer. He said: "When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) finished the prayer, he turned to me. By Allah, he did not humiliate me, nor did he overpower me, nor did he hit me, nor did he insult me. He only said to me:
It is not permissible to talk during Salat because it consists of glorifying Allah, declaring His Greatness as well as recitation of the Qur'an
إن هذه الصلاة لا يصلح فيها شيء من كلام الناس ، إنما هي تسبيح ، وتحميد ، وتكبير ، وتلاوة قرآنAnd if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you.
ولو كنت فظًّا غليظَ القلب لَانفضُّوا من حولكSo, I ask you now, and I give you the space to be as careful as you wish. I ask you to note my request: What is the binding legal evidence from the Book of Allah or from the hadith of the Messenger of Allah that obliges every Muslim to submit to it, that the face of the woman is an awrah (part of the body that must be covered)? The hadith of the Khath'am woman is for us and not against us, as I have clarified for you...
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : And here it is—Allah willing.
The questioner : I want—may Allah do you good—ten minutes, which I may not reach.
The Shaykh : What time is it now?
The questioner : ... except seven minutes.
The Shaykh : Ah, except seven. Take seven and five.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh: All right.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : And may He reward you.
The questioner : And I ask you to bear with me, I may not be able to—for example—... like this, I say what I have and then after that.
The Shaykh : Please, but allow me. We will give you 12 minutes. Perhaps one of two things. And I ask the professor... I ask your permission to mention a few points at that time... you cut me off as well... write down every point that is noted so that I can return and look into it with you. So, which of the two ways do you choose?
The questioner : ... you choose. I do not want more than ten minutes...
The Shaykh : You did not answer me?
The questioner : ... to express what I have.
The Shaykh : It is okay, but I am telling you: either I will have to interrupt you if—for example—you mention a hadith, and you want to speak for ten minutes.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. For example, for example,
And these examples We present to the people that perhaps they will give thought.
وَتِلْكَ الْأَمْثَالُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَPerhaps they will understand.
لعلَّهم يعقلونThe questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Ha, that is the answer... So, give us a paper. Please, it is five to seven. Say with me... please.
The questioner : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon Muhammad and upon his family and all his Companions... and in Him we seek help and upon Him we rely...
Regarding the hadith of the Khath'am woman... you said to me: Why did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) not command her to cover her face, and we are all in agreement that.
The Shaykh: Go ahead.
The questioner : We are all in agreement that looking is haram (forbidden) by the text of the Book and the text of the Sunnah, and the saying of Allah (the Exalted):
Tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts
قُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا فُرُوجَهُمْAnd tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts
وَقُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّAs for the other matter; it is the verse, His saying (the Exalted):
to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments
يدنين عليهنَّ من جلابيبهنَّThe enemies of Allah in this age, the Western fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) that exists now, first fought against the hijab, which is the covering of a woman’s face. When Cromer, the English governor, called for it, the Muslims opposed him in that. The Muslims in Egypt and elsewhere restored it. ... That is the one who published the book ... he is called Qasim Amin. And when, as we were told, the granddaughter of one of the leaders either frightened him or encouraged him, he changed, became agitated, and called for what Cromer had called for. Then, after that, I think one of the rulers, who is called Sa'd Zaghlul, the Prime Minister ... took a woman and removed her hijab. And this indicates to us that the enemies of Allah ... are fighting this covering of the face. And when the hijab is removed from the face, the rest follows. But this removal is on the margins. And even if you prefer that we do not discuss this ... but my statement is what I said at the beginning: when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) covered the face of al-Fadl, and did not order her to cover her face; - also - and at the same time it was forbidden for her to look at the man, he did not order her (peace and blessings be upon him) to lower her gaze from him. We ask Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) to forgive us all and to ... us; indeed, He is Able to do all things, and to inspire us with the right, and may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh: O Allah, amen, O Lord of the worlds. It seems to me - O honorableThe Shaykh- that you have not read my book "The Hijab of the Muslim Woman"; did you read it?
The questioner: By Allah, I read it.
The Shaykh: Strange! So why do you not answer my questions?! Glory be to Allah! I told you what it is.
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The completion of the answer is in the next tape, number:
44
44
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.