Ruling on a woman uncovering her head in the presence of mahrams and non-mahram relatives
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You also ask and say: Is it permissible for me to walk in the house among my brothers with my head uncovered, even though I pray, or is it not permissible? Is it forbidden to uncover the head in front of family members, such as the children of one’s maternal aunt or the children of one’s paternal uncle? Sometimes my maternal cousin comes in and my head is uncovered. Please advise us, may Allah reward you.
Answer: Prayer is the pillar of Islam, and it is obligatory for every Muslim to pray. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2616Hasan (Darussalam) And Allah says in His great Book: [al-Baqarah:238] And He, the Exalted, says: [al-Nur:56] This is an obligation upon everyone, men and women.
However, in addition to that, it is upon the woman and the man to leave what Allah has forbidden and to perform the rest of what Allah has made obligatory, such as zakah, Hajj, fasting Ramadan, being dutiful to parents, maintaining family ties, enjoining good and forbidding evil, and so on. The woman and the man must avoid what Allah has forbidden while they are establishing prayer. They must avoid what Allah has forbidden, such as unlawful sexual intercourse, theft, drinking intoxicants, smoking, and other sins.
Uncovering the head in the presence of women is not a problem. In the presence of mahrams, such as brothers, paternal uncles, maternal uncles, the father, and sons, it is not a problem. Except if she fears, because some mahrams may be open sinners and she fears their evil. If she fears, she should cover it, even in the presence of some mahrams. In the presence of those who are not trustworthy, she covers her head and body and does not show them anything except the face and hands and the like. This is because some mahrams, even if they are maternal uncles or paternal uncles, may not be trustworthy, so covering oneself from them is further from evil. However, the head is not prohibited from being uncovered in the presence of a mahram. So if her brother or her paternal uncle sees her head, there is no problem. And if your brother or your paternal uncle or your maternal uncle sees your head, there is no problem. As for the son of the maternal uncle, the son of the paternal aunt, and the son of the paternal uncle, no. These are not mahrams; these are non-mahrams. They are in the ruling of non-mahrams, even if they are relatives, but they are in the ruling of non-mahrams. It is not permissible for you to uncover your head, your face, or your foot for them. You should cover yourself from them. A woman is an awrah (part of the body that must be covered); she covers herself from her maternal cousin, her paternal cousin, her maternal aunt’s son, and her paternal cousin. She does not uncover for them, neither face nor head. Rather, she covers herself like a non-mahram, like neighbors and other non-mahrams. You must cover yourself from them and speak to them with kind words, but with covering and with hijab. This is because Allah, the Exalted, says: [al-Ahzab:53] And He, the Exalted, says: [al-Nur:31] the verse. These are the mahrams. As for the son of the maternal uncle, the son of the maternal aunt, the son of the paternal uncle, and the son of the paternal aunt, they are not mahrams. So you must observe hijab from these people. However, speaking is not a problem. Greeting them and returning the greeting with modesty and with hijab, all of this is not a problem, without seclusion. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah bless you and reward you with good.
Answer: Prayer is the pillar of Islam, and it is obligatory for every Muslim to pray. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The head of the matter is Islam, and its pillar is the Salat
رأس الأمر الإسلام، وعموده الصلاةMaintain with care the [obligatory] prayers and [in particular] the middle prayer and stand before Allah, devoutly obedient.
حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلاةِ الْوُسْطَى وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَAnd establish prayer and give zakah and obey the Messenger - that you may receive mercy.
وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَHowever, in addition to that, it is upon the woman and the man to leave what Allah has forbidden and to perform the rest of what Allah has made obligatory, such as zakah, Hajj, fasting Ramadan, being dutiful to parents, maintaining family ties, enjoining good and forbidding evil, and so on. The woman and the man must avoid what Allah has forbidden while they are establishing prayer. They must avoid what Allah has forbidden, such as unlawful sexual intercourse, theft, drinking intoxicants, smoking, and other sins.
Uncovering the head in the presence of women is not a problem. In the presence of mahrams, such as brothers, paternal uncles, maternal uncles, the father, and sons, it is not a problem. Except if she fears, because some mahrams may be open sinners and she fears their evil. If she fears, she should cover it, even in the presence of some mahrams. In the presence of those who are not trustworthy, she covers her head and body and does not show them anything except the face and hands and the like. This is because some mahrams, even if they are maternal uncles or paternal uncles, may not be trustworthy, so covering oneself from them is further from evil. However, the head is not prohibited from being uncovered in the presence of a mahram. So if her brother or her paternal uncle sees her head, there is no problem. And if your brother or your paternal uncle or your maternal uncle sees your head, there is no problem. As for the son of the maternal uncle, the son of the paternal aunt, and the son of the paternal uncle, no. These are not mahrams; these are non-mahrams. They are in the ruling of non-mahrams, even if they are relatives, but they are in the ruling of non-mahrams. It is not permissible for you to uncover your head, your face, or your foot for them. You should cover yourself from them. A woman is an awrah (part of the body that must be covered); she covers herself from her maternal cousin, her paternal cousin, her maternal aunt’s son, and her paternal cousin. She does not uncover for them, neither face nor head. Rather, she covers herself like a non-mahram, like neighbors and other non-mahrams. You must cover yourself from them and speak to them with kind words, but with covering and with hijab. This is because Allah, the Exalted, says:
And when you ask [his wives] for something, ask them from behind a partition
وَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُنَّ مَتَاعًا فَاسْأَلُوهُنَّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ حِجَابٍexcept to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, their brothers' sons, their sisters' sons
وَلا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَائِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَائِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي أَخَوَاتِهِنَّThe presenter: May Allah bless you and reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.