What is permissible for a woman to expose in the presence of women?
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The questioner : O esteemed Shaykh, what is permissible for a woman to expose of her body in the presence of women?
The Shaykh : It is obligatory for a woman to wear the Shari'ah-prescribed clothing that provides coverage. The clothing of the women of the Companions, as stated by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and others, was: "From the wrist to the ankle in their homes, and when they went out, they wore long garments that extended beyond their feet by a span". The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) granted them a dispensation to expose the forearm in order to cover their feet. This is regarding the woman who is clothed; if she lifts her garment, she is among those who are clothed yet naked.
As for the woman who is looking, it is not permissible for her to look at the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) of a woman, meaning: it is not permissible for her to look at what is between the navel and the knee. For example, if a woman is relieving herself, it is not permissible for another woman to look at her because she would be looking at the 'awrah. However, if it is above the navel or below the knee, and the woman has exposed it out of necessity—such as if she lifts her garment from her leg because she is walking through mud, or if she wants to wash her leg and another woman is present—then there is nothing wrong with it. Or if she exposes her breast to nurse her child in front of women, there is nothing wrong with it. But to say, as some ignorant women understand, that the meaning is: a woman wears clothing that covers only what is between the navel and the knee, this is an error, a great error against the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), the Shari'ah of Allah, and the Salaf (the earliest generations) of this Ummah (the Muslim community). Who says that women do not wear anything but trousers that cover from the navel to the knee? Whose clothing is this? Is this the clothing of Muslim women? This is impossible.
Therefore, it is obligatory for a woman to wear loose clothing from the wrist to the ankle of the foot. As for the other woman who is looking, she may look at the upper arm, she may look at the upper chest, and she may look at the leg, but she may not look at what is between the navel and the knee if the woman has exposed her garment. So the other woman does not look at what is between the navel and the knee. Yes.
The Shaykh : It is obligatory for a woman to wear the Shari'ah-prescribed clothing that provides coverage. The clothing of the women of the Companions, as stated by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and others, was: "From the wrist to the ankle in their homes, and when they went out, they wore long garments that extended beyond their feet by a span". The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) granted them a dispensation to expose the forearm in order to cover their feet. This is regarding the woman who is clothed; if she lifts her garment, she is among those who are clothed yet naked.
As for the woman who is looking, it is not permissible for her to look at the 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered) of a woman, meaning: it is not permissible for her to look at what is between the navel and the knee. For example, if a woman is relieving herself, it is not permissible for another woman to look at her because she would be looking at the 'awrah. However, if it is above the navel or below the knee, and the woman has exposed it out of necessity—such as if she lifts her garment from her leg because she is walking through mud, or if she wants to wash her leg and another woman is present—then there is nothing wrong with it. Or if she exposes her breast to nurse her child in front of women, there is nothing wrong with it. But to say, as some ignorant women understand, that the meaning is: a woman wears clothing that covers only what is between the navel and the knee, this is an error, a great error against the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), the Shari'ah of Allah, and the Salaf (the earliest generations) of this Ummah (the Muslim community). Who says that women do not wear anything but trousers that cover from the navel to the knee? Whose clothing is this? Is this the clothing of Muslim women? This is impossible.
Therefore, it is obligatory for a woman to wear loose clothing from the wrist to the ankle of the foot. As for the other woman who is looking, she may look at the upper arm, she may look at the upper chest, and she may look at the leg, but she may not look at what is between the navel and the knee if the woman has exposed her garment. So the other woman does not look at what is between the navel and the knee. Yes.