Continuation of the answer to the question: Is it permissible to order women to cover their faces on the basis of blocking the means to harm?

The Shaykh : And likewise, the matter of blocking the means to harm. So I say now: Do not think that what we are complaining about today did not exist in the past. Do not think that, especially when the hijab was made obligatory. It was made obligatory, and there was no hijab before that, meaning no obligatory hijab. And you know that the reform carried out by the Messenger (peace be upon him) and the upbringing he achieved among the first Arabs, who were not from the People of the Book and were polytheists, is no doubt that what he (peace be upon him) did in raising those Arabs, and even the Bedouins, is a miracle in itself. But we do not say, nor do we claim, that everyone who believed in the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and believed in him met the definition of a Companion according to all the scholars of hadith. The first Companion was Abu Bakr, and the last was a Bedouin who heard from the Messenger (peace be upon him) and came to him and asked for a miracle. That miracle was calling to this tree: "The Messenger of Allah commands you to come." He saw it and believed. This Bedouin is not equal in the upbringing of his character and his behavior, and so on, to the early, first, and foremost Companions of the Messenger. This is a matter stated in the Noble Qur'an. So it is possible to imagine that among the majority of the Companions there were people in whom the Muhammadan upbringing was not fully realized. And if the Noble Qur'an says in some of its verses to some of the Bedouins: , if faith has not yet entered their hearts, then it is even more likely that the upbringing of Muhammad (peace be upon him) did not reach their morals and their behavior. And so I say, regarding myself and my belief, knowledge, and study, that the problem existed in the time of the Messenger (peace be upon him). And for that reason, the verses in the Qur'an and the hadiths of the Messenger (peace be upon him) came with the command to lower the gaze. But it may be useful to mention a story that perhaps does not happen today, yet it happened in the time of Prophethood and Messengership. It was not on the road or in the desert, but in the best of places, the mosque, and in the best of mosques after the mosque of Makkah, which is the mosque of the Messenger (peace be upon him). That is what the noble verse pointed to, which is His saying (Glorified and Exalted is He): , Believe it or not. And I tell you: Because of the strangeness of what is in this hadith, even though its chain is sound in my knowledge and my critique, some scholars said: It is a denounced narration. And I know that the denunciation they mentioned is not because it is not fitting for the Messenger (peace be upon him) or his household or his early, first, and foremost Companions, but he looked at the Companions of the Messenger (peace be upon him) in general, and at those who pray behind him (peace and blessings be upon him), and he found it strange that such an act would occur from a person praying behind the Messenger (peace be upon him). So he said: It is a denounced narration. The important thing is that whoever studies the conditions of the Companions and witnesses, as I said earlier, that miracle, will find there some lapses. But if you recall the small Medinan society and compare it to the large Islamic society today, the problem expands, and one thinks that the reality today is worse than before. I testify to this, but I mean by this that the problem existed in the time of the Messenger (peace be upon him). And there are incidents mentioned; this incident was mentioned for its strangeness despite its authenticity. What about another story: "A man from the Companions of the Messenger spoke about himself. He was the owner of a shop. A woman came wanting to buy dates from him. He said: 'There is better quality inside.' She went in. He said: 'I did not leave anything.' He mentioned this to the Messenger (peace be upon him): and so on, So he came. Look now, the upbringing: people today may do such an act, but it does not occur to one of them to repent to Allah, at least between him and his Lord (Blessed and Exalted is He). So he came complaining to the Messenger (peace be upon him), and he said to him: . He said: Yes. So Allah (Mighty and Majestic) revealed His saying: I think my goal from this speech is completely clear, which is that the harm resulting from a man looking at a woman. , So I say: Therefore, in brief, for this introduction, and I hope I have not been too long with you and have not bored you.
The student : No, O Shaykh.

The Shaykh : I say: The reason for ordering women to cover their faces existed in his time (peace be upon him). If he did not do it, it is not for us to do it. But it is sufficient for us to say, and this is what we said in that book I mentioned earlier, that we see it is better for the woman to cover her face and cover her hands, but we do not oblige her, nor do we impose it on her, nor do we make it obligatory on her, unless Allah or His Messenger makes it obligatory. But we encourage women to do this, even if she is not beautiful, based on the principle: "For every drop in the tribe, there is a catcher." As for taking a cause from ourselves now and saying: The time is corrupt, and so on, and saying then: "Sa'd, you are not leading the camels like this," no, we must raise ourselves and raise our women and those around us, males and females, as the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did. In fact, some of the scholars who were people of upbringing would raise those of the other type to learn and be raised. As for imposing matters that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has not legislated, this is what I fear most, that the generality of the saying of our Lord (Mighty and Majestic) includes us: , perhaps I have answered your question, if Allah wills.