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18,801 | It is not permissible to marry a zaani or zaaniyah unless they have repented | Question
Is it permissible to marry a woman who used to commit zina?. | Praise be to Allah.It is not permissible to marry a zaaniyah or zaani unless they have repented. If the man or woman has not repented then the marriage is not valid.
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“The adulterer — fornicator marries not but an adulteress — fornicatress or a Mushrikah; and the adulteress –fornicatress, none marries her except an adulterer — fornicater or a Mushrik [and that means that the man who agrees to marry (have a sexual relation with) a Mushrikah (female polytheist, pagan or idolatress) or a prostitute, then surely, he is either an adulterer — fornicator, or a Mushrik (polytheist, pagan or idolater). And the woman who agrees to marry (have a sexual relation with) a Mushrik (polytheist, pagan or idolater) or an adulterer — fornicator, then she is either a prostitute or a Mushrikah (female polytheist, pagan, or idolatress)]. Such a thing is forbidden to the believers (of Islamic Monotheism)” [al-Noor 24:3]
There is a report concerning the reason for the revelation of this verse which makes the ruling clearer. Abu Dawood (2051) narrated from ‘Amr ibn Shu’ayb, from his father, from his grandfather, that Marthad ibn Abi Marthad al-Ghanawi used to smuggle prisoners from Makkah. There was in Makkah a prostitute called ‘Anaaq and she had been his friend. He said: I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, should I marry ‘Anaaq? He remained silent and did not answer me. Then the words “and the adulteress –fornicatress, none marries her except an adulterer — fornicater or a Mushrik” were revealed. He called me and recited them to me, and said: Do not marry her. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.
In ‘Awn al-Ma’bood it says:
This indicates that it is not permissible for a man to marry a woman who has openly committed zina. This is indicated by the verse quoted in the hadeeth, because at the end of it, it says: “Such a thing is forbidden to the believers”. This clearly shows that it is haraam. End quote.
Al-Sa’di (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his commentary on the verse quoted above:
This shows that zina is abhorrent and that it tarnishes the honour of the one who does it in a way that other sins do not. We are told that no woman marries a zaani except a zaaniyah who is like him or a mushrikah who associates others with Allah and does not believe in the resurrection or reward and punishment, and does not obey the commands of Allah. The same applies to the zaaniyah: no one marries her but a zaani or a mushrik. “Such a thing is forbidden to the believers” means: it is forbidden for them to marry zaanis or zaaniyahs.
What the verse means is that the one who marries a person, man or woman, who has committed zina and has not repented from that must be either a person who is not adhering to the rulings of Allah and His Messenger, so he cannot be anything but a mushrik, or he is adhering to the laws of Allah and His Messenger but he goes ahead with this marriage even though he knows about this zina, in which case the marriage is zina and immorality. If he were truly a believer in Allah, he would not do that.
This clearly indicates that it is haraam to marry a zaaniyah until she repents, or to marry a zaani until he repents, because the partnership between a man and his wife or a woman and her husband is the closest of partnerships. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Assemble those who did wrong, together with their companions” [al-Saaffaat 37:22]. Therefore Allah has forbidden that because of the great evil that it involves. It also implies a lack of protective jealousy and implies that children may attributed to the husband who are not his, the zaani will not be keeping her chaste because he is distracted by someone else. Any one of these would be sufficient for it to be haraam. End quote.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said something similar, and said that the meaning of the verse is that the one who believes that it is haraam to marry a zaaniyah but still marries her has entered into a haraam marriage contract which he believes is haraam. A haraam contract is like one that does not exist, so it is not permissible for him to be intimate with the woman; in that case the man will be a zaani.
But if he denies that it is haraam to marry a zaaniyah and says that it is permissible, then in this case the man is a mushrik, because he has declared permissible something that Allah has forbidden and has made himself a lawmaker along with Allah. This is what we say to a man who gives his daughter in marriage to a zaani.
Fatawa al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah, compiled by Ashraf ‘Abd al-Maqsood (2/698).
This (i.e. that it is haraam to marry a zaaniyah) was stated in fatwas issued by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem (may Allah have mercy on him) and by the scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas, headed by Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him).
See: Fatawa Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem (10/135) and Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (18/383).
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said:
Because of the punishment that Allah has decreed for those who commit zina, He made it haraam for the believers to marry them, as a rebuke to them and because of the sins and bad deeds that they have. … So (Allah) tells us that no one does that but a zaani or a mushrik.
As for the mushrik, he has no faith that will deter him from committing immoral actions or keeping company with those who do them.
As for the zaani, his immoral nature prompts him to do that even if he is not a mushrik.
Allah has enjoined us to shun evil and its people so long as they are doing that, and this applies to the zaani.
Allah has stipulated that men should be chaste and not immoral, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “All others are lawful, provided you seek (them in marriage) with Mahr (bridal-money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage) from your property, desiring chastity, not committing illegal sexual intercourse” [al-Nisa’ 4:24]. This is something that should not be ignored because the Qur’aan has stated it clearly.
As for the prohibition on marrying a zaaniyah, the fuqaha’, such as the companions of Ahmad and others, have discussed it and there are reports concerning it from the salaf. Although the fuqaha’ differed concerning it, those who said it is permissible do not have any reliable evidence."(Majmoo’ al-Fatawa 15/316)
He also said (32/110):
Marriage to a zaaniyah is haraam unless she repents, whether it was he or someone else who committed zina with her. This is undoubtedly the correct view, and it is the view of a number of the earlier and later generations, including Ahmad ibn Hanbal and others.
This is what is indicated by the Qur’aan and Sunnah. The most well-known text concerning that is the verse in Soorat al-Noor where Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“The adulterer — fornicator marries not but an adulteress — fornicatress or a Mushrikah; and the adulteress –fornicatress, none marries her except an adulterer — fornicater or a Mushrik [and that means that the man who agrees to marry (have a sexual relation with) a Mushrikah (female polytheist, pagan or idolatress) or a prostitute, then surely, he is either an adulterer — fornicator, or a Mushrik (polytheist, pagan or idolater). And the woman who agrees to marry (have a sexual relation with) a Mushrik (polytheist, pagan or idolater) or an adulterer — fornicator, then she is either a prostitute or a Mushrikah (female polytheist, pagan, or idolatress)]. Such a thing is forbidden to the believers (of Islamic Monotheism)” [al-Noor 24:3]
In the Sunnah, there is the hadeeth of Abu Marthad al-Ghanawi and ‘Anaaq. End quote.
The one who is faced with this problem and who did a marriage contract before repenting has to repent to Allah and regret what he did, and resolve not to commit this sin again, then he should do the marriage contract again.
And Allah knows best. | Women who are forbidden for marriage | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/43/women-who-are-forbidden-for-marriage?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/85335/it-is-not-permissible-to-marry-a-zaani-or-zaaniyah-unless-they-have-repented | 43 | 85,335 |
18,802 | She married the one who committed zina with her after she gave birth and the nifaas bleeding stopped | Question
There is a woman who got pregnant from a man, then she gave birth and when the bleeding stopped she married this person, before the end of forty days. Is their marriage contract valid or not?. | Praise be to Allah.Firstly:
What this woman has to do
is repent to Allaah from what she has done, because zina is a grave sin, a
serious crime and a great evil. The one who commits zina is warned of a
severe punishment in this world and in the Hereafter, but the one who
repents and mends his ways, Allaah will accept his repentance and turn his
bad deeds into good deeds, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And those who invoke
not any other ilaah (god) along with Allaah, nor kill such person as Allaah
has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse
__ and whoever does this shall receive the punishment.
69. The torment will be
doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in
disgrace;
70. Except those who
repent and believe (in Islamic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds; for
those, Allaah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allaah is
Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful”
[al-Furqaan 25:68-70]
“And verily, I am indeed
forgiving to him who repents, believes (in My Oneness, and associates none
in worship with Me) and does righteous good deeds, and then remains constant
in doing them (till his death)”
[Ta-Ha 20:82]
She must also conceal
herself with the concealment of Allaah and not tell anyone about that. The
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Avoid these
filthy things that Allaah has forbidden. Whoever has done any of them, let
him conceal himself with the concealment of Allaah.”
Narrated by al-Bayhaqi and
classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’ (149).
Secondly:
It is not permissible for
the zaani to marry the zaaniyah until after they have repented, because
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“The adulterer —
fornicator marries not but an adulteress — fornicatress or a Mushrikah; and
the adulteress –fornicatress, none marries her except an adulterer —
fornicater or a Mushrik [and that means that the man who agrees to marry
(have a sexual relation with) a Mushrikah (female polytheist, pagan or
idolatress) or a prostitute, then surely, he is either an adulterer —
fornicator, or a Mushrik (polytheist, pagan or idolater). And the woman who
agrees to marry (have a sexual relation with) a Mushrik (polytheist, pagan
or idolater) or an adulterer — fornicator, then she is either a prostitute
or a Mushrikah (female polytheist, pagan, or idolatress)]. Such a thing is
forbidden to the believers (of Islamic Monotheism)”
[al-Noor 24:3].
If they had repented to
Allaah before getting married, then their marriage is valid. But if they did
the marriage contract before repenting, then the marriage is not valid. This
has been discussed in the answer to question no.
85335.
With regard to the
marriage contract being done after the bleeding stopped but before forty
days had passed, this does not affect the validity of the contract, because
what she should do – according to many scholars – is wait until her ‘iddah
following zina ends, then do the marriage if she wishes, even if that is
within the nifaas period. Her ‘iddah ended when she gave birth.
The Standing Committee for
Issuing Fatwas was asked: If a man commits zina with a woman then they get
married, and after four months he repents to Allaah, is the marriage valid?
They replied: It is not
permissible to marry a zaaniyah and the marriage contract with her is not
valid until she repents and her ‘iddah ends.
End quote from Fataawa
al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (18/383).
To sum up: If they had
repented from zina before doing the contract, then the marriage is valid. If
they had not repented, then the marriage is not valid and they have to
repeat the marriage contract after repenting. We ask Allaah to accept their
repentance.
