Ruling on the custom of a woman uncovering her face before her husband's brother
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Question:
From the southern region of the Kingdom, we received this message from (A. S.) al-Ghamidi. He says in his message: I listened one night to your beloved program—Nur 'ala al-Dirb—and one of the distinguished scholars—may Allah reward them—was answering questions about hijab. He said that it is forbidden for a husband's brother to look at his brother's wife. However, this phenomenon is widespread in our region in the south, and a brother cannot prevent his brother from looking at his wife because it is a custom.
The house is inhabited by him, his brothers, his father, and his mother, and this is a continuous custom from the fathers and grandfathers, a tribal custom. We ask your Eminence to guide us to the right path.
May Allah guide you.
And peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
Answer:
Customs that contradict the Shari'ah must be abandoned. The Messengers—peace and blessings be upon them—were opposed by people through their customs. The custom of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance was to worship idols, to worship statues, and to worship trees and stones. They opposed the Messengers with this. Therefore, customs that contradict the Shari'ah must be abandoned, even if they are old.
A husband does not have the right to allow his wife to uncover herself before her brother, or her uncle, or her cousin. On the contrary, she must cover herself and observe hijab, because it is a source of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), and the face is one of the greatest sources of fitnah. She must cover herself even if it is a custom. Hijab is obligatory, and it is obligatory for the husband's brother not to accept this. He should not accept sin. He must lower his gaze, and he should help his brother to ensure the woman observes hijab. She must observe hijab from her brother, her uncle, her cousin, her maternal uncle, and his son.
Likewise, a sister's husband: his wife's sister does not uncover herself to him; rather, she observes hijab from him. He does not look at her; rather, he lowers his gaze. He does not accept that she uncovers herself to him, because Muslims are commanded to cooperate in righteousness and piety, and they are commanded to enjoin good and forbid evil. Therefore, a man forbids his brother's wife from uncovering herself to him and lowers his gaze. A man forbids his wife's sister from uncovering herself to him and lowers his gaze. He cooperates with them in righteousness and piety. He does not rejoice in sins, nor does he demand that she uncover herself to him, because this is one of the causes of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation). Even if they are old customs, the Shari'ah treats customs, and the Shari'ah rules over them; they do not rule over the Shari'ah. Rather, the Shari'ah is the ruler over everyone in customs and other matters. We ask Allah for guidance and success for everyone. Yes.
From the southern region of the Kingdom, we received this message from (A. S.) al-Ghamidi. He says in his message: I listened one night to your beloved program—Nur 'ala al-Dirb—and one of the distinguished scholars—may Allah reward them—was answering questions about hijab. He said that it is forbidden for a husband's brother to look at his brother's wife. However, this phenomenon is widespread in our region in the south, and a brother cannot prevent his brother from looking at his wife because it is a custom.
The house is inhabited by him, his brothers, his father, and his mother, and this is a continuous custom from the fathers and grandfathers, a tribal custom. We ask your Eminence to guide us to the right path.
May Allah guide you.
And peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
Answer:
Customs that contradict the Shari'ah must be abandoned. The Messengers—peace and blessings be upon them—were opposed by people through their customs. The custom of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance was to worship idols, to worship statues, and to worship trees and stones. They opposed the Messengers with this. Therefore, customs that contradict the Shari'ah must be abandoned, even if they are old.
A husband does not have the right to allow his wife to uncover herself before her brother, or her uncle, or her cousin. On the contrary, she must cover herself and observe hijab, because it is a source of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), and the face is one of the greatest sources of fitnah. She must cover herself even if it is a custom. Hijab is obligatory, and it is obligatory for the husband's brother not to accept this. He should not accept sin. He must lower his gaze, and he should help his brother to ensure the woman observes hijab. She must observe hijab from her brother, her uncle, her cousin, her maternal uncle, and his son.
Likewise, a sister's husband: his wife's sister does not uncover herself to him; rather, she observes hijab from him. He does not look at her; rather, he lowers his gaze. He does not accept that she uncovers herself to him, because Muslims are commanded to cooperate in righteousness and piety, and they are commanded to enjoin good and forbid evil. Therefore, a man forbids his brother's wife from uncovering herself to him and lowers his gaze. A man forbids his wife's sister from uncovering herself to him and lowers his gaze. He cooperates with them in righteousness and piety. He does not rejoice in sins, nor does he demand that she uncover herself to him, because this is one of the causes of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation). Even if they are old customs, the Shari'ah treats customs, and the Shari'ah rules over them; they do not rule over the Shari'ah. Rather, the Shari'ah is the ruler over everyone in customs and other matters. We ask Allah for guidance and success for everyone. Yes.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.