The Ruling on a Woman Uncovering Her Face Before Non-Mahrams
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Question:
Our sister says: I am wearing the hijab, but I do not cover my mouth and nose. Is this forbidden?
May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
The correct view is that it is obligatory to cover the face; because it is the woman’s mark of beauty or ugliness, and people have differed on this.
The correct view is that it is obligatory for a woman to cover her entire face; because of the saying of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) in His great Book in Surat al-Ahzab: [Al-Ahzab:53], and He (Glorified and Exalted is He) did not exclude the face or anything else.
And He said : [Al-Ahzab:59], and the jilbab covers the head, body, face, and hands; it is general. Likewise, His saying—(Exalted and Majestic is He)—: [An-Nur:31], the verse.
And at the beginning of it, He, the Exalted, says:[An-Nur 24:31] the verse of Surat al-Nur, so His saying, the Exalted:[An-Nur 24:31] some scholars have focused on [Surat al-Nur:31] and said: “What is meant by that is the face and the hands,” but this is not correct. For this reason, Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said:“What is meant by that is the outer garments,” and Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him)—in what is narrated from him— said: “What is meant by it is the face and the hands.” Some scholars said: Ibn Abbas only meant this before the abrogation, before the revelation of the verse of the hijab. A woman was permitted to show her face and hands, and after the verse of the hijab was revealed, she was prohibited from doing so. This is the closest and most apparent view regarding what Ibn Abbas meant, namely: in the past, before the revelation of the verse of the hijab. As for after the revelation of the verse of the hijab, the face is included in the adornment about which Allah said:[An-Nur 24:31] the verse of Surat al-Nur.
Then what indicates this is what is established in the two Sahihs from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said when she heard the voice of Safwan ibn al-Mu’attal in the expedition of the slander; when she heard his voice, she said: “I covered my face with my khimar.” She said: “And he had seen me before the hijab.” This indicates that after the hijab, they are commanded to cover the face with the khimar.
And the Ummah follows the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in this; the ruling is for everyone.
So the conclusion is: that the strongest and most apparent of the evidences from the Shari’ah is the obligation for the woman to cover her face, her hands, and the rest of her body; because it is an awrah and a fitnah. And Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) guided her to the causes of salvation, and the causes of safety and chastity. Until He said at the end of the verse: [An-Nur:31] The scholars said: Its meaning is that she does not strike with her foot so that the sound of the anklet is heard; because the listener may be tempted by it.
And as for His saying (Glorified and Exalted is He): [An-Nur:31] The meaning of khumur is what covers the head. So striking the khimar over the juyub means over the face and the head; because the jib is the entrance for the head. This jib—from jubb, which is the slit—and their juyub: the entrance for the head. So the meaning is: let them strike with their khumur over the place of the jib; and that is the head and the face. It is the place of the jib, because the head comes out from it, and the face appears from it. This is the place of covering with the khimar.
As for the statement of some that He did not say "over their faces," there is no need for this; because if He had said "over their faces," others would have said, "Why did He not say 'over their heads'?" Thus, the matter would still require Him to say "over their heads." And the speech of Allah is more wise and greater , so He said: [An-Nur:31], meaning: over the place of the opening, which is the head and the face. It is the head and face that come out of the opening, and the opening was slit for that purpose. So the head comes out from this place, and it is covered by the khimar, which is the covering of the head and face, and whatever may appear of the chest.
And as for the hadith of al-Khath’amiyyah, and that al-Fadl looked at her, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned al-Fadl’s face away, there is not in the hadith of al-Khath’amiyyah that she was uncovered, showing her face. Rather, the most apparent and the original in that is that she was covering her face. And even if we assume she was uncovered, this would be in the state of ihram. And some scholars said: It is permissible for her to uncover her face in ihram; because of his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): They said: The prohibition of the niqab implies her being uncovered. So this would be in the state of ihram, and she was coming from Muzdalifah after she had stoned the pillar, and before she had exited the state of ihram.
So even if we assume she was uncovered, this would be in the state of ihram. While the correct view is that the woman in ihram covers her face with something other than the niqab. As came from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said: “We were with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the Farewell Pilgrimage. When the men passed by us, one of us would let down her khimar from above her head over her face. And when they passed us, we would uncover it.” This is also narrated from Umm Salama.
So the intended meaning is: that this indicates that they cover with something other than the niqab, which is the khimar that is placed on the head and the face. As for the niqab, it is something made for the face, and sewn for the face, called the niqab, and called the burqu’. It is placed on the face. This is what is prohibited. The woman in ihram is prohibited from it. As for her covering her face with something else, this remains on its original state, she is commanded to do it, out of fear of fitnah, and to block the door of fitnah.
