What a woman reveals of her body among women
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What is permissible for a woman to reveal of her body in the presence of women?
It is obligatory for a woman to wear the Shari'ah-prescribed clothing that covers her body. The clothing of the women of the Companions, as stated by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and others, was: from the wrists to the ankles in their homes. When they went out, they wore long garments that extended beyond their feet by a span. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) permitted them to let it hang down to the elbow in order to cover their feet. This is regarding the woman who is properly clothed; if she lifts her garment, she is among those who are clothed yet naked.
As for the woman who is looking, it is not permissible for her to look at the 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) of another woman.Meaning: It is not permissible to look at what is between the navel and the knee. For example, if a woman is relieving herself, it is not permissible for another woman to look at her, because she would be looking at the 'awrah. However, what is above the navel or below the knee, if a woman has revealed it out of necessity, such as lifting her garment from her leg because she is passing through mud, or wanting to wash her leg while another woman is present, there is nothing wrong with that. Or if she exposes her breast to nurse her child in front of women, there is nothing wrong with that either.
However, it should not be understood from our statement, as some ignorant women understand it, that the meaning is: that a woman wears clothing that covers only what is between the navel and the knee. This is a great error against the Book of Allah, against the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, against the Shari'ah of Allah, and against the Salaf of this Ummah.So whoever says: Does the woman wear only a pair of trousers that covers from the navel to the knee? Is this the clothing of Muslim women? It is impossible! The woman must wear the outer garment from the wrist to the ankle. As for the other woman who is looking, she may look at the chest and the leg, but she may not look at what is between the navel and the knee, if the other woman has uncovered her garment.
It is obligatory for a woman to wear the Shari'ah-prescribed clothing that covers her body. The clothing of the women of the Companions, as stated by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and others, was: from the wrists to the ankles in their homes. When they went out, they wore long garments that extended beyond their feet by a span. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) permitted them to let it hang down to the elbow in order to cover their feet. This is regarding the woman who is properly clothed; if she lifts her garment, she is among those who are clothed yet naked.
As for the woman who is looking, it is not permissible for her to look at the 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) of another woman.Meaning: It is not permissible to look at what is between the navel and the knee. For example, if a woman is relieving herself, it is not permissible for another woman to look at her, because she would be looking at the 'awrah. However, what is above the navel or below the knee, if a woman has revealed it out of necessity, such as lifting her garment from her leg because she is passing through mud, or wanting to wash her leg while another woman is present, there is nothing wrong with that. Or if she exposes her breast to nurse her child in front of women, there is nothing wrong with that either.
However, it should not be understood from our statement, as some ignorant women understand it, that the meaning is: that a woman wears clothing that covers only what is between the navel and the knee. This is a great error against the Book of Allah, against the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, against the Shari'ah of Allah, and against the Salaf of this Ummah.So whoever says: Does the woman wear only a pair of trousers that covers from the navel to the knee? Is this the clothing of Muslim women? It is impossible! The woman must wear the outer garment from the wrist to the ankle. As for the other woman who is looking, she may look at the chest and the leg, but she may not look at what is between the navel and the knee, if the other woman has uncovered her garment.