Guidance on Hijab and Maintaining Family Ties

Question:
Your Eminence, many questions come to mind, and I am listening to what you graciously say regarding what our religion cares about concerning women, their obligations, and their address being the same as that of men. Perhaps Your Eminence has a word to say about the hijab of women and maintaining family ties; because some people believe that the hijab prevents maintaining family ties. What is your comment, Your Eminence?

Answer:
The hijab does not prevent a woman from maintaining family ties. The hijab and the prohibition of seclusion are part of the perfection of the religion and a means of staying away from evil and corruption. Because if she maintains ties with her relatives, such as her maternal or paternal cousins, or her maternal uncle’s children, while she is displaying her adornment or uncovered, this is one of the causes of corruption. Likewise, if she is secluded with one of her paternal or maternal cousins, this is one of the causes of corruption.
So, out of Allah’s mercy, His great kindness, and the perfection of the Shari'ah: He has forbidden seclusion for the woman and for the man. It is forbidden for the man to be secluded with a woman who is not his mahram, and it is forbidden for the woman to be secluded with a man who is not her mahram. It is forbidden for both. So the man should fear Allah and not be secluded with a foreign woman, and the woman should also fear Allah and not be secluded with a foreign man. Not with the driver, nor with anyone else. Not with the driver, nor with a servant, nor with anyone else. She should never be secluded with a man.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the authentic hadith: And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And in another wording: those who have no one with them. It was said: O Messenger of Allah! What do you say about the close male relative? He said: .
Meaning: the brother, the paternal uncle, the paternal cousin, the maternal cousin, the maternal uncle, and their like. He called it death because it is dangerous. He enters and it is not considered strange... He may be secluded with his brother’s wife, or with his maternal uncle’s wife, or with his nephew’s wife; so the calamity occurs and the sin occurs... And it is obligatory to be cautious of seclusion: not with the brother’s wife, nor with the wife’s sister, nor with the maternal uncle’s wife, nor with the paternal uncle’s wife, nor with the paternal cousin, nor with the maternal cousin.
As for the father’s wife, she is a mahram. The grandfather’s wife is a mahram. Your son’s wife is a mahram; whether by blood or by breastfeeding. The daughter’s husband’s wife is a mahram, and so on... Mahrams by blood, or by breastfeeding, by blood, and by marriage: such as the wife’s mother... The wife’s daughter, if he has consummated the marriage, is a mahram; because of the marriage tie, whether she is related by blood or by breastfeeding. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: .
As for seclusion, its danger is great. But if there is a third person with them in the car, or in the house, for example: he sat with his brother’s wife, and she is covered and wearing the hijab, but in the presence of her mother, or in the presence of her sister, or in the presence of another person, with no suspicion or doubt about him; the seclusion is removed. And likewise, if she rides with the driver and with another person, or another woman, without any doubt; the seclusion is removed. Yes.

The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.