The limit of a woman's 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) in the presence of another woman
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What is the limit of a woman's 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) in the presence of another woman? Is it permissible for the opening to be for the leg, the chest, or the upper arm?
It is astonishing that this question has become common among people these days. I do not know if they want women to wear nothing but what covers the area between the knee and the navel?! Perhaps they or the people of evil desire this.If we say: A woman's 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) in the presence of another woman is like a man's 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) in the presence of another man; the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) is the area between the navel and the knee. Do these questioners or the women asking want a woman to go to her sister wearing only a pair of pants from the navel to the knee?! Therefore, one must turn away from this question.And it must be said: A woman must wear clothing from the ankle to the wrist; this is obligatory, just as the women of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did this in their homes. And if she wants to go out, she should have a train on her garment, meaning: a part of her garment that trails on the ground so that her feet are not visible.This is what the Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his book: Regarding a woman's clothing, women wear from the wrist to the ankle in their homes, and when they go out, a woman wears a garment that trails behind her so that her feet are not seen.And may Allah protect us from saying: It is not permissible for Muslim women to go out among women wearing only what covers the area between the navel and the knee. May Allah protect us from saying this. But if a woman is wearing covering, sufficient, and loose clothing, and then she lifts her garment in order to do a task, meaning: she helps her mother, for example, with a task, there is no harm, or she lifts her garment to pass over water or something similar, there is no harm, or she exposes her breast to nurse her child in front of her sisters, there is no harm.As for the clothing, we say to the woman: Wearing only what covers the area between the navel and the knee; no one says this.
It is astonishing that this question has become common among people these days. I do not know if they want women to wear nothing but what covers the area between the knee and the navel?! Perhaps they or the people of evil desire this.If we say: A woman's 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) in the presence of another woman is like a man's 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) in the presence of another man; the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) is the area between the navel and the knee. Do these questioners or the women asking want a woman to go to her sister wearing only a pair of pants from the navel to the knee?! Therefore, one must turn away from this question.And it must be said: A woman must wear clothing from the ankle to the wrist; this is obligatory, just as the women of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did this in their homes. And if she wants to go out, she should have a train on her garment, meaning: a part of her garment that trails on the ground so that her feet are not visible.This is what the Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his book: Regarding a woman's clothing, women wear from the wrist to the ankle in their homes, and when they go out, a woman wears a garment that trails behind her so that her feet are not seen.And may Allah protect us from saying: It is not permissible for Muslim women to go out among women wearing only what covers the area between the navel and the knee. May Allah protect us from saying this. But if a woman is wearing covering, sufficient, and loose clothing, and then she lifts her garment in order to do a task, meaning: she helps her mother, for example, with a task, there is no harm, or she lifts her garment to pass over water or something similar, there is no harm, or she exposes her breast to nurse her child in front of her sisters, there is no harm.As for the clothing, we say to the woman: Wearing only what covers the area between the navel and the knee; no one says this.