And Allaah knows best. | Women who are forbidden for marriage | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/43/women-who-are-forbidden-for-marriage?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/97987/she-married-the-one-who-committed-zina-with-her-after-she-gave-birth-and-the-nifaas-bleeding-stopped | 43 | 97,987 |
18,803 | He is not sure whether he breastfed from her grandmother – may he marry her? | Question
I have a sister of ‘breast feeding’. She was breastfed by my mother for sure, but I am not sure if I was breastfed by her mother. Nor I know how many times she was fed. The question is about her elder sister who was not breastfed by my mother for sure. She has a daughter and we have agreed to get married. Is it permissible to marry this girl whether or not it was proven that I was breastfed with her younger aunt?. | Praise be to Allah.Firstly:
The mahram relationship
through breastfeeding cannot be proven unless there were five definite
breastfeedings, because of the report narrated by Muslim (1452) from
‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said: Among the things that
were revealed of the Qur’aan was that ten definite breastfeedings make a
person a mahram, then that was abrogated and replaced with five definite
breastfeedings.
Secondly:
If there is doubt as to
whether breastfeeding took place, or about the number of breastfeedings,
then the mahram relationship cannot be proven.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah
have mercy on him) said in al-Mughni (8/138): If there is doubt as to
whether breastfeeding took place, or about the number of breastfeedings
which make one a mahram, whether it was complete or not, then the mahram
relationship cannot be proven, because the basic principle is that it does
not exist, and what is certain cannot be altered because of doubt. End
quote.
Based on this, so long as
you are not certain about the number of breastfeedings from the grandmother
of the girl whom you want to marry, then the mahram relationship cannot be
proven in the event of doubt, and the basic principle is that this girl is
permissible for you.
But if it is proven that
you were breastfed (by the grandmother), then (the girl’s mother) is your
sister, and you are a maternal uncle of this girl through breastfeeding, so
she is not permissible for you.
For the sister who was
breastfed by your mother, if she was breastfed five times, then she is your
sister and the sister of all your brothers, and her daughters are mahrams
for you, because you are their maternal uncle through breastfeeding.
And Allaah knows best. | Women who are forbidden for marriage | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/43/women-who-are-forbidden-for-marriage?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/96782/he-is-not-sure-whether-he-breastfed-from-her-grandmother-may-he-marry-her | 43 | 96,782 |
18,804 | Should he marry a woman who got divorced for his sake? | Question
I am a man who has been married for 13 years and I have three children. About two years ago I left my wife’s bed because my wife had gotten very fat and does not take care of herself.
One and a half years ago I got to know a married woman, and this woman fell deeply in love with me, to such an extent that she left her husband and two daughters and got divorced. Since her divorce she has been very attached to me. So much so that she came from her city to marry me here and visit me and stay with me for a few days (my family are in another city). She calls me every day and gets in touch via e-mail. We agreed several times to get married, but I changed my mind every time out of fear for my children and the breakup of my family. But at the same time I feel very sorry for her, because she sacrificed her life and her daughters for the sake of our happiness together (even though I did not ask her to get divorced). I want to marry this woman, but at the same time I cannot forget that she was the wife of another man before me and she had sex with him. Now I have become religiously committed since Ramadaan, and I do not miss any opportunity to pray in the mosque, and I read Qur’aan and I give charity; my attitude has become excellent compared to what it was before. She has also become much better. But I am afraid before Allaah that I may have been the cause of her first family breaking up, and I want to live with her as a second wife. I am also afraid for my own children if my family breaks up, and I am afraid that I will not be able to forget her first marriage.
I hope that you can advise me because the sense of guilt is killing me and it is affecting my worship. Please note that I can afford to get married. | Praise be to Allah.Firstly:
It is very strange to see
people who insist on following the path that leads to doom and destruction.
It is very strange to see
people who will sink to any depths for the sake of a fleeting moment of
physical pleasure or illusionary happiness.
A person whom Allaah has
blessed with a family and children, then he or she is not content with that,
and rather tries to break up other people’s families and destroy their
happiness.
That makes me wonder, what
type of happiness is that person seeking, and what sort of whims and desires
is he or she following?
And here you are …you can
no longer see anything in your wife and the mother of your children, except
that she has gotten very fat and dos not look after herself!
How strange it is that the
shaytaan can make attractive to people that which Allaah has forbidden, and
divert them by all means from that which Allaah has permitted to them.
For whom should your wife
look after herself, when you have forsaken her bed for such a long time and
you did not stop there, rather you decided to go and live in one city when
your wife and children are living in another.
Is this how families should
be? Is this how you take care of your family whom Allaah has entrusted to
your care?
If it so happens that a man
is not satisfied with one wife, or she falls short in her duties towards
him, then Allaah has made it easier for us Muslims and has permitted us to
take four wives, one of whom may make up for the shortcomings of another, in
return for the husband looking after them and their children, and treating
them all fairly.
Meeting one’s needs is not
done by looking at that with which Allaah has blessed other people, or in
which He has favoured them over us, whether that is in terms of a wife,
children or wealth.
“And wish not for the
things in which Allaah has made some of you to excel others. For men there
is reward for what they have earned, (and likewise) for women there is
reward for what they have earned, and ask Allaah of His Bounty. Surely,
Allaah is Ever All‑Knower of everything”
[al-Nisa’ 4:32]
As Allaah has blessed us
with enough of that which is permissible, then what need do we have of
immoral ways for the purpose of gratification, unless all a man cares about
is pursuing his rrational desires?
It was narrated from Abu
Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “He is not one of us who
turns a woman against her husband or a slave against his master.” Narrated
by Abu Dawood (2175); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi
Dawood.
Abu Dawood (5170) also
narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever corrupts a man’s wife or
slave is not one of us.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi
Dawood.
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeem
Abaadi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
“turns a woman against her
husband” means by mentioning the husband’s bad qualities in to his wife, or
mentioning the good qualities of a stranger (non-mahram man) to her.
‘Awn al-Ma’bood
(6/159).
And he said: “The one who
corrupts a man’s wife” means he turns her (against her husband) or makes the
idea of divorce attractive to her so that he can marry her or arrange her
marriage to someone else, and so on.
‘Awn al-Ma’bood
(14/52).
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn
Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about an imam (leading
people in prayer) who turns a woman against her husband so that she will
leave him and he can be alone with her – can people pray behind him? What is
the ruling on him?
He replied:
In al-Musnad it is
narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: “He is not one of us who turns a woman against her husband or a slave
against his master”. So the man’s attempt to separate a woman from her
husband is one of the gravest of sins; this is what the practitioners of
witchcraft try to do all the time, which is one of the worst deeds of the
devils, especially if he turns her against her husband in order to marry
her, as well as persisting in being alone with her, and especially if
circumstantial evidence shows that. Such a man should not be appointed as
imam of a mosque unless he repents, and if he repents, Allaah will accept
his repentance. If it is possible to pray someone else who is of good
character then people should pray behind him and not pray behind the one who
commits immoral actions openly for no need. And Allaah knows best.
Majmoo’ al-Fataawa
(23/363).
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah
have mercy on him) said:
The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed the one who does
that, and disavowed him, and it is a major sin. If the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade a man to propose marriage to a
woman to whom his brother has already proposed, or to outbid him, then how
about one who tries to separate a man and his wife or slave woman in order
to get be with them. Lovers of physical outward beauty and the pimps who
help them do not see that as a sin, because the lover’s seeking to be with
the one whom he loves and to share her with her husband or master is a kind
of sin and transgression against the rights of others, and that is no less
serious than committing the immoral action itself, if not worse. But the
rights of others are not waived by repenting from immoral actions; although
the rights of Allaah are waived when one repents, the rights of other people
remain in effect and they will have the right to demand them on the Day of
Resurrection. If the husband has been wronged by the corruption of his
beloved (wife) and she has been led to betray him, that is a greater wrong
than taking all of his wealth. Hence this is more upsetting for him than if
his wealth was taken and there is no pain greater than that except shedding
his blood. What a grave sin that is greater than committing the immoral
action itself. If this transgression is done to someone who is out on
campaign (for the sake of Allaah), then the sinner will be made to stand on
the Day of Resurrection, and it will be said to him (the victom): Take from
his hasanaat whatever you wish, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) told us, then he said: What do you think? i.e., what do
you think will be left of his hasanaat? If in addition to that the one who
was wronged was a neighbour, or a blood relative, then the wrongdoing is
compounded, and the wrongdoing includes severing ties of kinship and harming
a neighbour, and no one who severs ties of kinship will enter Paradise, and
neither will one from whose harm his neighbour was not safe.
Al-Jawaab al-Kaafi
(p. 14).
Turning a wife against her
husband does not only mean pushing her to demand a divorce; rather trying to
play with her emotions and causing her to fall in love with you is one of
the worst kinds of corruption and wrongdoing.
Yes, you did something
serious when you got to know this woman and kept in touch with her until you
destroyed her family, and she also did something serious when she fell in
love with someone other than her husband, and asked him for a divorce, so
she destroyed her family herself, and asked for something that was not
permissible for her.
It was narrated from
Thawbaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Any woman who asks her husband for a
divorce for no reason, the fragrance of Paradise will be forbidden to her.”
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi
(1187), Abu Dawood (2226) and Ibn Majaah (2055); classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.
We hope that by means of
this stern rebuke Allaah will stir the conscience of everyone who reads this
answer and so that they will think about the evil consequences of
transgressing the set limits and taking lightly the matter of contacting the
opposite sex and speaking to them. We have quoted several times the view of
the scholars that this is haraam.
See:
26890,
52768,
66266
and 59907.
We also hope that this will
prompt both of you to repent sincerely to Allaah and ask Him for forgiveness
for what has happened, and finally to restore people’s rights.
You should note that Allaah
accepts repentance from His slaves if it is sincere, and that the door of
His mercy is open and will not be shut until the sun rises from the west. In
many cases a person is better after sinning and repenting from it than he
was before.
Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning):
“Say: “O ‘Ibaadi (My
slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds
and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allaah, verily, Allaah forgives all
sins. Truly, He is Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful.
54. “And turn in
repentance and in obedience with true Faith (Islamic Monotheism) to your
Lord and submit to Him (in Islam) before the torment comes upon you, (and)
then you will not be helped”
[al-Zumar 39:53-54]
“Truly, Allaah loves
those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves”
[al-Baqarah 2:222]
Secondly:
The conditions of sincere
repentance include restoring people’s rights to them, for the accountability
is not waived until the rights are restored and the person who was wronged
takes what is rightfully his in this world, before the Hereafter.
