The Ruling on a Woman Covering Her Face and Hair
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We have a good teacher in our middle school who is married, fasts, prays, knows the fundamentals of Islam, and wears modest clothing, but her head hair is visible to the eye. What do you say to her, if you please?
Answer: It is obligatory for her to observe hijab and cover her head and her entire body, including her face. The correct view is that the face is an awrah (part of the body that must be covered), and that it is obligatory to cover it from non-mahram men, whether in the context of teaching or otherwise.
As for in front of women, there is no need to cover it, because they are of her kind. But from a non-mahram man, even if he is her husband’s brother, or her sister’s husband, or her paternal cousin, or one of her neighbors, she must cover herself and observe hijab. For Allah the Exalted says: [Al-Ahzab: 53]. This encompasses all men who are not mahram. And if this was addressed to the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who are among the purest of women and the most noble of women, how much more so for others?
And likewise His saying, Exalted and Majestic is He: [Al-Ahzab: 59]. The jilbab (outer garment) is what is placed on the head to cover the head and the rest of the body, including the face. So she must cover herself with the jilbab or something else. Among the most important things to cover is her hair and her entire body, because all of this is an awrah. And so is the face, for it is an awrah. Yes.
Answer: It is obligatory for her to observe hijab and cover her head and her entire body, including her face. The correct view is that the face is an awrah (part of the body that must be covered), and that it is obligatory to cover it from non-mahram men, whether in the context of teaching or otherwise.
As for in front of women, there is no need to cover it, because they are of her kind. But from a non-mahram man, even if he is her husband’s brother, or her sister’s husband, or her paternal cousin, or one of her neighbors, she must cover herself and observe hijab. For Allah the Exalted 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 وَقُلُوبِهِنَّAnd likewise His saying, Exalted and Majestic is He:
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 يُؤْذَيْنَ
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.