The ruling on a woman uncovering her face and the response to those who permit it
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Question:
It is said that you have a view on hijab that differs from some of the scholars of the cities, and that you hold that hijab means the woman is completely covered. We have read in some books from some of the scholars of other cities that the face is not an awrah (part of the body that must be covered). Is this correct or not?
Answer:
The correct view is that the face is an awrah, and that the woman is an awrah in her entirety, as Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: : [Surat al-Ahzab:53].
In the early days of Islam, it was permissible for her to uncover her face and hands, and she would sit with men with her face uncovered. Then Allah revealed the verse of hijab, and they were prohibited from that, and it became obligatory for them to cover themselves; because of what He, the Mighty and Majestic, said in Surat al-Ahzab:[Al-Ahzab 33:53], and He, the Exalted, said: [Al-Ahzab 33:59] the verse [Surat al-Ahzab:59], and He, the Exalted, said: [Surat al-Nur:31]. Adornment includes the face, includes the hair, and includes the rest of the body; all of it is adornment.
It is obligatory for the woman to cover herself and conceal herself from a non-mahram (a relative one may not marry), even if it is her husband's brother, or her sister's husband. She must cover herself from anyone who is not among her mahram (relatives one may not marry) absolutely.
Whoever says that the face is not an awrah is holding a wrong and weaker position, for the face is the woman's distinguishing feature, it is her adornment, it is what indicates beauty or ugliness. If the face is not an awrah, then what is an awrah?
It is established in "al-Bukhari" and "Muslim" from the hadith of A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): that when she heard Safwan ibn Mu'attal—in the story of the slander—when she heard his voice, she said: "I covered my face, and he had seen me before the hijab, so he recognized me." The point is that she said: "I covered my face"; because she reported that this was after the hijab, so the woman is commanded to cover her face.
It is said that you have a view on hijab that differs from some of the scholars of the cities, and that you hold that hijab means the woman is completely covered. We have read in some books from some of the scholars of other cities that the face is not an awrah (part of the body that must be covered). Is this correct or not?
Answer:
The correct view is that the face is an awrah, and that the woman is an awrah in her entirety, as Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: :
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 وَقُلُوبِهِنَّIn the early days of Islam, it was permissible for her to uncover her face and hands, and she would sit with men with her face uncovered. Then Allah revealed the verse of hijab, and they were prohibited from that, and it became obligatory for them to cover themselves; because of what He, the Mighty and Majestic, said 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 وَقُلُوبِهِنَّO 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 جَلَابِيبِهِنَّexcept to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers
وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَائِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّIt is obligatory for the woman to cover herself and conceal herself from a non-mahram (a relative one may not marry), even if it is her husband's brother, or her sister's husband. She must cover herself from anyone who is not among her mahram (relatives one may not marry) absolutely.
Whoever says that the face is not an awrah is holding a wrong and weaker position, for the face is the woman's distinguishing feature, it is her adornment, it is what indicates beauty or ugliness. If the face is not an awrah, then what is an awrah?
It is established in "al-Bukhari" and "Muslim" from the hadith of A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): that when she heard Safwan ibn Mu'attal—in the story of the slander—when she heard his voice, she said: "I covered my face, and he had seen me before the hijab, so he recognized me." The point is that she said: "I covered my face"; because she reported that this was after the hijab, so the woman is commanded to cover her face.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.