What this woman must do is
go back, and try to apologize to her former husband through some of the
people who are close to him. If the matter has to be referred to a qaadi
(judge) he would not allow any marriage contract with this woman, until she
repents and goes back to her husband.
It says in al-Mawsoo’ah
al-Fiqhiyyah (5/251):
The fuqaha’ stated clearly
that pressure should be put on him and he should be rebuked. The Maalikis
confirmed that the woman who was turned against her husband is permanently
haraam for the one who turned her against her husband, so as to give him the
opposite of what he was trying to achieve and to serve as a deterrent, lest
people take that as a means to corrupt wives.
A marriage that begins with
disobedience towards Allaah will usually never be successful, and it will
become a punishment and a burden for the one who did that.
If the husband forgives
her, then praise be to Allaah, but if he refuses and does not agree to take
his wife back, then there is nothing wrong with you two getting married in
that case, as long as you feel regret and ask Allaah for pardon and
forgiveness.
The majority of scholars
say that the marriage of a man who turned a woman against her husband so
that he would divorce her and then marries her himself is valid, despite the
sin of turning a woman against her husband – which is the correct view,
although some Maaliki and Hanbali scholars disagreed and regarded such
marriages as invalid.
In al-Iqnaa’
(3/181), which is a Hanbali book, it says:
He said concerning a man
who turns a wife against her husband: he should be punished severely, and
his marriage is invalid according to one of the two scholarly opinions in
the madhhabs of Maalik, Ahmad and others, and they must be separated. End
quote.
It says in al-Mawsoo’ah
al-Fiqhiyyah (11/19, 20):
The Maalikis are the only
ones who mentioned the ruling on this issue, which is when a man corrupts
the wife of another man in such a way that it leads to her being divorced
from him, then the one who corrupted her marries her.
They stated that the
marriage should be nullified, whether consummation has taken place or not,
and there is no difference of opinion concerning that; the only thing
concerning which they differed is whether or not the woman is permanently
forbidden for marriage to the one who corrupted her. They mentioned two
opinions concerning that:
1 – The well known view,
which is that the prohibition is not permanent. If she goes back to her
first husband and he divorces her or he dies, then it permissible for the
one who corrupted her to marry her.
2 – That the prohibition is
permanent. This view was mentioned by Yoosuf ibn ‘Umar, as it says in
Sharh al-Zarqaani, and more than one of the later scholars in Fez issued
fatwas on this basis.
However, fuqaha’ who are
non-Maaliki did not issue any clear ruling on this issue, but the ruling on
it, which is that it is forbidden, may be known from what has been stated
above. End quote.
In Kutub A’immah
al-Da’wah al-Najdiyyah (7/89) it says:
Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn
al-Shaykh Muhammad (may Allaah have mercy on them both) was asked about a
man who turned a woman against her husband and married her.
He replied:
The marriage of the second
man, who turned her against her husband, is invalid and he must leave her,
because he disobeyed Allaah by doing that. End quote.
We hope that if you repent
properly and are sincere towards Allaah, then you will be able to marry this
woman, if she first tries to set right what was corrupted in her marriage
with her first husband.
As for worrying about the
fact that she had another husband, and they did together what a man and wife
do, this is an idea that is worthless. What is off-putting for a man with
dignity is if a woman soiled herself by having haraam intimate relations. As
for that which Allaah has prescribed and permitted for His slaves, there is
no reason it should be regarded as off-putting!
Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning):
“It may be if he
divorced you (all) that his Lord will give him instead of you, wives better
than you ___Muslims (who submit to Allaah), believers, obedient (to Allaah), turning to
Allaah in repentance, worshipping Allaah sincerely, given to fasting or
emigrants (for Allaah’s sake), previously married and virgins”
[al-Tahreem 66:5]
Allaah says that there is
blessing in marriage to a previously married woman as much as in marriage to
a virgin.
With regard to what you
fear of your children suffering, it is something that may happen when you
marry another wife after your first marriage. What we hope is that if you
marry this woman or any other, that you will not build a new home on the
ruins of your first family, including your first wife and children. Rather
the one who wants to indulge in this experience must have wisdom and
smartness to organize his household affairs and deal with those under his
care; he must treat his wives fairly and give everyone their rights, so that
no one could hold him accountable for any wrongdoing before his Lord.
An Arab man who had several
wives was asked how he was able to keep them together. He said: When we were
youthful, that helped by making them patient with me, then I accumulated
wealth that made them continue to be patient, then what is left is kindness
and good treatment. That is what is left and is keeping us together.
‘Uyoon al-Akhbaar
(1/396)
We ask Allaah to forgive
and guide us and you two.
And Allaah knows best. | Women who are forbidden for marriage | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/43/women-who-are-forbidden-for-marriage?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/84849/should-he-marry-a-woman-who-got-divorced-for-his-sake | 43 | 84,849 |
18,805 | Marrying the sister of his ex-wife | Question
Is it permissible for a man to marry the sister of his former wife, when the ‘iddah of the former wife has ended and if the first wife is still alive? Because the prohibition applies to being married to two sisters at the same time, and the former wife is alive. | Praise be to Allah.Yes, it is permissible to marry the sister of
one's former wife, on condition that the ‘iddah of the first wife has ended. The evidence for that is the verse (interpretation of the meaning):
“Forbidden to you (for marriage) are: … and two sisters in wedlock at the same time”
[al-Nisa’ 4:23]
It was narrated that ‘Ubaydah al-Salmaani
said: “The Sahaabah did not agree on anything so unanimously as they agreed upon four (rak’ahs of Sunnah prayer) before Zuhr, and that a woman
should not be taken in marriage during the ‘iddah of her sister.”
The prohibition applies when the marriage is
still in effect, but now the relationship with the first wife has ended through divorce (talaaq).
And Allaah knows best.
See al-Mughni, 7/68-69. | Women who are forbidden for marriage | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/43/women-who-are-forbidden-for-marriage?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/22179/marrying-the-sister-of-his-ex-wife | 43 | 22,179 |
18,806 | Can he marry his paternal cousin’s daughter? | Question
I want to marry a religious and beautiful girl I admire. She is related to me, as she is my paternal cousin’s daughter. She is the daughter of my paternal cousins who married each other. Am I permitted islamically to marry her?. | Praise be to Allah.Yes, it is permissible for you to marry the girl mentioned, who is the daughter of your paternal aunt’s son and the daughter of your paternal uncle’s daughter, because she is not your mahram. ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) married Faatimah (may Allah be pleased with her), the daughter of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and she was the daughter of the son of his paternal uncle.
The daughters of your paternal uncles and aunts are permissible for you to marry, and so are their daughters, no matter how far the line of descent extends. And the daughters of your maternal uncles and aunts are also permissible for you to marry, and so are their daughters. Perhaps you are confused because it is customary for such girls to call you uncle, but this is just a custom, and it does not mean that it is haraam to marry them.
For more information on marrying relatives, please see the answer to question no. 72263.
May Allah help us and you to do that which He loves and which pleases Him.
And Allah knows best. | Women who are forbidden for marriage | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/43/women-who-are-forbidden-for-marriage?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/98931/can-he-marry-his-paternal-cousins-daughter | 43 | 98,931 |
18,807 | Should he marry his paternal uncle’s illegitimate daughter? | Question
My father committed adultery with my uncle’s wife. They had a daughter from this relationship. This daughter got married and has a daughter. I engaged this girl, is it Islamically permissible to marry her?. | Praise be to Allah.It is not permissible for the zaani (adulterer) or for any of his sons to marry his illegitimate daughter, and it is not permissible for the zaani or his sons to marry the daughter of the illegitimate daughter.
This girl is the daughter of your sister through zina, so she is not permissible for you.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: It is haraam for a man to marry his illegitimate daughter, and his illegitimate sister, and his illegitimate son’s daughter, and his illegitimate daughter’s daughter, and his brother’s or sister’s illegitimate daughter. This is the view of all fuqaha’. End quote from al-Mughni (7/91).
There is a difference of opinion concerning this issue among the scholars, but this is the vuew of the majority, and it is the most cautious view.
This does not mean that you are a mahram to this girl and that it is permissible for you to look at her or be alone with her. The fact that someone is haraam for marriage does not always mean that the person is a mahram with whom it is permissible to be alone and so on.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: What is entirely haraam, namely zina, means that a person is haraam for marriage but it does not mean that a person is a mahram or that it is permissible to look at them. End quote.
And Allaah knows best. | Women who are forbidden for marriage | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/43/women-who-are-forbidden-for-marriage?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/105913/should-he-marry-his-paternal-uncles-illegitimate-daughter | 43 | 105,913 |
18,808 | Ruling on marriage to the sister of a person with whom he was breastfed | Question
What is the ruling on marriage to the sister of one’s sister through breastfeeding?. | Praise be to Allah.If a man has a sister
through breastfeeding, who was breastfed by his mother, or was breastfed
along with him by another woman, he may marry her sister, because the mahram
relationship here is limited only to the one who was breastfed, and not her
sisters.
But if he was breastfed by
the mother of the girl, then he is a brother to the girl and to all her
sisters, so it is not permissible for him to marry any of them.
And Allaah knows best. | Women who are forbidden for marriage | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/43/women-who-are-forbidden-for-marriage?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/113957/ruling-on-marriage-to-the-sister-of-a-person-with-whom-he-was-breastfed | 43 | 113,957 |
18,809 | If the custom is for a girl not to marry her cousin, does he become a mahram for her? | Question
It happens that in my country,it is not allow to marry someone cousin according to their culture,if it happens like that ,can my cousin be my mahram?. | Praise be to Allah.The woman’s mahram is
anyone whom it is permanently forbidden for her to marry because of blood
ties, breastfeeding or marriage ties. This is not based on traditions and
customs; rather it is based on sharee’ah. Allaah, may He be glorified and
exalted, has stated which women are mahrams for men, as He says
(interpretation of the meaning):
“Forbidden to you (for
marriage) are: your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your father’s
sisters, your mother’s sisters, your brother’s daughters, your sister’s
daughters, your foster mothers who gave you suck, your foster milk suckling
sisters, your wives’ mothers, your stepdaughters under your guardianship,
born of your wives to whom you have gone in — but there is no sin on you if
you have not gone in them (to marry their daughters), — the wives of your
sons who (spring) from your own loins, and two sisters in wedlock at the
same time, except for what has already passed; verily, Allaah is
Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful”
[al-Nisa’ 4:23].
