The Woman's Attire in the Scale of the Shari'ah
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Your Eminence! I read a response in your handwriting to a question that says: Is it permissible for a woman to expose her face, head, neck, hands, forearms, feet, and lower legs to her mahrams (close relatives), while covering everything else? Is this statement absolute, especially given that your position on short clothing for children and women in general is that it is not permissible?
When we say: Saying that she may expose such and such does not mean that her clothing must be exactly that length. However, suppose a woman is wearing a garment that reaches her ankles, and her lower leg becomes exposed due to work or otherwise. She does not sin by this if only her mahrams are present, or if there are no men other than women.
As for adopting short clothing, we forbid it and warn against it; because we know—even though it is permissible—that the situation will deteriorate to something more than that, as is the custom in other matters where people do something initially in a permissible way, and then the situation deteriorates until they descend into a forbidden matter whose prohibition is beyond doubt.Just as the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): (A woman does not look at the 'awrah of another woman) does not mean that it is permissible for a woman to wear only what covers the area between her navel and her knee, and no one says this. But the meaning is that if a woman's chest and lower leg become exposed, while her garment is sufficient, then looking at that is not forbidden for a woman looking at another woman.Let us give an example: A woman who is breastfeeding her child and her breast becomes exposed in order to nurse the child,We do not say to the other woman: If you look at this breast, it is forbidden; because this is not part of the 'awrah.As for a woman coming and saying: I do not wear anything but trousers that cover the area between the navel and the knee, so no one says this, and it is not permissible.And Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned: The clothing of the women of the Companions was from the wrist to the ankle, this if they were in their homes. But if they went out to the market, it is well known from the hadith of Umm Salama that a woman lets her garment hang down. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) granted permission for her to let it hang down to the forearm, so that her feet would not be exposed when she walked.
When we say: Saying that she may expose such and such does not mean that her clothing must be exactly that length. However, suppose a woman is wearing a garment that reaches her ankles, and her lower leg becomes exposed due to work or otherwise. She does not sin by this if only her mahrams are present, or if there are no men other than women.
As for adopting short clothing, we forbid it and warn against it; because we know—even though it is permissible—that the situation will deteriorate to something more than that, as is the custom in other matters where people do something initially in a permissible way, and then the situation deteriorates until they descend into a forbidden matter whose prohibition is beyond doubt.Just as the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): (A woman does not look at the 'awrah of another woman) does not mean that it is permissible for a woman to wear only what covers the area between her navel and her knee, and no one says this. But the meaning is that if a woman's chest and lower leg become exposed, while her garment is sufficient, then looking at that is not forbidden for a woman looking at another woman.Let us give an example: A woman who is breastfeeding her child and her breast becomes exposed in order to nurse the child,We do not say to the other woman: If you look at this breast, it is forbidden; because this is not part of the 'awrah.As for a woman coming and saying: I do not wear anything but trousers that cover the area between the navel and the knee, so no one says this, and it is not permissible.And Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned: The clothing of the women of the Companions was from the wrist to the ankle, this if they were in their homes. But if they went out to the market, it is well known from the hadith of Umm Salama that a woman lets her garment hang down. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) granted permission for her to let it hang down to the forearm, so that her feet would not be exposed when she walked.