Is the face covering obligatory for a woman?
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Question:
You ask and say: Is the face covering a binding obligation for a woman, knowing that I adhere to the Shari'ah dress, praise be to Allah, and I am a religious woman, but I do not cover my face? Is there a sin on me for that?
Answer:
There is scholarly disagreement on this issue, and the correct view is that covering the face is obligatory in the presence of a non-mahram, if he is in a place that is not a mahram to you; so the face covering is obligatory, this is the obligation; because the woman is 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered), so she must cover her entire body in the presence of a non-mahram, meaning: one who is not a mahram, such as your husband's brother, your paternal cousin, and others among the neighbors, or others who are not mahrams. The evidence for this is His saying (peace and blessings be upon him): [Al-Ahzab:53] and He did not say: except the face and the hands.
Rather, he stated and informed that this is purer for the hearts of everyone, and that fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) through the face is more severe than through anything else; because it is the display of adornment, and through it the beauty of the woman is known, or the lack thereof. And he said in Surat al-Nur: [al-Nur:31] And adornment includes the face, the hand, the foot, the lower leg, the head, and others, and the greatest of adornment is the face; because it is the display of beauty and its opposite, and if there is beautification in it from kohl, dyeing of the lips, and others; it is more severe and more severe in fitnah (trial, discord or temptation).
So the intended point: the most correct of the scholars' statements: the obligation of covering the face from the non-mahram, yes. Even with the burqa from which the eye, or the two eyes, appear, yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
You ask and say: Is the face covering a binding obligation for a woman, knowing that I adhere to the Shari'ah dress, praise be to Allah, and I am a religious woman, but I do not cover my face? Is there a sin on me for that?
Answer:
There is scholarly disagreement on this issue, and the correct view is that covering the face is obligatory in the presence of a non-mahram, if he is in a place that is not a mahram to you; so the face covering is obligatory, this is the obligation; because the woman is 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered), so she must cover her entire body in the presence of a non-mahram, meaning: one who is not a mahram, such as your husband's brother, your paternal cousin, and others among the neighbors, or others who are not mahrams. The evidence for this is His saying (peace and blessings be upon him):
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 وَقُلُوبِهِنَّRather, he stated and informed that this is purer for the hearts of everyone, and that fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) through the face is more severe than through anything else; because it is the display of adornment, and through it the beauty of the woman is known, or the lack thereof. And he said in Surat al-Nur:
not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers
وَلا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَائِهِنَّSo the intended point: the most correct of the scholars' statements: the obligation of covering the face from the non-mahram, yes. Even with the burqa from which the eye, or the two eyes, appear, yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.