So a woman’s mahrams on the
basis of blood ties are: her son, her father, her brother, her brother’s
son, her sister’s son, her paternal uncle and her maternal uncle.
Her mahrams through
breastfeeding are the same.
As for her cousin, it is
permissible for her to marry him, and it is not correct for him to be her
mahram under any circumstances, even if custom dictates that he should not
marry her.
No one has the right to
regard as permissible that which Allaah has forbidden, or to regard as
forbidden that which Allaah has permitted, or to claim that a cousin may
look at his female cousin or be alone with her, because that is contrary to
sharee’ah. Rather the woman must observe hijab before her cousins as she
observes hijab before all non-mahram men.
Allaah has mentioned those
before whom it is permissible for a woman to show her adornments, and He did
not mention the cousin because the cousin is not one of her mahrams. Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And tell the believing
women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect
their private parts (from illegal sexual acts) and not to show off their
adornment except only that which is apparent (like both eyes for necessity
to see the way, or outer palms of hands or one eye or dress like veil,
gloves, headcover, apron), and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna
(i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms) and not to reveal their
adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s
fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers or their
brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their
sisters in Islâm), or the (female) slaves whom their right hands possess, or
old male servants who lack vigour, or small children who have no sense of
feminine sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they
hide of their adornment. And all of you beg Allaah to forgive you all, O
believers, that you may be successful”
[al-Noor 24:31].
May Allaah help us to do
that which He loves and which pleases Him.
And Allaah knows best. | Women who are forbidden for marriage | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/43/women-who-are-forbidden-for-marriage?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/114163/if-the-custom-is-for-a-girl-not-to-marry-her-cousin-does-he-become-a-mahram-for-her | 43 | 114,163 |
18,810 | His half-sister from his father has a half-sister from her mother. Is it permissible for him to marry her? | Question
I have a half-sister from my father, who has a half-sister from her mother. Is it permissible for me to marry the half-sister of my sister from her mother?. | Praise be to Allah.
Yes, that is permissible.
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan said:
If you have a half-sister
from your father, then it is permissible for you to marry her half-sister
from her mother, because there is no relationship between you and her
half-sister from her mother that would prevent that. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
“All others are lawful”
[al-Nisa’ 4:24]
al-Muntaqa, 5/258.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn
Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) narrated that the Muslims were
unanimously agreed that this kind of marriage is permissible. He said: It is
permissible for a man’s half-sister from his mother to marry his
half-brother from his father. This is unanimously agreed upon among the
Muslims and there is no dispute concerning that. And Allaah knows best.
From al-Fataawa al-Kubra, 3/163. | Women who are forbidden for marriage | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/43/women-who-are-forbidden-for-marriage?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/33752/his-half-sister-from-his-father-has-a-half-sister-from-her-mother-is-it-permissible-for-him-to-marry-her | 43 | 33,752 |
18,811 | Maternal uncle marrying the daughter of his sister’s son | Question
My maternal uncle is the full brother of my mother. Is it permissible for him to marry my daughter?. | Praise be to Allah.
It is not permissible for your maternal uncle to marry your
daughter, because a man’s maternal uncle is also the maternal uncle of his
sons and daughters. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Forbidden to you (for
marriage) are: your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your father’s
sisters, your mother’s sisters, your brother’s daughters, your sister’s
daughters, your foster mothers who gave you suck, your foster milk suckling
sisters, your wives’ mothers, your stepdaughters under your guardianship,
born of your wives to whom you have gone in — but there is no sin on you if
you have not gone in them (to marry their daughters), — the wives of your
sons who (spring) from your own loins, and two sisters in wedlock at the
same time, except for what has already passed; verily, Allaah is
Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful”
[al-Nisa’ 4:23]
The words “your sister’s daughters” indicate that all
daughters of one’s sister are forbidden in marriage, no matter how far the
line of descent extends. This includes the daughter of the sister’s daughter
and the daughter of the sister’s son, no matter how far the line of descent
extends. Al-Qaasimi said: Also included with daughters are their children.
Tafseer al-Qaasimi,
5/86
And Allaah knows
best. | Women who are forbidden for marriage | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/43/women-who-are-forbidden-for-marriage?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/47336/maternal-uncle-marrying-the-daughter-of-his-sisters-son | 43 | 47,336 |
18,812 | Can You Marry Two Sisters in Islam? | Question
A man has 2 wives and from each wife he has 1 daughter. Is it permitted for someone to marry the 2 daughters at one time (who of course have the same father but different mothers)? I am aware that it is not permitted to be married to 2 blood sisters at the same time, but is the case mentioned above slightly different? | Praise be to Allah.It is not permissible to marry two sisters at the same time, because they are sisters, regardless of whether they share the same father and mother, or they have only one parent in common, because of the verse (interpretation of the meaning):
“Forbidden to you (for marriage) are: … two sisters in wedlock at the same time, except for what has already passed” [An-Nisa’ 4:23]
It was reported from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade marrying a woman then her paternal aunt, or a paternal aunt then her brother’s daughter, a woman then her maternal aunt, or a maternal aunt then her sister’s daughter, or an older sister then the younger sister, or a younger sister then the older sister.” (Narrated by At-Tirmidhi, 1045 and Abu Dawud, 1768. At-Tirmidhi said: it is authentic).
Fayruz Ad-Daylami said: I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, I have become Muslim and I am married to two sisters. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Choose whichever of them you want [i.e., and divorce the other].” (Narrated by At-Tirmidhi, 1048 and Abu Dawud, 1915, et al.)
For more details, please see the following answers: 127073 , 32689 , 22179 , 22302 , 33711 .
And Allah knows best. | Women who are forbidden for marriage | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/43/women-who-are-forbidden-for-marriage?page=4 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/8442/can-you-marry-two-sisters-in-islam | 43 | 8,442 |
18,813 | He wants to marry the daughter of his sister’s husband | Question
Can I marry the daughter of my brother-in-law (my sister's husband) but not my sister's child ? | Praise be to Allah.It is permitted, because she is not one of the mahrams mentioned in the aayah
(interpretation of the meaning):
“Forbidden
to you (for marriage) are: your mothers, your daughters, your sisters,
your father’s sisters, your mother’s sisters, your brother’s daughters,
your sister’s daughters, your foster mothers who gave
you suck, your foster milk suckling sisters…”
[al-Nisaa’
4:23]
What is
listed among these mahrams is “your
sister’s daughters”, and the girl – in this case – is not the daughter
of your sister. So there is no reason for this marriage to be haraam,
either on the grounds of blood, breastfeeding (radaa’ah) or being related
by marriage. And Allaah knows best. | Women who are forbidden for marriage | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/43/women-who-are-forbidden-for-marriage?page=4 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/10177/he-wants-to-marry-the-daughter-of-his-sisters-husband | 43 | 10,177 |
18,814 | Can she marry her
mother’s half-brother? | Question
can i marry my mother's step brother (my
step-uncle)? my mother and this brother of hers belong to the same father but different
mothers.does the fact that we are both hanafis make a difference? | Praise be to Allah.The mothers brother is an uncle (khaal maternal uncle)
whether he is a full brother or a half-brother through the father or mother. On this basis
it is not permissible for you to marry him, because he is your uncle, may Allaah guide
you. It is also haraam for a man to marry his maternal aunt (khaalah), because
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): Forbidden to you (for marriage) are:
your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your fathers sisters, your mothers
sisters [al-Nisa 4:23]. Similarly there is a total and eternal ban
on women marrying their uncles. And Allaah knows best. | Women who are forbidden for marriage | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/43/women-who-are-forbidden-for-marriage?page=4 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/2798/can-she-marry-her-mother146s-half-brother | 43 | 2,798 |
18,815 | Ruling on Cousin Marriage in Islam | Question
Is it correct that our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) discouraged marrying cousins? Should marrying cousins be the last resort? | Praise be to Allah.Can you marry your cousin?
There is no objection whatsoever in the Islamic religion for a man to marry any of his relatives except al-maharim (those forbidden for marriage ) whom Allah mentioned in Surat Al-Nisa, 4:23 (interpretation of the meaning):
“Prohibited to you (for marriage) are: your mothers, daughters, sisters; father's sisters, mother's sisters; brother's daughters, sister's daughters; foster-mothers (who breast-fed you), foster-sisters (who breast-fed from the same woman as you); your wives' mothers; your step-daughters under your guardianship, born of your wives with whom you have consummated marriage, no prohibition if ye have not consummated; (those who have been) wives of your sons proceeding from your loins; and two sisters in wedlock at one and the same time, except for what is past; for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
Thus, when Allah mentioned for us the relatives to whom marriage is forbidden, we then come to know that there is no objection for the remainder of the family relations.
Should marrying cousins be the last resort?
Furthermore, there is no condition that it be the last resort as indicated in the question. Among the most prominent evidence of this fact is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) married his daughter Fatimah to ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with them) and he is the son of her father's uncle, as well as the marriage of the Prophet himself to Zainab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her) and she is his aunt's daughter (i.e. his cousin); and there are many other such examples.
However, a different question may be asked, namely: "Is it better or preferable for a Muslim to marry someone he is not related to rather than a relative?"
The answer to this question varies from case to case, and perhaps it may be preferable to marry people who are non-relations, for example if one aspires to form new social ties or bonds, and regards the existence of a marriage relationship with a different family as constructive in widening the circle of social bonds.
For more about marriage to cousins in Islam, please see these answers: 98931 , 222086 , 12335 , and 5240
And Allah knows best. | Women who are forbidden for marriage | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/43/women-who-are-forbidden-for-marriage?page=4 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/105/ruling-on-cousin-marriage-in-islam | 43 | 105 |
18,816 | Wife and Husband's Brother | Question
I have a very important question to ask you and this will Insha’Allah benefit many other Muslims. A friend of mine was telling me that a wife cannot come in front of the husband’s brother as he is not her Mahram. My question is this: I live with my parents and brother and sister. I and my brother pay the rent of the apartment.
Insha’Allah we are going to move to a rented house which will be bigger and the rent will be payed by me and my brother. I had thought of getting married because of the bigger house, but I don’t know whether I could do this now unless I get my own separate house. | Praise be to Allah.There is no harm in you and your wife living in one house with the rest of the family members you mentioned. All that you have to be careful about is that your wife does not go out in front of your brother or be alone with him in the house, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade non-mahrams (unrelated men) to enter upon women. He said: “Beware of entering upon women.” One of the Sahaabah said to him, “O Messenger of Allah, what about the brother-in-law?” He said: “The brother-in-law is death!” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, Fath al-Baari, 9/330).
