The Ruling on a Woman Covering Her Face and Hands in Prayer and Outside of It
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Question:
A letter reached the program from Iraq, Anbar Governorate, sent by a listener from there named Hamad Hamad Ali. We presented some of his questions in a previous episode, and he has one question remaining in this episode. He says: I request a detailed clarification on the issue of the obligation for a woman to cover her face and hands, and whether her prayer is valid if she exposes her face and hands during prayer. This question has occupied many women in our country, because they go out to the city wearing a hijab with their faces and hands exposed, citing authentic hadiths from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Please issue a ruling for us, may Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
As for in prayer, she may expose her face and hands, and there is no blame on her, provided there is no non-mahram present. If there is no non-mahram, she prays with her face exposed; this is the Sunnah. She covers the rest of her body, including her head, chest, and her entire body, including her feet. She must cover all of it. As for the hands, covering them is better, as stated by a group of scholars. If she exposes them, there is no blame on her according to the correct view.
As for the face, it is exposed in prayer, and she prays with her face exposed, except if there is a non-mahram present, such as her husband’s brother, her sister’s husband, or others. In that case, she covers her face and hands during prayer for their sake, for the sake of the non-mahram.
Likewise, when she goes out to the markets, she covers her entire body, because it is an awrah (part of the body that must be covered) and a fitnah (trial, discord or temptation). And Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) says: [Al-Ahzab:53]. And He (Exalted and Majestic is He) said: [An-Nur:31], the verse.
And adornment includes the face, the hair, and her entire body; all of it is adornment. The face is the greatest of the adornment, and it is the gathering point of the beauty of creation.
As for the hadiths the questioner referred to regarding exposing the face, that was in the beginning, in the early days of Islam. The women used to expose themselves and sit with the men with their faces exposed. Then Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) commanded the hijab, and the verse of the hijab was revealed, which was mentioned previously, namely His saying, the Exalted: [Al-Ahzab:53], the verse. And among that is the verse in An-Nur: [An-Nur:31], the verse.
And among that is His saying, (Exalted and Majestic is He), also in Surat Al-Ahzab: [Al-Ahzab:59]. And among that is His saying in Surat An-Nur, the Exalted says: [An-Nur:60].
So if the old women, who are the elderly women who do not hope for marriage, choose modesty, that is better for them, and it is their wearing the hijab. It is permissible for them not to wear the hijab because they are elderly and no one desires them. Therefore, young women are even more obligated to choose modesty and adhere to the hijab, because they are a fitnah (trial, discord or temptation). The mention of the old women indicates that those who are not old women are obligated to wear the hijab and choose modesty.
The point is that the hadiths regarding exposing the face, these were in the early days of Islam, and in the early arrival of the Muslims to the city. Then afterwards, Allah revealed the verses of the hijab and prohibited women from displaying their adornment. Among that is what is established in the two Sahihs from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) in the story of the slander (al-Ifk). When Safwan al-Mu'attal passed by her, she had lagged behind the expedition, and she had gone to relieve herself. They carried her camel saddle, thinking she was in it because of her lightness. When he saw her, he called out. When she heard his voice, she covered her face. She said:. This indicates that before the hijab, they used to expose their faces, and after the hijab, they were commanded to cover their faces.
As for the hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) in the story of Asma bint Abi Bakr, that she entered upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wearing thin clothes, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned away from her and said:Sunan al-Bayhaqi 10:890. It was narrated by Abu Dawud. It is a weak hadith according to the scholars, due to three defects:
The first is that it is from the narration of Khalid ibn Daryak, from Aisha, and he did not hear from her; it is a broken chain.
The second defect is that Sa'id ibn Bashir is in its chain, and he is weak in narration.
The third defect is that it is from the narration of Qatadah, from Khalid with an enunciation (an'anah), and he is a mudallis (one who conceals a defect in a chain). The mudallis’s narration is not accepted when he uses an'anah until he explicitly states that he heard it, except what is in the two Sahihs from the narrations of the mudallis, which is understood to be based on hearing.
And there is a fourth aspect: and that if it were authentic, it would be understood to refer to what was before the hijab. This would have been with Asma before the hijab. As for after the hijab, the woman is commanded to cover her face and her entire body, as mentioned in the previous verses. And Allah is the guarantor of success.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good, and benefit us with your knowledge.
A letter reached the program from Iraq, Anbar Governorate, sent by a listener from there named Hamad Hamad Ali. We presented some of his questions in a previous episode, and he has one question remaining in this episode. He says: I request a detailed clarification on the issue of the obligation for a woman to cover her face and hands, and whether her prayer is valid if she exposes her face and hands during prayer. This question has occupied many women in our country, because they go out to the city wearing a hijab with their faces and hands exposed, citing authentic hadiths from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Please issue a ruling for us, may Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
As for in prayer, she may expose her face and hands, and there is no blame on her, provided there is no non-mahram present. If there is no non-mahram, she prays with her face exposed; this is the Sunnah. She covers the rest of her body, including her head, chest, and her entire body, including her feet. She must cover all of it. As for the hands, covering them is better, as stated by a group of scholars. If she exposes them, there is no blame on her according to the correct view.
