The Command in the Noble Qur'an Regarding Two Things: The Khimar and the Jilbab, and a Description of How to Wear Them.

The questioner: Okay, regarding the Shari'ah hijab we discussed last time, I went back and had a conflict with the sisters. Honestly, Your Eminence, there is an aspect: when a woman wears the wide jilbab, which is like an abaya but starts from the shoulder down, and over it—say—a prayer cover that reaches the knee, what is the difference in the end? What is the difference between this form of dress and the reverse, which is the prayer cover underneath and the abaya over it from the head? I am asking this question not from a philosophical side, but from a practical side. The side you are doing is that the second method is more practical, easier to wear and move in, especially here where you have to, for example, go out to get food for your children or work or something, and you don't have a mahram, for example. So ease of movement is easier when you are wearing a wide jilbab and over it a long prayer cover—say—reaching the knee. So what is the difference from the Shari'ah perspective between this and that?

The Shaykh : Excuse me, I am afraid there is a misunderstanding, or I should not say: a misapprehension.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : What is the image you are now pointing to and saying: what is the difference between it and what you understood from me previously? What is this image that is easier? Describe it to me?

The questioner: What I am wearing now.

The Shaykh : Yes.

The questioner: For example, a wide jilbab and over it a long prayer cover to the knee, for example.

The Shaykh : Okay, is this it?

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : I will tell you the difference now; because it is very clear.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : From the Shari'ah perspective, of course, I do not think you are among those Muslim people, men and women, who do not accept the Shari'ah ruling unless they know its wisdom.

The questioner: No, I will accept it, if Allah wills, whether I know the wisdom or not.

The Shaykh : Yes, that is what I expect of you, O Umm 'Amr.

The questioner: May Allah bless you and prolong your life, Your Eminence.

The Shaykh : Therefore, allow me.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : So you know that in the Noble Qur'an there is.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : The command regarding two things.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : The command regarding the khimar, which is what you were talking about, and the command regarding the jilbab.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : Did you do both commands? That is the difference. The difference is that you applied one command and neglected the other. So you must combine the two commands. Perhaps it is clear to you now?

The questioner: It is like, for example.

The Shaykh : I say.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : Perhaps the matter is clear to you until now?

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : Clear?

The questioner: Yes, it is clear.

The Shaykh : Okay, I will make it clearer for you.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : You, this khimar that you said: reaches such a place on the woman's body.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : And under this khimar, what is it? What you are calling the jilbab.

The questioner: ... Wide—for example—its color is black or navy or dark; meaning it is very wide so that nothing of the body is visible.

The Shaykh : Be patient, be patient.

The questioner: ... Correct.

The Shaykh : Very good. Now suppose that you threw a second khimar over that khimar.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : Does that mean you returned to the problem you were asking about: what is the difference between this and what you understood from me before, and now I have confirmed it for you by warning you that you did one command and left the other?

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : Now, if you put on two khimars.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : You have applied both commands, and the issue you pointed to earlier is resolved; is that not so?!

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : Okay, so the problem is ended, correct?

The questioner: Meaning if I put on two khimars; a khimar over the second one; the problem is ended.

The Shaykh : Yes, that is how I understand your words.

The questioner: And the jilbab reaches the ground.

The Shaykh : And the jilbab reaches the ground, we are done with that, meaning you—may Allah bless you—are not saying.

The questioner: The pant, meaning.

The Shaykh : Yes, the pant.

The questioner: The pant reaches the ground.

The Shaykh : It reaches the ground.

The questioner: And there are two khimars.

The Shaykh : And there are two khimars, is there a problem with this?

The questioner : Yes, it is clear that two khimars are not necessary for one to reach the ground; both can be to the length of the knee, for example.

The Shaykh : Subhan Allah! I am dealing with your reality completely. I imagine you when you describe to me that you are wearing the jilbab, which is the long pant, and over it the long khimar, so I am telling you: put another khimar over this long khimar.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : So you have executed both commands, and there is no such issue.

The questioner: Okay, and the two khimars are the same length.

The Shaykh : That is it.

The questioner: Okay.

The Shaykh : That is it.

The questioner: Okay.

The Shaykh : Listen.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : That is it, but there is a dispensation for the lower khimar to be shorter than the upper khimar.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : Now I will mention to you what is the goal that the wise Lawgiver aimed for when He commanded the combination of the khimar and the jilbab.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : First: the khimar intended is to be thrown on the head and brought down over the neck and chest.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : Ah, second: when the jilbab comes over this khimar, or in the way we pointed to earlier; a second khimar comes over it; so here the head and what it contains is not fitted.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : Not fitted.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : And the chest also, when there is one khimar, it will be fitted, especially if the woman has prominent breasts.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : Do you understand me?

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : Ah, so when the second khimar comes, it makes the fitting less.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : So if the lower khimar is below the breasts, and the upper khimar is to below that—for example—to below, let us say: the buttocks.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : It is fine if the lower khimar is shorter than the upper khimar.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh: Is it clear?

The questioner: Clear, it is this way that I wear the long khimar and under it there is a "scarf" that covers the head; so that even if we suppose the wind blows a bit of the upper khimar, the head is guaranteed to be covered.

The Shaykh : Yes, but it does not cover the head, may Allah bless you, as I told you.

The questioner: The head is covered, of course, from the neck, this is clear, meaning.

The Shaykh : No, no, and the breasts, we told you.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : The lower khimar must also cover the breasts.

The questioner: Yes, yes, okay, it is clear, Your Eminence.

The Shaykh : Yes, may Allah reward you with good.
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