Does the khimar extend from the head to the ground?
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The questioner: Okay - Your EminenceThe Shaykh- ; regarding the woman's khimar, is it correct that the khimar must start from the head and end at the feet, or is it possible for the khimar to be above the jilbab that they call it in Syria - for example - a jilbab that is like a coat but wide, and then the khimar comes, just the scarf, but long, for example; is this sufficient or must the khimar be from the head to the ground?
The Shaykh: Look, this is a matter in which many women, and even some men, err. We have in the Noble Qur'an two verses; one specifies the jilbab, and the other specifies the khimar. You must be remembering both verses, so I have no need to lengthen the speech by mentioning them; is that not so?
The questioner: Yes, Your EminenceThe Shaykh .
The Shaykh: Okay; but it is very necessary for you to know what the jilbab is in the Shari'ah and what the khimar is. The jilbab is not the coat that women wear in Syria. The jilbab is the garment that is thrown over the head and covers the entire body, as much as possible. You lived in Syria, so you must know.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh: How long ago did you leave Syria?
The questioner: I am thirty-five years old now, and I left Syria ten years ago.
The Shaykh: So you are aware - for example - of some of the peasant women, like the Dumanis and the Haristanis, what do they wrap themselves in?
The questioner: Yes, with one piece from top to bottom.
The Shaykh : You have done well.
The questioner: And like the women of Deir al-Zour as well.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner: Yes, they wear black from top to bottom.
The Shaykh: Yes, but no, I meant the Dumanis and the Haristanis, it is a garment, what shall I call it? Like a sheet.
The questioner : Yes, yes.
The Shaykh: Do you know what a sheet is?
The questioner: A sheet.
The Shaykh: So they wrap themselves in it, and nothing of them is visible except their face, and perhaps one of their two hands, but their entire body is covered. This is the jilbab intended by the verse[Al-Ahzab 33:59]. But the shape now is not important, but the matter is that it covers the entire body. So what you asked about the khimar, is it required that it covers the entire body, or is it like the scarf they wear in Syria? I gave this description of the jilbab. Understood?
The questioner: Perfect.
The Shaykh: Okay; we come to the khimar. The khimar is what is known in the Levant as the prayer cover. It is what covers the head, the neck, the breasts, and the shoulders. So it is not necessary for it to be very long, understood?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh: Okay; after this explanation comes the final explanation, which is very necessary. Since you are there teaching Muslim girls, and I hope that reward is written for you - if Allah wills - but you are in a very sensitive position; because you must be knowledgeable about the Shari'ah rulings. Among those is that usually the committed women here in Jordan or in Syria, especially in the past; because unfortunately the situation there is very bad now, usually the committed women wear this coat.
The questioner: To the mid-calf!
The Shaykh: Ah, and they put this khimar - meaning the scarf - on their head and go out, thinking that they are fulfilling the obligation of the Shari'ah covering. The answer: No. First, it is obligatory for her to put the khimar on her head so that it covers her hair, neck, chest, and breasts with the khimar, then she throws the jilbab, whose description you know, over the khimar.
The questioner: Subhan Allah!
The Shaykh: Yes, so it is not permissible for a woman to go out of her house wearing only the khimar. No, she must add the jilbab to the khimar, and thereby she combines the verse:[Al-Ahzab 33:59], and the verse: [An-Nur 24:31]; so one does not suffice in place of the other. I think this has become clear to you?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh: All right.
The questioner: All of this, Your Eminence, you are taking the fatwa that the niqab is not obligatory.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner: All of this if she reveals her face.
The Shaykh : That is correct.
The Shaykh: Look, this is a matter in which many women, and even some men, err. We have in the Noble Qur'an two verses; one specifies the jilbab, and the other specifies the khimar. You must be remembering both verses, so I have no need to lengthen the speech by mentioning them; is that not so?
The questioner: Yes, Your EminenceThe Shaykh .
The Shaykh: Okay; but it is very necessary for you to know what the jilbab is in the Shari'ah and what the khimar is. The jilbab is not the coat that women wear in Syria. The jilbab is the garment that is thrown over the head and covers the entire body, as much as possible. You lived in Syria, so you must know.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh: How long ago did you leave Syria?
The questioner: I am thirty-five years old now, and I left Syria ten years ago.
The Shaykh: So you are aware - for example - of some of the peasant women, like the Dumanis and the Haristanis, what do they wrap themselves in?
The questioner: Yes, with one piece from top to bottom.
The Shaykh : You have done well.
The questioner: And like the women of Deir al-Zour as well.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner: Yes, they wear black from top to bottom.
The Shaykh: Yes, but no, I meant the Dumanis and the Haristanis, it is a garment, what shall I call it? Like a sheet.
The questioner : Yes, yes.
The Shaykh: Do you know what a sheet is?
The questioner: A sheet.
The Shaykh: So they wrap themselves in it, and nothing of them is visible except their face, and perhaps one of their two hands, but their entire body is covered. This is the jilbab intended by the verse
to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments
يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ جَلَابِيبِهِنَّThe questioner: Perfect.
The Shaykh: Okay; we come to the khimar. The khimar is what is known in the Levant as the prayer cover. It is what covers the head, the neck, the breasts, and the shoulders. So it is not necessary for it to be very long, understood?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh: Okay; after this explanation comes the final explanation, which is very necessary. Since you are there teaching Muslim girls, and I hope that reward is written for you - if Allah wills - but you are in a very sensitive position; because you must be knowledgeable about the Shari'ah rulings. Among those is that usually the committed women here in Jordan or in Syria, especially in the past; because unfortunately the situation there is very bad now, usually the committed women wear this coat.
The questioner: To the mid-calf!
The Shaykh: Ah, and they put this khimar - meaning the scarf - on their head and go out, thinking that they are fulfilling the obligation of the Shari'ah covering. The answer: No. First, it is obligatory for her to put the khimar on her head so that it covers her hair, neck, chest, and breasts with the khimar, then she throws the jilbab, whose description you know, over the khimar.
The questioner: Subhan Allah!
The Shaykh: Yes, so it is not permissible for a woman to go out of her house wearing only the khimar. No, she must add the jilbab to the khimar, and thereby she combines the verse:
to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments
يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ جَلَابِيبِهِنَّto wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests
وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَى جُيُوبِهِنَّThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh: All right.
The questioner: All of this, Your Eminence, you are taking the fatwa that the niqab is not obligatory.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner: All of this if she reveals her face.
The Shaykh : That is correct.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.