As for the face, it is exposed in prayer, and she prays with her face exposed, except if there is a non-mahram present, such as her husband’s brother, her sister’s husband, or others. In that case, she covers her face and hands during prayer for their sake, for the sake of the non-mahram.
Likewise, when she goes out to the markets, she covers her entire body, because it is an awrah (part of the body that must be covered) and a fitnah (trial, discord or temptation). And Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) says:
And when you ask [his wives] for something, ask them from behind a partition. That is purer for your hearts and their hearts.
وَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُنَّ مَتَاعًا فَاسْأَلُوهُنَّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ حِجَابٍ ذَلِكُمْ أَطْهَرُ لِقُلُوبِكُمْ وَقُلُوبِهِنَّexcept to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons
وَلا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَائِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَائِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّAnd adornment includes the face, the hair, and her entire body; all of it is adornment. The face is the greatest of the adornment, and it is the gathering point of the beauty of creation.
As for the hadiths the questioner referred to regarding exposing the face, that was in the beginning, in the early days of Islam. The women used to expose themselves and sit with the men with their faces exposed. Then Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) commanded the hijab, and the verse of the hijab was revealed, which was mentioned previously, namely His saying, the Exalted:
And when you ask [his wives] for something, ask them from behind a partition
وَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُنَّ مَتَاعًا فَاسْأَلُوهُنَّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ حِجَابٍnot expose their adornment except to their husbands
وَلا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّAnd among that is His saying, (Exalted and Majestic is He), also in Surat Al-Ahzab:
O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُلْ لِأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ جَلابِيبِهِنَّ ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَنْ يُعْرَفْنَ فَلا يُؤْذَيْنَAnd women of post-menstrual age who have no desire for marriage - there is no blame upon them for putting aside their outer garments [but] not displaying adornment. But to modestly refrain [from that] is better for them
وَالْقَوَاعِدُ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ اللَّاتِي لا يَرْجُونَ نِكَاحًا فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِنَّ جُنَاحٌ أَنْ يَضَعْنَ ثِيَابَهُنَّ غَيْرَ مُتَبَرِّجَاتٍ بِزِينَةٍ وَأَنْ يَسْتَعْفِفْنَ خَيْرٌ لَهُنَّSo if the old women, who are the elderly women who do not hope for marriage, choose modesty, that is better for them, and it is their wearing the hijab. It is permissible for them not to wear the hijab because they are elderly and no one desires them. Therefore, young women are even more obligated to choose modesty and adhere to the hijab, because they are a fitnah (trial, discord or temptation). The mention of the old women indicates that those who are not old women are obligated to wear the hijab and choose modesty.
The point is that the hadiths regarding exposing the face, these were in the early days of Islam, and in the early arrival of the Muslims to the city. Then afterwards, Allah revealed the verses of the hijab and prohibited women from displaying their adornment. Among that is what is established in the two Sahihs from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) in the story of the slander (al-Ifk). When Safwan al-Mu'attal passed by her, she had lagged behind the expedition, and she had gone to relieve herself. They carried her camel saddle, thinking she was in it because of her lightness. When he saw her, he called out. When she heard his voice, she covered her face. She said:
And he had seen me before the hijab.
وكان قد رآني قبل الحجابAs for the hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) in the story of Asma bint Abi Bakr, that she entered upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wearing thin clothes, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned away from her and said:
O Asma! When a woman reaches the age of menstruation, it is not permissible for anyone to see of her except this and this, and he pointed to the face and the hands.
يا أسماء ! إن المرأة إذا بلغت المحيض لم يصلح أن يرى منها إلا هذا وهذا، وأشار إلى الوجه والكفينThe first is that it is from the narration of Khalid ibn Daryak, from Aisha, and he did not hear from her; it is a broken chain.
The second defect is that Sa'id ibn Bashir is in its chain, and he is weak in narration.
The third defect is that it is from the narration of Qatadah, from Khalid with an enunciation (an'anah), and he is a mudallis (one who conceals a defect in a chain). The mudallis’s narration is not accepted when he uses an'anah until he explicitly states that he heard it, except what is in the two Sahihs from the narrations of the mudallis, which is understood to be based on hearing.
And there is a fourth aspect: and that if it were authentic, it would be understood to refer to what was before the hijab. This would have been with Asma before the hijab. As for after the hijab, the woman is commanded to cover her face and her entire body, as mentioned in the previous verses. And Allah is the guarantor of success.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good, and benefit us with your knowledge.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.