And by this, the reader knows and the believer knows that there is not in what he claimed of one who saw the uncovering, there is not in the hadith of al-Khath’amiyyah an argument for that. And the correct view is that she was not uncovered. And even if we assume she was uncovered, that would be in the state of ihram. And the woman in ihram, some scholars said: that she uncovers her face. So there is no argument in that for uncovering it outside of ihram.
And the correct view is that she does not uncover, neither in ihram nor in anything else. And that the hadith of al-Khath’amiyyah does not explicitly state that she was uncovered. Rather, the looking can be that she looks at him, and he looks at her without uncovering the face. So looking is possible by her turning her face to him, and he turning his face to her. Either because of the beauty of her voice and her conduct when she asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), or for other reasons. And it does not necessitate that she was uncovered in the face, just as it does not necessitate that she was uncovered in the head as well. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He benefit us with your knowledge.
Our sister says: I am wearing the hijab, but I do not cover my mouth and nose. Is this forbidden?
May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
The correct view is that it is obligatory to cover the face; because it is the woman’s mark of beauty or ugliness, and people have differed on this.
The correct view is that it is obligatory for a woman to cover her entire face; because of the saying of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) in His great Book in Surat al-Ahzab:
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 He said :
O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُلْ لِأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ جَلابِيبِهِنَّnot expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers
وَلا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَائِهِنَّAnd at the beginning of it, He, the Exalted, says:
And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands
وَقُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَى جُيُوبِهِنَّ وَلا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّexcept that which [necessarily] appears thereof
إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَاnot expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers
وَلا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَائِهِنَّThen what indicates this is what is established in the two Sahihs from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said when she heard the voice of Safwan ibn al-Mu’attal in the expedition of the slander; when she heard his voice, she said: “I covered my face with my khimar.” She said: “And he had seen me before the hijab.” This indicates that after the hijab, they are commanded to cover the face with the khimar.
And the Ummah follows the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in this; the ruling is for everyone.
So the conclusion is: that the strongest and most apparent of the evidences from the Shari’ah is the obligation for the woman to cover her face, her hands, and the rest of her body; because it is an awrah and a fitnah. And Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) guided her to the causes of salvation, and the causes of safety and chastity. Until He said at the end of the verse:
And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment
وَلا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِنْ زِينَتِهِنَّAnd as for His saying (Glorified and Exalted is He):
to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests
وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَى جُيُوبِهِنَّAs for the statement of some that He did not say "over their faces," there is no need for this; because if He had said "over their faces," others would have said, "Why did He not say 'over their heads'?" Thus, the matter would still require Him to say "over their heads." And the speech of Allah is more wise and greater , so He said:
to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests
وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَى جُيُوبِهِنَّAnd as for the hadith of al-Khath’amiyyah, and that al-Fadl looked at her, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned al-Fadl’s face away, there is not in the hadith of al-Khath’amiyyah that she was uncovered, showing her face. Rather, the most apparent and the original in that is that she was covering her face. And even if we assume she was uncovered, this would be in the state of ihram. And some scholars said: It is permissible for her to uncover her face in ihram; because of his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):
The woman in ihram does not wear the niqab and does not wear gloves
لا تنتقب المرأة ولا تلبس القفازينSo even if we assume she was uncovered, this would be in the state of ihram. While the correct view is that the woman in ihram covers her face with something other than the niqab. As came from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said: “We were with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the Farewell Pilgrimage. When the men passed by us, one of us would let down her khimar from above her head over her face. And when they passed us, we would uncover it.” This is also narrated from Umm Salama.
So the intended meaning is: that this indicates that they cover with something other than the niqab, which is the khimar that is placed on the head and the face. As for the niqab, it is something made for the face, and sewn for the face, called the niqab, and called the burqu’. It is placed on the face. This is what is prohibited. The woman in ihram is prohibited from it. As for her covering her face with something else, this remains on its original state, she is commanded to do it, out of fear of fitnah, and to block the door of fitnah.
And by this, the reader knows and the believer knows that there is not in what he claimed of one who saw the uncovering, there is not in the hadith of al-Khath’amiyyah an argument for that. And the correct view is that she was not uncovered. And even if we assume she was uncovered, that would be in the state of ihram. And the woman in ihram, some scholars said: that she uncovers her face. So there is no argument in that for uncovering it outside of ihram.
And the correct view is that she does not uncover, neither in ihram nor in anything else. And that the hadith of al-Khath’amiyyah does not explicitly state that she was uncovered. Rather, the looking can be that she looks at him, and he looks at her without uncovering the face. So looking is possible by her turning her face to him, and he turning his face to her. Either because of the beauty of her voice and her conduct when she asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), or for other reasons. And it does not necessitate that she was uncovered in the face, just as it does not necessitate that she was uncovered in the head as well. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He benefit us with your knowledge.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.