The ruling on the Committee for Promoting Virtue and Preventing Vice men ordering a woman who exposes her face to cover it
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There is no doubt that among the conditions of enjoining good and forbidding evil is that one must be knowledgeable about its conditions: is it an evil or not? And some people, when they see one of the Committee for Promoting Virtue and Preventing Vice men objecting to a woman who exposes her face, say: You are not obligated to forbid it;Because she is not free from two states: Either she is a Muslim who sees that covering the face is not obligatory, or she is a disbeliever, in which case she is not originally obligated to cover it. Is what this person says correct or incorrect?
No.
This is incorrect;Because sins are of two categories: There is a category that harms only its owner, so we leave him and his opinion if he is qualified for independent legal reasoning. And there is a category that harms others. There is no doubt that a woman exposing her face does not limit its harm to herself; rather, it harms others, because people are tempted by her. Accordingly, she must be forbidden from it, whether she is a disbeliever or a Muslim, and whether she holds this opinion or not. Forbid her, and if you do what deters the evil, you are safe from it.
As for what harms only its owner, such as a man who smokes,And he said: I see its permissibility and I do not see it as forbidden,And our scholars say: It is lawful, so we leave him if he is a layperson; because the layperson’s statement is the statement of his scholars.When he says: I see that it is not forbidden, so we leave him; because this harms only himself, unless it is medically established that it harms people by suffocating them or that it offends them with its smell. In that case, we may prevent him from this aspect. So know this rule.
Sins are of two categories: There is a category that harms only its owner, so if someone disagrees with our independent legal reasoning, we leave him. And there is a category that harms others, so we prevent it because of the harm that extends to others. But if there is a fear of a trial that is greater than the exposure of this face, then the greater of the two evils is averted by the lesser.Meaning: Suppose that if you did this, you might be punished, or you might be dismissed from your position, or something similar that is expected; then do not engage in severe forbidding, but rather in the way of advice. If you see a woman exposing her face with her guardian, hold the guardian.And you say: My brother! This is not permissible; this is forbidden. This harms your family and harms others. Speak to him in the best manner—with gentleness. Do not speak to the woman herself, as there may be greater harm for you in that.
No.
This is incorrect;Because sins are of two categories: There is a category that harms only its owner, so we leave him and his opinion if he is qualified for independent legal reasoning. And there is a category that harms others. There is no doubt that a woman exposing her face does not limit its harm to herself; rather, it harms others, because people are tempted by her. Accordingly, she must be forbidden from it, whether she is a disbeliever or a Muslim, and whether she holds this opinion or not. Forbid her, and if you do what deters the evil, you are safe from it.
As for what harms only its owner, such as a man who smokes,And he said: I see its permissibility and I do not see it as forbidden,And our scholars say: It is lawful, so we leave him if he is a layperson; because the layperson’s statement is the statement of his scholars.When he says: I see that it is not forbidden, so we leave him; because this harms only himself, unless it is medically established that it harms people by suffocating them or that it offends them with its smell. In that case, we may prevent him from this aspect. So know this rule.
Sins are of two categories: There is a category that harms only its owner, so if someone disagrees with our independent legal reasoning, we leave him. And there is a category that harms others, so we prevent it because of the harm that extends to others. But if there is a fear of a trial that is greater than the exposure of this face, then the greater of the two evils is averted by the lesser.Meaning: Suppose that if you did this, you might be punished, or you might be dismissed from your position, or something similar that is expected; then do not engage in severe forbidding, but rather in the way of advice. If you see a woman exposing her face with her guardian, hold the guardian.And you say: My brother! This is not permissible; this is forbidden. This harms your family and harms others. Speak to him in the best manner—with gentleness. Do not speak to the woman herself, as there may be greater harm for you in that.