What is the ruling on a woman uncovering her face before her husband's brother, and if the husband demands that his wife do so and insists that she uncover her face for her brother, what should she do? May you be rewarded.
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The questioner : This questioner, 'Alaa, asks in the first question: What is the ruling on a woman uncovering her face before her husband's brother, and if the husband demands that his wife do so and insists that she uncover her face for her brother, what should she do? May you be rewarded.
The Shaykh : It is not permissible for a woman to uncover her face before her husband's brother, or his uncle, or her maternal uncle, or the like, because these are not among her mahram (relatives one may not marry). A woman is not permitted to uncover her face before anyone other than her husband and her mahram. She asks: If her husband insists that she uncover her face, what should she do? We tell her that she must disobey him; indeed, it is obligatory for her to disobey him in this situation, because there is no obedience to a created being in the disobedience of the Creator. And I have answered this part of the question.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Moreover, I consider it unlikely that anyone would say to his wife, "Uncover your face for people," because every person has jealousy (ghirah) and cannot allow his wife to uncover her face before anyone, for he wants his wife to be as they are described:[As-Saffat 37:49] hidden from people, so that no one but he enjoys seeing her. But, glory be to Allah, some people's jealousy is dead; they have no jealousy.
Furthermore, her uncovering her face before her brother is a great danger. If this woman pleases her brother, can he be safe from what Allah and His Messenger do not approve of occurring between them? He cannot be safe. Therefore, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saidJami` at-Tirmidhi 1171Sahih (Darussalam), which is a warning, they said, "O Messenger of Allah, what about the in-laws?" meaning the husband's relatives. He said , meaning that they are the calamity, the one from whom danger is feared.
So my advice to this man is to fear Allah regarding himself, and that his jealousy not die, and that he prevent his wife from uncovering her face before anyone from the people except if it is one of her mahram.
And regarding the husband, none of his relatives are mahram to his wife except his father and his sons: his father and his grandfather, however high up the lineage, and his son and his son's son and his daughter's son, however far down the lineage. As for relatives other than the direct ancestors and descendants, they are not among the wife's mahram. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : It is not permissible for a woman to uncover her face before her husband's brother, or his uncle, or her maternal uncle, or the like, because these are not among her mahram (relatives one may not marry). A woman is not permitted to uncover her face before anyone other than her husband and her mahram. She asks: If her husband insists that she uncover her face, what should she do? We tell her that she must disobey him; indeed, it is obligatory for her to disobey him in this situation, because there is no obedience to a created being in the disobedience of the Creator. And I have answered this part of the question.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Moreover, I consider it unlikely that anyone would say to his wife, "Uncover your face for people," because every person has jealousy (ghirah) and cannot allow his wife to uncover her face before anyone, for he wants his wife to be as they are described:
As if they were [delicate] eggs, well-protected.
كَأَنَّهُنَّ بَيضٌ مَكنونٌFurthermore, her uncovering her face before her brother is a great danger. If this woman pleases her brother, can he be safe from what Allah and His Messenger do not approve of occurring between them? He cannot be safe. Therefore, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said
Beware of entering upon women.
إياكم والدخول على النساءThe relative is death
الحمو الموتSo my advice to this man is to fear Allah regarding himself, and that his jealousy not die, and that he prevent his wife from uncovering her face before anyone from the people except if it is one of her mahram.
And regarding the husband, none of his relatives are mahram to his wife except his father and his sons: his father and his grandfather, however high up the lineage, and his son and his son's son and his daughter's son, however far down the lineage. As for relatives other than the direct ancestors and descendants, they are not among the wife's mahram. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.