Al-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “What is referred to in the hadeeth is all the husbands (male) relatives apart from his father and sons. People customarily take the matter of a man being alone with his brothers wife as being of little consequence; to indicate the seriousness of the matter, it was likened to death. Indeed, one should be more cautious about the brother-in-law than about a stranger. The phrase “the brother-in-law is death” may have a number of meanings:
That being alone with a brother-in-law may lead to disaster if a sin is committed, or may spell divorce for the woman if her husband cannot contain his jealousy;
Or: Beware of being alone with a non-mahram woman fear this as you fear death.
All this stems from Islams keenness to protect households, to avoid evil and to preserve marriages in the best possible way. You will find more details under question #217 .
May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad. | Women who are forbidden for marriage | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/43/women-who-are-forbidden-for-marriage?page=4 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/1940/wife-and-husbands-brother | 43 | 1,940 |
18,817 | Can he kiss his seventy-year-old female cousin on the head? | Question
I have a cousin (daughter of my paternal uncle) who is seventy years old. Is it permissible for me to kiss her on the head over her hijaab or to shake her hand because she is old, or not? | Praise be to Allah.You
are not allowed to shake her hand or to kiss her on the head or anywhere
else. What is allowed is for you to greet her with words only, even
if she is old, because she is not your mahram. There is nothing wrong
with you saying, “How are you? How are your children?” etc. The Messenger
(peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: “I do not shake hands with women” – and this included
old women as well as others. And ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with
her) said: “By Allaah, the hand of the Messenger of Allaah never touched
the hand of any woman” – meaning women who were not his mahrams, and
when he accepted their oaths of allegiance to him, it was by words only. | Women who are forbidden for marriage | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/43/women-who-are-forbidden-for-marriage?page=4 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/10090/can-he-kiss-his-seventy-year-old-female-cousin-on-the-head | 43 | 10,090 |
18,818 | Can a Muslim Woman Show Her Eyes? | Question
Is it permissible to show the eyes only in front of non-Mahram men? | Praise be to Allah.Understanding the Permissibility of Showing Eyes in Islam
It is permissible for a woman to show her eyes. That is so that she will be able to see. But it is not permissible for men to look at the eyes of a woman.
Scholarly Opinions on Women Covering Their Face and Eyes
Shaykh `Abdullah ibn Humayd (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
If the Burqa [a kind of face veil] covers the entire face, leaving only the eyes uncovered, there is nothing wrong with that. But if it does not cover the entire face, rather it covers the mouth and leaves the rest of the face uncovered, that is not permissible, especially in the presence of non-Mahram men.
So the entire face must be covered, but the eyes may be left uncovered so that the woman can see where she is going, as was said by Ibn Mas`ud, `Ubaydah Al-Salmani and others. And Allah knows best. (End quote from Fatawa Al-Mar’ah Al-Muslimah, 1/393, 394)
Shaykh Salih Al-Fawzan (may Allah preserve him) said:
There is nothing wrong with covering the face with the Niqab or Burqa [kinds of face veil] which has two openings for the eyes only, because this was known at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), because there is a need for that. If nothing shows but the eyes, that is acceptable, especially if that is what women customarily wear in that society. (End quote from Fatawa Al-Mar’ah Al-Muslimah, 1/399)
Proper Hijab
But we should note that the majority of women, nowadays, do not stop at uncovering the eyes only, rather they go beyond that and uncover part of the forehead and nose, so they go beyond the area that it is permitted for them to show. Hence some of the scholars – such as Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymin (may Allah have mercy on him) – forbade wearing the Burqa and Niqab, because of the careless attitude on the part of some women.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/8540/can-a-muslim-woman-show-her-eyes | 186 | 8,540 |
18,819 | A Woman’s `Awrah in Front of Women | Question
We have heard that the `Awrah of a woman in front of other women is from the navel to the knees. Is this correct? Especially since in banquet halls we see women who come – may Allah keep us safe and sound – wearing short or see-through clothes, or garments with cut-away designs which show her calves, or they wear light and filmy garments, or things that leave a part of the chest or back uncovered… So Muslim women come out and they look like dancers in the non-Muslim countries or improperly-dressed actresses on the screen. If we tell them not to do that, they say, There is nothing wrong with that; women’s `Awrah is from the navel to the knee. Modesty has disappeared and women are becoming argumentative and imitating the non-Muslims, and the problem has reached overwhelming proportions. Please advise us, may Allah reward you. | Praise be to Allah.`Awrah of women in front of men
All of a woman is `Awrah in front of non-Mahram men , and it is not permissible for her to appear before men even if she is covered, if there is the fear of fitnah (temptation) because of looking at her and seeing how tall she is and how she walks.
A Woman’s `Awrah in Front of Women
Concerning what was said about a woman’s `Awrah in front of other women being from the navel to the knee, this applies only when she is in her house among her sisters and the women of her household.
The basic principle is still that she should cover all of her body lest she be taken as an example and this evil practice become widespread among women.
Similarly, she must also cover her charms in front of her Mahrams and strange women lest some of her Mahrams be tempted by her or lest some of the women describe her to others.
It was reported in the Hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “No woman should describe another woman to her husband so that it is as if he can see her.”
What this means is that if her charms, such as her chest, her shoulders, her stomach, her back, her arms, her neck and her calves, become visible, whoever sees that will inevitably have an impression of her, and usually women talk about what they have seen to their families, male and female alike. So a woman may mention that in front of non-Mahram men [i.e., men who are not Mahrams of the woman being described] in a manner that may provoke them to pursue her, or which may cause bad people to form an attachment to her.
For this reason, women have to cover their charms – such as their chests, backs, arms, calves, etc., - even in front of Mahrams and other women.
Observing modesty in parties, schools, and hospitals
This covering becomes even more essential in parties, leisure facilities, hospitals and schools, even if there are only women present, because some non-Mahram men and adolescent boys may see them or take pictures of them naked which will be a cause of temptation to those who see them.
A Warning to Women against making Wanton Displays
A stern warning has been issued to those who make a wanton display of themselves and wear see-through or tight clothing, when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“There are two kinds of the people of Hell … women who are clothed yet naked, walking with an enticing gait with something on their heads looking like the humps of camels, leaning to one side. They will not enter Paradise or even smell its fragrance.”
What this means is that they are wearing see-through or tight clothes which show the size of their frame, or there are openings cut in the fabric which show their chests, breasts and other charms. This is widespread in parties and in general gatherings.
For more details, please see these answers: 43289 , 26304 , 102187 , 310812 , 153367 .
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/11014/a-womans-awrah-in-front-of-women | 186 | 11,014 |
18,820 | Buying an expensive wedding dress | Question
I have got engaged to a young man who I think is good. Do you advise me to buy a wedding dress that is a little expensive, or should I try to save the cost of this dress so that this will not be regarded as extravagant? Please note that he is well off and can afford to buy the dress. | Praise be to Allah.There is nothing wrong with buying a dress for the woman to wear for her wedding, even if it is expensive, so long as it does not reach the level of being extravagant. This varies from one environment and one person to another, but if this dress is only going to be worn once or a few times, as is the case with many women, then it is better not to buy it and to do without it by renting or borrowing a dress, and saving the money that would be paid for it. That is better and more useful.
If the woman wants to buy this dress, then she should choose something that she can wear for her wedding and on other occasions, so as to save money, hers and her husband’s. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade wasting money, and Allah, may He be exalted, condemns spendthrifts and states that they are the brothers of the devils.
There are some righteous women who are very well off; one of them may buy a dress for her own wedding, then make it a waqf for the benefit of her sisters, so that they can wear it for their weddings. This is a good idea.
For more information, please see the answer to question number 12853 .
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/112124/buying-an-expensive-wedding-dress | 186 | 112,124 |
18,821 | The words of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding the slave women of ‘Umar: “They used to serve us bare-headed” | Question
I have been debating with the Shi‘ah for a while, and praise be to Allah I refuted all their specious arguments. But I could not find any answer to this specious argument, so I hope that you can explain to me what it means, if the report is sahih, and refute them.
This is the specious argument:
Then it was narrated via Hammaad ibn Salamah: Thumamah ibn ‘Abdillah ibn Anas told me, from his grandfather Anas ibn Malik, who said: “The slave women of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to serve us bare-headed, with their breasts jiggling.” I say: Its isnaad is jayyid (good) and its narrators are all trustworthy (thiqah) except the shaykh of al-Bayhaqi, Abu’l-Qasim ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn ‘Ubaydillah al-Harbi, who is sincere (saduq), as al-Khatib (10/303) said. Al-Bayhaqi said, after quoting it: The reports from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding that are sahih. | Praise be to Allah.Firstly:
Al-Bayhaqi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his Sunan (3222):
Abu’l-Qasim ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn ‘Ubaydillah al-Hirafi told us in Baghdad: ‘Ali ibn Muhammad ibn az-Zubayr al-Kufi told us: al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali ibn ‘Affan told us: Zayd ibn al-Hubab told us, from Hammad ibn Salamah, who said: Thumamah ibn ‘Abdillah ibn Anas told me, from his grandfather Anas ibn Malik, who said: “The slave women of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to serve us bare-headed, with their hair coming down to their breasts.”
This is a hasan isnad. Al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Its isnad is jayyid (good) and its narrators are all trustworthy (thiqah) except the shaykh of al-Bayhaqi, Abu’l-Qasim ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn ‘Ubaydillah al-Harbi, who is sincere (saduq), as al-Khatib said."(Irwa’ al-Ghalil 6/204).
It was narrated by Yahya ibn Salam in his Tafsir (1/441): Hammad and Nasr ibn Tarif told me, from Thumamah ibn Anas ibn Malik, from Anas ibn Malik, who said: “The slave women of ‘Umar used to serve us bare-headed, with their breasts jiggling and their ankles showing.”
Thus the report is proven, but what is known and circulated among scholars is the version narrated by al-Bayhaqi, “with their hair coming down to their breasts.” As for the version which says “with their breasts jiggling,” this comes from the report of Ibn Salam which is referred to above. Its isnad includes Nasr ibn Tarif, who was accused of lying. Yahya said: He is one of those who are known for fabricating hadiths. Al-Fallas said: He is one of those regarding whom there is consensus that they are liars and no report is to be narrated from them; one of them is Abu Jizzi al-Qassab Nasr ibn Tarif.
