What is permissible for a Muslim woman to reveal of her adornment before other Muslim women and women of the Book?

The questioner : Another question: What is permissible for a Muslim woman to reveal of her adornment and her body before a Muslim woman or a woman of the Book?

The Shaykh : This is a question that is truly very important, because most Muslim women and their husbands are in a state of grave heedlessness regarding this reality. The reason goes back to a jurisprudential deviation in which some jurists fell, and this deviation was written down and accepted by those affiliated with that school of jurisprudence, especially if that school has spiritual authority over the country or the people living in it. In many books of jurisprudence, it is said—and this is certainly false—it is said: "The 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) of a woman in relation to a woman is like the 'awrah of a man in relation to a man," meaning from the navel to the knee. First, this is a statement with no evidence in the Book or the Sunnah, not in the authentic Sunnah, not in the weak Sunnah, and not even in the fabricated. It is merely an opinion. And this opinion is false because it contradicts the Noble Qur'an. We all read it, but unfortunately, we rarely heed the guidance of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and obey His command, which says: We read, for example, in the statement of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He): This is not the point at issue. The point at issue is in His statement: or or, until our Lord (Mighty and Majestic) says at the end of the verse: To understand the implication of this verse, which defines the 'awrah of a woman in relation to a woman, we must remember a legal reality, which is His statement (peace and blessings be upon him): The meaning of this general statement is that the entire woman is 'awrah. Therefore, with this general statement, it is not permissible for us to impose a restriction from ourselves unless there is a text from the Book of our Lord or the Sunnah of our Prophet. Is there a text stating that the 'awrah of a woman in relation to a woman is from the navel to the knee? You know my answer. Not even in a fabricated hadith. But there is a verse. If the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: But the verse clarified it, saying: So, what is the 'awrah of a daughter in relation to her father? Is it from the navel to the knee? The answer is that there is no basis for this. But the verse confirms that her 'awrah is much broader than that. This is supported by what we have understood of the meaning of the statement of Allah the Exalted: What is intended by His statement: meaning the places of adornment. The intention is not the adornment itself, but the places of adornment. For example, this earring that is hung here in the ear of women; if she showed it like this, that is not what is intended. But the intention, as the linguists say, is with an implied omitted addition: meaning the places of adornment. So, what are the places of adornment? Is anything above the navel a place of adornment at any time, even in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance? The answer is no. Is anything below the armpits a place of adornment? The waist? The back? No, this is 'awrah by the text of the previous hadith. So the verse says that it is not permissible for a Muslim woman to show anything of her body except the places of her adornment. The places of adornment now are the head and what it contains, the earrings, the necklace on the neck, the bracelet on the wrist, the armband on the upper arm, and the anklet on the feet. These are the places of wudu' (the ablution for prayer). These are the places of adornment that it is permissible for a Muslim woman to show before her Muslim sister. It is not permissible for a woman to show anything before a disbeliever except the face and the hands. I do not know how this verse was contradicted with such extreme clarity, in opposition to the verse and in defiance of it. I wish there were a hadith, even a weak one thought to be authentic, that restricted the verse, just as we restricted the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) with this verse from the Qur'an. This is the answer to the previous question, in case the time has run out.

The questioner : The time... if Allah wills.

The Shaykh : It seems this mosque was built recently. It is not finished, of course.

The questioner : The story is long...

The Shaykh : Well, of course, what concerns us now is drawing attention specifically to the minbar (the pulpit)...

The questioner : The previous question: What is permissible for a woman to reveal of her adornment?

The Shaykh : Keep your question.