Is wearing the niqab obligatory?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Okay, I want to ask you, my Shaykh, is wearing the khimar obligatory?
The Shaykh : What do you mean by khimar, and is the correct term khimar?
The questioner : The khimar.
The Shaykh : Yes, what do you mean?
The questioner : I mean the black clothing.
The Shaykh : May Allah guide you, you mean the jilbab.
The questioner : No, I mean the one that ... .
The Shaykh : Then, may Allah guide you, "black clothing" is vague, general language. Specify what you mean by khimar?
The questioner : I don't know what it is, I mean it covers, does it include the face?
The Shaykh : So do you mean the handkerchief or do you mean the niqab.
The questioner : Yes, the niqab.
The Shaykh : May Allah guide you, the khimar is the head covering that a woman wears when she prays.
The questioner : No, I mean ... .
The Shaykh : And do not say "no," I am explaining it to you. The khimar is the head covering. Learn your language which you have forgotten, you and others. The khimar is the head covering, whereas what covers the face is the niqab or the handkerchief known today. So what is your question now?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : No, it is not obligatory, but it is a recommended practice.
The questioner : ... is it permissible, I mean ... .
The Shaykh : I mean, if we told you it is not obligatory but a recommended practice, would you not have received the answer to the second question? May Allah guide you, you are wasting our time.
The Shaykh : What do you mean by khimar, and is the correct term khimar?
The questioner : The khimar.
The Shaykh : Yes, what do you mean?
The questioner : I mean the black clothing.
The Shaykh : May Allah guide you, you mean the jilbab.
The questioner : No, I mean the one that ... .
The Shaykh : Then, may Allah guide you, "black clothing" is vague, general language. Specify what you mean by khimar?
The questioner : I don't know what it is, I mean it covers, does it include the face?
The Shaykh : So do you mean the handkerchief or do you mean the niqab.
The questioner : Yes, the niqab.
The Shaykh : May Allah guide you, the khimar is the head covering that a woman wears when she prays.
The questioner : No, I mean ... .
The Shaykh : And do not say "no," I am explaining it to you. The khimar is the head covering. Learn your language which you have forgotten, you and others. The khimar is the head covering, whereas what covers the face is the niqab or the handkerchief known today. So what is your question now?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : No, it is not obligatory, but it is a recommended practice.
The questioner : ... is it permissible, I mean ... .
The Shaykh : I mean, if we told you it is not obligatory but a recommended practice, would you not have received the answer to the second question? May Allah guide you, you are wasting our time.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.