See: Lisan al-Mizan (6/153).
Based on the above:
The report is sound, but only in the version which says “bare-headed, with their hair coming down to their breasts.” What is meant is that their hair came down to their chests and moved due to their quick movements as they worked hard to serve the guests.
As for the version which says “with their breasts jiggling,” it is not sahih. Even if we were to assume that it is sahih, it is to be interpreted according to the first version, which is that they were old women, not young women with firm breasts, and because they were working hard to serve the guests, that happened to them.
Islamic teachings differentiate between free women and slave women. The free woman is to observe complete hijab, whereas slave women do not have to wear hijab, and it is permissible for a slave woman to uncover her head, hands and face, because of the need to move a great deal as they do their work, and imposing hijab on them would cause them great hardship, in addition to the fact that people do not usually find them attractive.
Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The verse {this will make it more likely that they will be recognized [as chaste women] and will not be harassed} [al-Ahzab 33:59] means: if they do that, they will be known to be free women, not slave women, and not prostitutes.
Mujahid said: They were to wear jilbab (a garment that comes down from the top of the head and covers the entire body), so that it would be known that they were free women, and so that no evildoer would bother them or harass them."(Tafsir Ibn Kathir 6/425-426).
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Hijab is only for free women, not slave women, as was the practice of the believers at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his successors (the caliphs). Free women observed hijab and slave women did not. If ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) saw a slave woman covering her head, he would hit her and say: Are you trying to imitate free women, O foolish one? So slave women would uncover their heads, hands and faces."(Majmu‘ al-Fatawa 15/372).
Hence al-Bayhaqi said, after quoting this report: The reports from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding that are sahih. This indicates that the slave woman’s head and neck, and what appears of her when she is serving others are not ‘awrah. End quote.
Thirdly:
What has been explained above about the ‘awrah of a slave woman only applies when there is no risk of fitnah (temptation) and people have decency and would not be tempted by her. But if there is the fear of temptation, or there are many dubious and corrupt people, and there is the fear that they could annoy or harass slave women, then in that case slave women must observe hijab, and men must avert their gaze from them and they must avert their gaze too.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Similarly, if there is the fear that a slave woman could cause temptation to others, then she must cover herself with a jilbab and observe hijab; men must avert their gaze from her and she must also avert her gaze.
There is nothing in the Qur’an or Sunnah to suggest that it is permissible to look at slave women, or that they should not observe hijab and may show their adornments. But the Qur’an does not give the same instructions to them as to free women. The Sunnah distinguishes between them and free women in practical terms, but there is no statement in the Sunnah to differentiate between them in words. Rather the custom of the believers was that free women would observe hijab, and slave women would not.
The Qur’an makes one exception in the case of free women, namely for elderly women who have no interest in marriage. And in the case of men, an exception is made for male retainers [dependants or followers who are attached to a tribe or family] who are free of physical desire. It is not forbidden to show hidden adornment to them, because they have no desire, so it is more appropriate that some slave women should be exempted from having to cover. This applies to those who would not provoke desire and temptation if they do not observe hijab and they show their adornment.
If a slave woman’s appearing uncovered and people’s looking at her would result in temptation, then that must be prevented, as in the case of other women.
The same applies to men with men, and women with women. If a woman could tempt other women, or if a man could tempt other men, then the command to avert the gaze and not look at them is applicable, as is the command to restrain carnal desires.
Hence if slave women and boys are beautiful and there is the fear that temptation may result from looking at them, the same ruling applies to them, as the scholars have stated."(Majmu‘ al-Fatawa 15/373-377).
He also said:
At the time of the Sahabah, slave women used to walk in the streets bare-headed and they would serve men at a time when people had decency. But now, if a man wants to let these beautiful Turkish slave women walk among the people, in a land such as this and at a time such as this, as the people allowed slave women to walk [in the streets, at the time of the Sahabah], that would lead to a great deal of mischief."(Majmu‘ al-Fatawa 15/418).
See: I‘lam al-Muwaqqi‘in by Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) (2/46-47).
For more information, please see the answer to question no. 8489 .
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/198645/the-words-of-anas-may-allah-be-pleased-with-him-regarding-the-slave-women-of-umar-they-used-to-serve-us-bare-headed | 186 | 198,645 |
18,822 | Should a woman wear hijab in halaqas (study circles) so that the angels do not see her without hijab? | Question
It has become a common practice among women in study circles to wear hijab, on the grounds that the angels can see them, and that they should be modest in the presence of the angels. Is this view correct? What is the ruling on such views? | Praise be to Allah.Firstly:
Generally speaking, when a woman attends women’s gatherings, she should be modest in her dress and polite in her speech, especially if it is a study circle, or it is in a school for teaching Qur’an and Islamic knowledge and the like.
But it is not prescribed for women to observe hijab on the grounds that the angels can see them, and that the angels are to be regarded in the same manner as non-mahram men, or for them to do that by way of respect and modesty.
There is no evidence to support this action or to support introducing any rules into the religion of Allah for which Allah has not given permission. If that were correct, then women should wear hijab at home too, because the angels could see her there too.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked:
Is it true that the angels will not attend women’s halaqahs if the women uncover their hair (i.e., they do not wear their hijab during the study circle)?
He replied: I do not know of any basis for that. They may recite Qur’an and remember Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, even if they are bare-headed, so long as there is no non-mahram man present. That does not prevent the angels from entering." (Majmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn Baaz 24/85).
With regard to the Muslim woman sitting in study circles and Qur’an circles wearing modest clothing, being well-mannered in her speech and dignified in her actions, this is something praiseworthy and it is what she should adhere to, because being well mannered and paying attention to modesty in study circles and Qur’an circles is something that is prescribed and is encouraged.
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
It is recommended for the one who recites Qur’an outside of prayer to face towards the qiblah and sit in a humble, calm and dignified manner, with his head lowered, and he should pay attention to proper etiquette in his manner of sitting, as he would when sitting before his teacher. This is the most perfect option, but if he recites standing or lying down on his bed, or in any other posture, that is permissible." (Mukhtasar at-Tibyaan p. 17).
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/144805/should-a-woman-wear-hijab-in-halaqas-study-circles-so-that-the-angels-do-not-see-her-without-hijab | 186 | 144,805 |
18,823 | Do the angels refrain from attending a place where there is a bare-headed woman? | Question
It has become a widespread habit among women to wear hijab during halaqahs (study circles) because the angels attend and may feel embarrassed to see the women when they are not covering their heads. | Praise be to Allah.Firstly:
We do not know of anything in the clear, soundly-narrated religious texts to indicate that the angels do not attend gatherings in which women uncover their hair.
It is proven from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that the angels do not enter houses in which there is a dog, an image, a person who is junub or a bell [although there are differences of opinion regarding the soundness of the hadiths which mention a person who is junub and a bell].
There is no reference in these reports to the presence of bare-headed woman. If that was one of these things [that prevent the angels from attending], the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would have pointed it out, as he pointed out other things.
In Saheeh al-Bukhaari (3775), it is narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “O Umm Salamah, do not bother me concerning ‘Aa’ishah, for it – by Allah – the revelation never came down to me when I was under a blanket with any of you except her.
This indicates that Jibreel used to bring down the revelation to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he was with ‘Aa’ishah under the same blanket, and it is well known that when a woman is under her blanket, she does not wear full hijab.
Secondly:
Some may quote as evidence for that the report which was narrated by at-Tabaraani in al-Mu‘jam al-Awsat (6/287), from Umm Salamah, from Khadeejah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: I said: O Messenger of Allah, O son of my paternal uncle, when that one who comes to you comes to you, can you tell me?
The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to me: Yes, O Khadeejah.
Khadeejah said: Jibreel came to him one day when I was with him.
The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: O Khadeejah, this companion of mine who comes to me has come to me.
I said to him: Get up and sit on my right thigh.
So he got up and sat on my right thigh.
I said to him: Do you still see him?
He said: Yes.
I said to him: Move and sit on my left thigh.
He did that, then I said: Do you still see him?
He said: Yes.
I said to him:
Turn around and sit in my lap.
He did that, then I said to him: Do you still see him?
He said: Yes.
Khadeejah said: Then I uncovered my hair and threw my headcover aside, and said to him: Do you still see him?
He said: No.
I said to him: This is a noble angel. No, by Allah, this is not a devil… End quote.
But this hadith is da‘eef (weak) and cannot be relied upon as evidence concerning this issue. Shaykh al-Albaani explained the reasons why it is weak in Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth ad-Da‘eefah (6097).
Dr. Akram Diya’ al-‘Umari said: There are reports which are weak (da‘eef), or have flimsy isnaads or odd texts, which suggest that Khadeejah ascertained that the one whom the Messenger saw was an angel and not a devil." (As-Seerah an-Nabawiyyah as-Saheehah 1/128).
Thirdly:
Some people may quote as evidence for that the report narrated in Saheeh Muslim (974) about the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) going out to al-Baqee‘, and his saying to ‘Aa’ishah: “Jibreel came to me when you saw. He called me but he concealed it from you, and I answered him but I concealed it from you. He would not enter the house when you were not fully dressed…”
Ibn Hibbaan included this report in a chapter entitled: Explanation that Jibreel (peace be upon him) would not enter the house of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when ‘Aa’ishah was not fully dressed." (Saheeh Ibn Hibbaan 16/45).
But this hadith does not clearly state that the angels do not enter a place in which a woman has taken off her hijab (headcover), for the following reasons:
1.. The phrase “not fully dressed” refers to something more than uncovering the head, so the fact that he did not enter when she was not fully dressed does not mean that he would not enter if only her hair was uncovered.
Especially since not being fully dressed means taking off some clothes, which is appropriate for the one who wants to sleep, especially in hot countries. This is something other than merely uncovering the hair.
