Is a woman disobedient if she does not obey her husband in obeying Allah? And what is the Shari'ah-prescribed khimar?
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The questioner : Regarding the woman, meaning if she is currently wearing a complete outfit from the Shari'ah perspective, of course, she has a scarf on her head and everything, and her husband wants her to wear a khimar, and she says that this thing is not currently widespread until she wears it, and there are some women who do, and he is insistent, so the question is: is she required to obey him?
The Shaykh : Is he ordering her to obey Allah or to disobey Him?
The questioner : Of course, to obey Allah.
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : Is wearing the khimar part of obeying Allah?
The Shaykh : So, do you mean by the scarf something other than the khimar?
The questioner : Of course, the scarf is what she is wearing currently; she is not wearing the complete outfit. Of course, the khimar covers the face.
The Shaykh : No, my brother, in any case, you must clarify your question. You are saying that this woman is wearing the scarf.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, what is the difference in your view between the khimar and the scarf? She is wearing the scarf and refuses to wear the khimar for her husband, is that not so?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : What is the difference in your view between the scarf and the khimar?
The questioner : The scarf covers her hair, but of course her face is exposed, whereas the khimar would have the face covered.
The Shaykh : The khimar, my brother, you are mistaken. The khimar does not mean covering the face. The khimar, as in the Noble Qur'an,[An-Nur 24:31] is not on their faces but on their bosoms. The bosom is the opening of the shirt, so she wraps the khimar around her head like the headscarf we use and throws it over her chest so that nothing of her chest is visible. The khimar does not mean covering the face unless a person, whether male or female, wishes to do so. We see some people in days of intense heat wrapping their faces to protect themselves from the heat of the sun. Linguistically, the khimar is a head covering. So, if I understand from your interpretation of the khimar that it is a mistaken interpretation that it covers the face, then I understand from your question that this husband is ordering his wife to cover her face. Is that what you want?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, there is no doubt that this order from the husband is not for disobedience but for obedience. And even if covering the face is not obligatory, but rather recommended and a mustahabb, if the husband orders his wife to do something permissible and she does not obey him, she is disobedient, she is a disobedient wife. How much more so when he is ordering her to obey Allah the Mighty and Majestic and to do what is best according to all scholars, which is covering the face. She must cover her face.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with all good.
The Shaykh : And beware of that.
The Shaykh : Is he ordering her to obey Allah or to disobey Him?
The questioner : Of course, to obey Allah.
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : Is wearing the khimar part of obeying Allah?
The Shaykh : So, do you mean by the scarf something other than the khimar?
The questioner : Of course, the scarf is what she is wearing currently; she is not wearing the complete outfit. Of course, the khimar covers the face.
The Shaykh : No, my brother, in any case, you must clarify your question. You are saying that this woman is wearing the scarf.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, what is the difference in your view between the khimar and the scarf? She is wearing the scarf and refuses to wear the khimar for her husband, is that not so?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : What is the difference in your view between the scarf and the khimar?
The questioner : The scarf covers her hair, but of course her face is exposed, whereas the khimar would have the face covered.
The Shaykh : The khimar, my brother, you are mistaken. The khimar does not mean covering the face. The khimar, as in the Noble Qur'an,
to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests
وليضربن بخمرهنّ على جيوبهنThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, there is no doubt that this order from the husband is not for disobedience but for obedience. And even if covering the face is not obligatory, but rather recommended and a mustahabb, if the husband orders his wife to do something permissible and she does not obey him, she is disobedient, she is a disobedient wife. How much more so when he is ordering her to obey Allah the Mighty and Majestic and to do what is best according to all scholars, which is covering the face. She must cover her face.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with all good.
The Shaykh : And beware of that.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.