I understood from your program that the hijab of the woman is obligatory upon her and prescribed in the Noble Qur'an, but the custom in our village and in many Muslim villages is not
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The questioner : I understood from your program that the hijab of the woman is obligatory upon her and is prescribed in the Noble Qur'an when the surah was revealed urging the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and commanding him to order his wives to the hijab. But the custom with us in our village and in many villages of Muslim countries is that there is no legal hijab for the woman; her face is exposed to all people. What is the ruling on this matter? I cover my entire body except my face and hands, and I wish from the bottom of my heart to wear the complete legal hijab, but that is very difficult in a village like ours. I ask you to benefit me in this topic and clarify to me, O honorable Shaykh, and to all Muslims, with some detail, especially regarding the complete hijab. I ask for a rewarded response?
The Shaykh : It appears that this woman, may Allah guide her and increase her in good, is trying to observe the legal hijab, which includes covering the face and everything that leads to fitnah (trial, discord or temptation).
And on this basis, I say to her: If you resolve to do this and are sincere to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and fear Allah, then Allah will make ease for you in your affair, and He will protect you from your enemies:[Al-Hajj 22:38] But it should be that houses are entered through their doors. She should connect with other women like her who are zealous and careful about the legal hijab, so that they go out wearing the legal hijab. It is well known that when there is a large number, the number, as they say, overcomes timidity. If there is a large number of women adhering to the legal hijab, then that will make it easy and simple.
Also, it is upon the people of the village, the preachers and callers to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and the preachers of the mosques, to clarify the truth to people in this matter and not to submit to customs that contradict the Shari'ah.
It is well known that some of the previous scholars hold the permissibility of the woman exposing her face and hands, but this opinion is weak. Moreover, acting upon it in these times leads to something greater than women expanding in this dress, as is the reality. In the Islamic countries where their scholars issued a fatwa permitting the exposure of the face and hands, the women there do not just expose the face and hands, but they expose the face, head, neck, hands, forearms, and feet, and the women have expanded in this. So what is befitting for the knowledgeable person is to be wise in the legal rulings he issues and to avoid all that involves danger.
And the summary of what I say is: that this sister should resolve to the legal hijab and call upon the women whom Allah makes easy for her. If they go out to the market in this manner, then that will have a great impact, along with the words of the callers, preachers, and orators that are added to it.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh. Also, the Muslim, O honorable Shaykh, is required to take pride in his Islam. This woman says: this is one of the customs. So what is your guidance?
The Shaykh : Our guidance for this is that she says it is one of the customs; she does not affirm that this is the requirement of the Shari'ah, but rather it is a custom. And a person should abandon customs that contradict the Shari'ah. As you pointed out, some scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) permitted the exposure of the face and hands, but the matter did not stop there; the women expanded in it. And the permissible thing, if it becomes a means to a forbidden thing, becomes forbidden.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : It appears that this woman, may Allah guide her and increase her in good, is trying to observe the legal hijab, which includes covering the face and everything that leads to fitnah (trial, discord or temptation).
And on this basis, I say to her: If you resolve to do this and are sincere to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and fear Allah, then Allah will make ease for you in your affair, and He will protect you from your enemies:
Indeed, Allah defends those who have believed
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُدَافِعُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواAlso, it is upon the people of the village, the preachers and callers to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and the preachers of the mosques, to clarify the truth to people in this matter and not to submit to customs that contradict the Shari'ah.
It is well known that some of the previous scholars hold the permissibility of the woman exposing her face and hands, but this opinion is weak. Moreover, acting upon it in these times leads to something greater than women expanding in this dress, as is the reality. In the Islamic countries where their scholars issued a fatwa permitting the exposure of the face and hands, the women there do not just expose the face and hands, but they expose the face, head, neck, hands, forearms, and feet, and the women have expanded in this. So what is befitting for the knowledgeable person is to be wise in the legal rulings he issues and to avoid all that involves danger.
And the summary of what I say is: that this sister should resolve to the legal hijab and call upon the women whom Allah makes easy for her. If they go out to the market in this manner, then that will have a great impact, along with the words of the callers, preachers, and orators that are added to it.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh. Also, the Muslim, O honorable Shaykh, is required to take pride in his Islam. This woman says: this is one of the customs. So what is your guidance?
The Shaykh : Our guidance for this is that she says it is one of the customs; she does not affirm that this is the requirement of the Shari'ah, but rather it is a custom. And a person should abandon customs that contradict the Shari'ah. As you pointed out, some scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) permitted the exposure of the face and hands, but the matter did not stop there; the women expanded in it. And the permissible thing, if it becomes a means to a forbidden thing, becomes forbidden.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.