2.. It is possible that this is something that applied only to the wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, or only to Jibreel, as may be understood from the comments of Ibn Hibbaan.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/144391/do-the-angels-refrain-from-attending-a-place-where-there-is-a-bare-headed-woman | 186 | 144,391 |
18,824 | Is the guardian of an adult woman with an intellectual disability obliged to force her to wear hijab? | Question
I have a sister who has reached the age of accountability, but she has an intellectual disability. Is she obliged to wear hijab? | Praise be to Allah.Being of sound mind is the basis of accountability, so if a woman is not of sound mind, accountability is waived in her case, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The Pen has been lifted from three: from the sleeper until he awakens, from the child until he reaches puberty and from the insane person until he comes to his senses.” Narrated by Abu Dawud (4403), at-Tirmidhi (1423), an-Nasa’i (3432) and Ibn Majah (2041). This hadith was classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih Abi Dawud.
But her guardian must protect her, take care of her and keep her away from haram things, so he must prevent her from appearing in front of non-mahram men without hijab, and prevent her from being alone with any non-mahram man and the like, so as to protect her and to prevent mischief and prevent others from being tempted by her.
Ibn Qudamah said in al-Mughni (8/155): … And because the same is required of one who is not accountable as one who is accountable with regard to avoiding haram things such as alcohol and zina; the only difference is whether they incur a burden of sin. End quote.
Ibn ar-Rif‘ah said in Kifayat al-Nabih (15/62): The guardian of a minor girl or a woman who is of unsound mind should protect them from what he should protect one who is accountable from. End quote.
So her guardian must protect one who is not accountable from haram things, which includes a woman showing any part of her body in front of non-mahram men.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/402602/is-the-guardian-of-an-adult-woman-with-an-intellectual-disability-obliged-to-force-her-to-wear-hijab | 186 | 402,602 |
18,825 | Is it permissible to wear the mask instead of the niqab? | Question
I want to know the ruling on women replacing the niqab with the mask, because this thing has become widespread among women, even among those who used to wear niqab. And it is Allah Whose help we seek. | Praise be to Allah.The woman is obliged to cover her face and hands in front of non-mahram men, because there is a great deal of evidence to that effect, including the verse (interpretation of the meaning):
{O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful} [al-Ahzaab 33:59].
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas and others that only a woman’s eyes, or one eye, is allowed to be visible.
It says in Nayl al-Ma’aarib Sharh Daleel at-Taalib (1/125): With regard to the adult, free woman, her entire body is ‘awrah in prayer, even her nails and her hair, except her face.
The face and hands of the adult, free woman are ‘awrah outside of prayer with regard to looking, as is the case with the rest of her body. End quote.
See also the answers to questions no. 11774 and 21536 .
The mask is not sufficient to cover the face, even though it is better than leaving the face uncovered, and it may be a way out for one whose family do not let her wear niqab, or whose country does not allow her to wear niqab.
But in the case of one who is able to cover her face, the mask does not cover all of the face, so she is not doing what is required, and is sinning thereby.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/379101/is-it-permissible-to-wear-the-mask-instead-of-the-niqab | 186 | 379,101 |
18,826 | Ruling on keeping dolls and computer games in which the player dresses dolls | Question
I have several questions: 1. I really like playing games in which I dress dolls, because they teach me how to choose my outfits and choose their colours. Is there any sin on me, and what is the ruling on that? 2. I love to draw, especially anime, but I separate the head from the bodies. Is that haraam? 3. I take answers for the questions in my textbooks from the Internet. Is this haraam, knowing that the teacher knows about it? 4. What is the ruling on watching cartoons without music, but the girl characters wear athletic clothes? These cartoons are shown on the Majd children’s channel. 5. What is the ruling on wearing the burqa‘ (niqab) with the extra cover, meaning that no one can see my eyes? | Praise be to Allah.Firstly:
There is nothing wrong with keeping dolls in the house, on condition that they belong to small children, because they serve the purpose of entertaining, training and teaching the children.
Please see the answers to questions no. 20325 and 119056 .
This has to do with dolls made of plastic or cloth, which usually help little girls to train to do their future tasks as mothers, such as combing their hair, dressing them in modest clothes, and other things that are well known in the world of children.
As for the games which involve dressing dolls, as mentioned in the question, the ruling on that is different. After looking at the websites to which the questioner referred, we found that they involve clear evils and obvious sins, which guarantees that it is haraam to visit those websites and play these doll-dressing games. The reasons for this prohibition include the following:
1.. These games for girls are not the kind of games that are exempted according to Islamic teachings from the general prohibition on images; rather these are images of animate beings, whether they are drawn by hand or with the computer. The point here is that they are images of animate beings, which it is prohibited to draw.
For more information on this prohibition, please see the answers to questions no. 34839 , 10668 and 39806 .
2.. There are some serious problems with these images, as they show the images of semi-naked girls, so that the player can choose the right clothes for them. Such alluring images are undoubtedly haraam, because they are spreading immorality and evil. The girl may admire these bodies and underwear, and try to imitate them, which may lead to many bad consequences.
3. These games include images which encourage immorality and unlawful relationships, as the players are asked to choose clothing that is suitable for young men and women to go out together on a first date, or to matchmake for marriage. This is wrong, and it is not permissible to allow it because of the evils that it involves. Allowing it means approving of unlawful relationships between young men and women, and encouraging them to do such things in real life, and it takes away the modesty and shyness of young girls and makes them get used to evil.
For these reasons, the ruling on visiting such websites is that it is haraam.
Secondly:
Anime, which is short for “animation,” is a type of cartoon. What the question is about is the ruling on drawing images of the heroes of these cartoons, such as Tom (who is the cat) and Jerry (who is the mouse), without showing their heads. The answer to that is:
When it comes to drawing things, everything is either animate, such as humans and animals, or inanimate, such as trees and rivers. If the drawing is of the second type, then there is nothing wrong with it.
But if the drawing is of animate beings – which includes the heroes of cartoons – then the basic principle is that it is haraam, but if the drawing is without a head, then what appears to be the case is that it is permissible.
For information on the ruling on drawing animate beings, please see the answers to questions no. 7222 and 98424 .
Thirdly:
There is nothing wrong with taking the answers to questions in textbooks from the Internet or other sources, because this is a type of studying and learning.
Fourthly:
There is nothing wrong with watching cartoons, on condition that they adhere to Islamic guidelines. This has been discussed previously in the answer to question no. 97444.
Fifthly:
The niqab or burqa‘ is prescribed according to Islamic teachings, but some women are careless about adhering to the conditions of wearing it, which has led some of our contemporary scholars to disallow women to wear it.
For the one who adheres to the conditions of wearing it, there is nothing wrong with her wearing it, if Allah wills.
This has been discussed previously in the answers to questions no. 1496 and 21134 .
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/129324/ruling-on-keeping-dolls-and-computer-games-in-which-the-player-dresses-dolls | 186 | 129,324 |
18,827 | Woman’s clothing at home | Question
Is it a sunnah to cover the head while cooking and being at home even if theres no non mahram men? | Praise be to Allah.
There is nothing wrong with a woman wearing whatever kinds of
clothes she wants at home, of clothes that women in her country usually wear
at home, so long as she is safe from non-mahram men being able to see her.
Hijab has only been prescribed in order to conceal women from non-mahram
men, as Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O Prophet!
Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw
their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e., screen themselves
completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way). That will be better,
that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be
annoyed. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful”
[al-Ahzaab
33:59]
“…and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands,
their fathers, their husbands fathers, their sons, their husbands sons,
their brothers or their brothers sons, or their sisters sons, or their
(Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islam)…”
[an-Noor
24:31].
So it is permissible for them to show their adornment in
front of their husbands and mahrams. Therefore it is more appropriate that
this be permissible when the woman is on her own.
Based on that, there is nothing wrong with a woman uncovering
her head whilst cooking and doing other things, if she is alone in the house
and is safe from non-mahram men being able to see her.
But she must observe full shar‘i hijab when she is in the
presence of non-mahram men, whether that is inside the house or outside.
For more information on the definition of a woman’s ‘awrah in
front of other women and her mahrams, please see fatwa no.
82994
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/221744/womans-clothing-at-home | 186 | 221,744 |
18,828 | Response to those who quote the hadith about the Khath‘ami woman as evidence for it being permissible for a woman to uncover | Question
In the hadith of al-Fadl ibn al-‘Abbaas, when a beautiful woman came to ask the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) a question, and al-Fadl was riding behind him during the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) turned al-Fadl’s face away, wasn’t the woman’s face uncovered and the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not criticize her for that? Does this indicate that it is permissible for a woman to uncover her face? | Praise be to Allah.It is not valid to quote the hadith of al-Fadl ibn al-‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) as evidence for it being permissible for a woman to uncover her face. The scholars have answered this in two ways.
Shaykh Muhammad al-Ameen ash-Shinqeeti (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
I will also respond to that in two ways:
Firstly: there is nothing in any of the narations of this hadith that clearly states that her face was uncovered and that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw her with her face uncovered and approved of that. Rather the most that is mentioned in the hadith is that she was “radiant”, and in some versions of the hadith it says that “she was beautiful.” Knowing that she was radiant or beautiful does not necessarily imply that her face was uncovered and that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) approved of that. Rather it may have been that her face-veil was lifted without her intending that, so some of the men saw her without her intending to uncover her face.
Or it may be that her beauty was known before that time, because it is possible that he may have seen her before that, and recognized her. One of the things that would explain that is the fact that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him), who narrated this hadith from him, was not present at the time when his brother looked at her and she looked at him, because of what we have noted above, that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had sent ‘Abdullah on ahead at night from Muzdalifah to Mina, with the weaker ones among his family, and it is known that he only narrated the hadith in question via his brother al-Fadl, and hos brother did not tell him that her face was uncovered. The fact that al-Fadl knew that she was radiant or beautiful does not necessarily mean that she deliberately uncovered her face, because it is possible that he saw her face and realized that she was beautiful because of her face-veil being lifted without her intending to do that, and it is possible that he had seen her before that and known that she was beautiful.
Some may argue that the fact that the words “she was radiant” is followed by the particle fa (meaning “thus”),
and the words “thus al-Fadl started to look at her” and “and he was impressed by her beauty” clearly indicate that he could see her face and looked at it because he was impressed by its beauty.
The answer to that is: that corroborative evidence is not necessarily to be understood in that manner, and does not necessarily mean that her face was not covered and that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw that and approved of it, because of the possibilities that we have mentioned above. Moreover, a woman may be known to be beautiful and looked at for her beauty even if her face is covered, because of the beauty of her overall shape. It may be known that she is radiant and beautiful simply by seeing her fingertips, as is well known. Hence Ibn Mas‘ood interpreted the verse (interpretation of the meaning): “except that which [necessarily] appears thereof” [an-Noor 24:31] as referring to the outer garment, as noted above.
