Is it permissible for a veiled woman to drive a car?
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The questioner : The Shaykh of Islam, who is the Shaykh ... the car.
The Shaykh : I said: This leads us to the second issue, or the second part of the question, which is: Is it permissible for a Muslim woman who wears the Shari'ah-prescribed hijab to drive a car? I say: There is no difference between a mount and a car. I do not think any scholar among the scholars of the Muslims is unaware that the women of the Companions, in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), used to ride mounts, such as camels and donkeys. They enjoyed what Allah created for all people, men and women, in the form of mounts. So what is the difference between a woman riding a mount and a woman riding a car?
Yes, there is a very great difference, but it is in favor of the Muslim woman. When a woman rides a mount, she is exposed to men, and they pass by her on her right and on her left. But when a woman drives a car, nothing of her is visible except her shoulders and her head. So the car is more concealing for the woman. As for if there are some women who do not fear Allah and do not revere Allah, and they use the car as a means to fulfill some forbidden desires, this is not a matter that forbids the pious, righteous women from enjoying what Allah has made lawful for them. Just as a woman can use the car to fulfill her forbidden desire, she can also use a mount for the same forbidden desire. She might say, for example, that she is going to the field or the farm or something similar, under the pretext of searching for herbs or the like, while she intends to meet, for example, her lover or her paramour. Do we say: If such women are found, we forbid women from riding mounts, even though they used to do so in the purest era, the first era, which is the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)? I do not think this can be said. Rather, all that can be said is: Driving a car is a blessing for men and women, but the blessing of Allah is often used by some people in what Allah has forbidden.
The Shaykh : I said: This leads us to the second issue, or the second part of the question, which is: Is it permissible for a Muslim woman who wears the Shari'ah-prescribed hijab to drive a car? I say: There is no difference between a mount and a car. I do not think any scholar among the scholars of the Muslims is unaware that the women of the Companions, in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), used to ride mounts, such as camels and donkeys. They enjoyed what Allah created for all people, men and women, in the form of mounts. So what is the difference between a woman riding a mount and a woman riding a car?
Yes, there is a very great difference, but it is in favor of the Muslim woman. When a woman rides a mount, she is exposed to men, and they pass by her on her right and on her left. But when a woman drives a car, nothing of her is visible except her shoulders and her head. So the car is more concealing for the woman. As for if there are some women who do not fear Allah and do not revere Allah, and they use the car as a means to fulfill some forbidden desires, this is not a matter that forbids the pious, righteous women from enjoying what Allah has made lawful for them. Just as a woman can use the car to fulfill her forbidden desire, she can also use a mount for the same forbidden desire. She might say, for example, that she is going to the field or the farm or something similar, under the pretext of searching for herbs or the like, while she intends to meet, for example, her lover or her paramour. Do we say: If such women are found, we forbid women from riding mounts, even though they used to do so in the purest era, the first era, which is the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)? I do not think this can be said. Rather, all that can be said is: Driving a car is a blessing for men and women, but the blessing of Allah is often used by some people in what Allah has forbidden.
Source
www.al-albany.com
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