Advice regarding the phenomenon of unveiling and displaying adornment in the two sacred sanctuaries
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
The visitor to the two noble sanctuaries, especially—Your Eminence—is greatly distressed by those women who uncover their faces, even if they lack a mahram (a relative one may not marry) such as a mother, wife, or sister. When he begins to look for her, he cannot search effectively because his gaze falls upon what he does not wish to see. What is your guidance for our Muslim sisters if they are in the two sanctuaries specifically, and in all areas generally? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
My advice to all my sisters in Allah in the noble sanctuary, at the airport, during the sa'y (walking between al-Safa and al-Marwah), and in the Prophet’s Mosque, in any place, is that the advice for everyone is to fear Allah, to be upright in His command, to observe the limits He has set, and to be careful about covering and hijab (the covering prescribed for women). It is not permissible to be deceived by the statement of some people that there is no blame on her for uncovering her face and hands. This is the weaker position that contradicts the scriptural proofs, unless she is in a state of ihram (the consecrated state of pilgrimage) for Hajj (the major pilgrimage) or 'Umrah (the lesser pilgrimage); in that case, she does not wear the niqab (the face veil) made for the face, but she covers herself with the khimar (the head covering) and the like of what is placed on the face.
As for the niqab (the face veil) that is made to fit the face and the eyes, she leaves it off during the state of ihram (the consecrated state of pilgrimage), and during 'Umrah (the lesser pilgrimage) and Hajj (the major pilgrimage), but she covers her face with the khimar (the head covering) and a jilbab (the outer garment) over her head, as Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "We were with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) during the Farewell Pilgrimage, and when the men came near us, one of us would draw her jilbab (the outer garment) over her face, or she said: her khimar (the head covering) over her face, and when they moved away, we uncovered it." And they were in a state of ihram (the consecrated state of pilgrimage).
So the advice for everyone is to fear Allah, and to be careful about covering and hijab (the covering prescribed for women) for the entire body, during the tawaf (circumambulation of the Ka'bah), during the sa'y (walking between al-Safa and al-Marwah), and in every place from non-mahram men, and that she should beware of the causes of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) through displaying adornment with beautiful clothes, or showing some of the beauties that tempt people. And Allah says (Exalted and Majestic is He): [Al-Ahzab:33] And He says: [Al-Ahzab:32] The speech should be ordinary, conversation, the ordinary kind that contains no submission or coquetry, along with covering and hijab (the covering prescribed for women). All of this is to keep her away from fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), and so that others are not tempted by her as well. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. So, it is not permissible for the Muslim woman to uncover her face, whether she is in the sacred sites or elsewhere.
The Shaykh: In the presence of a non-mahram (a relative one may not marry). Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
The visitor to the two noble sanctuaries, especially—Your Eminence—is greatly distressed by those women who uncover their faces, even if they lack a mahram (a relative one may not marry) such as a mother, wife, or sister. When he begins to look for her, he cannot search effectively because his gaze falls upon what he does not wish to see. What is your guidance for our Muslim sisters if they are in the two sanctuaries specifically, and in all areas generally? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
My advice to all my sisters in Allah in the noble sanctuary, at the airport, during the sa'y (walking between al-Safa and al-Marwah), and in the Prophet’s Mosque, in any place, is that the advice for everyone is to fear Allah, to be upright in His command, to observe the limits He has set, and to be careful about covering and hijab (the covering prescribed for women). It is not permissible to be deceived by the statement of some people that there is no blame on her for uncovering her face and hands. This is the weaker position that contradicts the scriptural proofs, unless she is in a state of ihram (the consecrated state of pilgrimage) for Hajj (the major pilgrimage) or 'Umrah (the lesser pilgrimage); in that case, she does not wear the niqab (the face veil) made for the face, but she covers herself with the khimar (the head covering) and the like of what is placed on the face.
As for the niqab (the face veil) that is made to fit the face and the eyes, she leaves it off during the state of ihram (the consecrated state of pilgrimage), and during 'Umrah (the lesser pilgrimage) and Hajj (the major pilgrimage), but she covers her face with the khimar (the head covering) and a jilbab (the outer garment) over her head, as Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "We were with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) during the Farewell Pilgrimage, and when the men came near us, one of us would draw her jilbab (the outer garment) over her face, or she said: her khimar (the head covering) over her face, and when they moved away, we uncovered it." And they were in a state of ihram (the consecrated state of pilgrimage).
So the advice for everyone is to fear Allah, and to be careful about covering and hijab (the covering prescribed for women) for the entire body, during the tawaf (circumambulation of the Ka'bah), during the sa'y (walking between al-Safa and al-Marwah), and in every place from non-mahram men, and that she should beware of the causes of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) through displaying adornment with beautiful clothes, or showing some of the beauties that tempt people. And Allah says (Exalted and Majestic is He):
and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance
وَلا تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ الأُولَىthen do not be soft in speech [to men], lest he in whose heart is disease should covet
فَلا تَخْضَعْنَ بِالْقَوْلِ فَيَطْمَعَ الَّذِي فِي قَلْبِهِ مَرَضٌThe presenter: May Allah reward you with good. So, it is not permissible for the Muslim woman to uncover her face, whether she is in the sacred sites or elsewhere.
The Shaykh: In the presence of a non-mahram (a relative one may not marry). Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.