Secondly: the woman was in ihram, and when a woman is in ihram she does not cover her face and hands, so she should uncover her face if there are no non-mahram men looking at her, and she must cover her face in front of men when she is in ihram, as is well known from the wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and others. No one said that anyone looked at this Khath‘ami women except al-Fadl ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him), and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stopped al-Fadl from looking at her. Thus it is known that she was in ihram and no one was looking at her, so she uncovered her face because she was in ihram, not because it was permissible to uncover her face.
Some may say: the fact that she was with the pilgrims makes it likely that men could see her face if it was uncovered, because women usually have their faces uncovered when they are among the pilgrims, so there are bound to be men who see her face.
The response to that is: it that the Companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) were very pious and would not look at women, so there is no reason, on the basis of rational thinking, Islamic teaching or what is usually the case, not to think that none of them looked at her, for if any of them had looked at her that would have been narrated, as it was narrated that al-Fadl looked at her. From the fact that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) turned al-Fadl’s gaze away from her, it may be understood that non-mahram men should not be allowed at a young woman whose face is uncovered, as you see. The evidence indicates that she was obliged to cover all of her body in front of them.
To sum up, the fair-minded person realizes that it is extremely unlikely that the lawgiver would give women permission to uncover their faces in front of non-mahram men when the face is the source of beauty, and looking at the face of a beautiful young woman is one of the most provocative and tempting causes of human desire that leads to inappropriate behaviour. Have you not heard the words of the poet:
I say, please let me have one glance (at her), then I do not care if the Day of Judgement starts after that?
Would you allow him to look in that manner at your wife, your daughters or your sisters?!
End quote from Adwaa’ al-Bayaan (6/254-256).
Shaykh al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
This hadith – that is, the hadith of the Khath‘ami woman – was quoted as evidence by those who think that it is permissible for a woman to uncover her face. This hadith is undoubtedly one of the ambiguous hadiths that may indicate that it is permissible or may indicate that it is not permissible. As for the possibility of it being permissible, that is clear. As for the possibility that it does not indicate that it is permissible, we say: This woman was in ihram, and what is prescribed for the woman who is in ihram is for her to leave her face uncovered, and we do not know of anyone who looked at her apart from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and al-Fadl ibn al-‘Abbaas. With regard to al-Fadl, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not approve of his looking at her; rather he turned his face away. With regard to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), al-Haafiz ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) stated that it was permissible for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to look at a woman or be alone with her in a way that was not permissible for anyone else, just as it was permissible for him to marry a woman without a mahr (dowry) and without a wali (guardian), and to marry more than four women. Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, allowed more flexibility to him in some of these matters, because he was the most perfect of humanity in terms of chastity, and it is not possible for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to be tempted as other people could be tempted to do something that is not appropriate for a man of dignity and honour.
Based on that, the basic principle according to the scholars is that if there is a possibility (of interpreting something in a different manner), then quoting it as evidence is invalid. This hadith is ambiguous, and with regard to ambiguous texts, we are obliged to refer them to the unambiguous texts which clearly indicate that it is not permissible for a woman to uncover her face, and that a woman’s uncovering her face is one of the causes of fitnah (temptation) and evil. End quote.
Duroos wa Fataawa al-Haram al-Makki (1408 AH, tape no. 16, side B).
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/120388/response-to-those-who-quote-the-hadith-about-the-khathami-woman-as-evidence-for-it-being-permissible-for-a-woman-to-uncover | 186 | 120,388 |
18,829 | Ruling on a female employee wearing a shirt with the company logo over her jilbab | Question
I work for a company which requires me to wear a shirt with their logo. I am a woman who usually wears the jilbab. Is it permissible for me to wear this shirt over the jilbab? Of course I know that it is not permissible to wear pants or inappropriate clothes. | Praise be to Allah.There is nothing wrong with a woman wearing a company shirt over her jilbab, subject to two conditions:
Firstly, the shirt should be loose and not show the shape of her body, or resemble men’s shirts. For a description of how women’s clothes should be, please see the answer to question no. 6991 .
Secondly, the slogan should not include anything that is haraam, such as crosses, images of animate beings, or any symbols of disbelief.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/178251/ruling-on-a-female-employee-wearing-a-shirt-with-the-company-logo-over-her-jilbab | 186 | 178,251 |
18,830 | What should she do with her friend who does not cover, so that she will wear hijab and dress modestly? | Question
I have a friend who wears very tight clothes that show her shape. We have tried to advise her more than once, so that she will change the way she dresses, but she has not responded. Most of the time her response is to say “I am not the only one who does that.” Some people who are older than us have tried to advise her, but to no avail. Every time one of our acquaintances asks us about a potential bride for their son, we suggest our friend to them, but they reject her because of her way of dressing and her behaviour. We have decided to adopt a serious approach so that she will pay heed. Firstly, we will tell her about what happens when we suggest her as a potential bride for one of our relatives, and secondly, many young men try to chat her up in the streets, so we said: why don’t we get someone to try to chat her up, then when she answers him back, he can say to her: You are the one who are doing this to yourself. Is there anything haraam in these two ideas? What should we do with her so that she will respond to our advice? | Praise be to Allah.Firstly:
What we think is that your suggesting her as a potential bride, when she is persisting in dressing immodestly, is not acceptable and in fact is not prescribed in Islamic teaching, because the one who is consulted is in a position of trust [and expected to give good, sincere advice]. The one who is asked to suggest a potential bride is being consulted by the one who asked him, and he is being asked to offer sincere advice. It is not sincere advice and it is not fulfilling the trust implied in being consulted to choose a woman who is like this to be a bride. Rather he should choose a woman who is religiously committed, of good character, and chaste and dignified; there are many such women, praise be to Allah.
Indeed, that is not appropriate. Rather that [suggesting her as a potential bride] should only happen after she has become religiously committed and started to dress modestly. The fact that people have rejected her and shown no interest in her, because of the way she is, is the right thing to do.
Secondly:
The first approach that you have adopted, which is telling her that people have rejected her every time you suggested her as a potential bride, is a good idea, to encourage her to wear hijab. If a woman sees that people are showing no interest in her because of her shameful behaviour, perhaps that will motivate her to check herself and rectify her condition.
With regard to the other approach, which is sending someone to try to chat her up in the street, and if she reacts to say to her, “You are the one who is encouraging people to chat you up and harass you because of the immodest clothes that you are wearing and because of your deviant behavior,” is something that it is not permissible to do, for the following reasons:
It is contrary to the general meaning of the verse in which Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best” [an-Nahl 16:125]. This approach does not come under the heading of wisdom, good instruction and arguing with them in a way that is best; rather it is the approach of evildoers and promiscuous people, because it is using shameful and hurtful words and phrases.
It exposes the one who is uses this approach to harm and problems with the family of this girl, and perhaps also with passers-by. This is not enjoined by Islamic teachings; rather it is forbidden.
It exposes the one who does that to insults and curses from the girl herself, and she may even report him to the police.
It comes under the heading of evil deeds that should be forbidden, so using it to forbid or stop another evil deed is futile. One evil deed cannot be stopped or changed by another evil deed.
In fact there is no guarantee that the one who does that to her will be safe from actually being tempted by her. How many people have opened the door to temptation, out of curiosity or just for fun, or thinking that they can set things straight, but soon fell prey to temptation and were overwhelmed, to the extent that no exhortation or rebuke could benefit them after that.
Rather what is required is for young women like her, who are pious and have knowledge of their religion, to exhort her wisely and gently. They should be patient with her and be friendly towards her, showing her love and sincerity, and letting her know that what is motivating them to advise her is simply their love of good for her and their keenness that she follow the straight path, so as to protect her religious commitment and her honour, lest those who follow their whims and desires get their hopes up. Then they should explain to her that she should follow the example of righteous and pious people, not evildoers and corrupt people, for the one who imitates a people is one of them, and the one who loves a people will be gathered with them (on the Day of Resurrection).
It is not valid for her to say, “I am not the only one who is doing this.” This argument is invalid both according to Islamic teachings and reason. Otherwise it would be permissible for everyone to do whatever he wanted, on the grounds that he is not the only one who is doing that; rather many people are also doing it. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “And if you obey most of those upon the earth, they will mislead you from the way of Allah” [al-An‘aam 6:116].
You could give her some Islamic booklets and tapes that speak about the hijab and dignity, and explain the negative effects in this world and the hereafter of immodesty and not adhering to the rulings of Islam.
Then after that, Allah guides whomever He wills and leaves astray whomever He wills, so whether or not she is guided is not up to you. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “Indeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided” [al-Qasas 28:56].
For more information, please see the answers to questions no. 88086 and 107783.
If you find that she does not respond to any of that, then it is prescribed to shun her by way of rebuking her for her ways, for when she sees the closest of people to her avoiding her because of the way she is, she will be humbled by it, and there is the hope that she will mend her ways because of that.
If she is so immodest that people point at her and she has become infamous for that, then it is even more important to shun her and keep away from her, so that the reputations of those who keep company with her will not be harmed.
See also the answer to question no. 114787.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/205401/what-should-she-do-with-her-friend-who-does-not-cover-so-that-she-will-wear-hijab-and-dress-modestly | 186 | 205,401 |
18,831 | Does the fact that a woman uncovers her face whilst praying indicate that it is not ‘awrah? | Question
Islam does not allow the ‘awrah to be uncovered when praying. If a woman prays with her face uncovered, does this indicate that niqaab is not obligatory, and that the woman’s face is not ‘awrah? | Praise be to Allah.It is not correct to cite the fact that the woman uncovers her face when praying as proof that the face is not ‘awrah. To explain further:
There is no text in either the Holy Qur’an or the Prophet’s Sunnah to indicate that the worshipper is enjoined to cover his ‘awrah and uncover everything else. Therefore it is not valid to say that that which the worshipper is enjoined to cover (when praying) is ‘awrah and that what he is permitted to leave uncovered is not ‘awrah.
Rather the command regarding that in the Qur’an mentions adorning and beautifying oneself for prayer. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid [[YA at every time and place of prayer]]”
[al-A‘raaf 7:31].
Taking or wearing adornment is different from covering the ‘awrah. Therefore the worshipper is enjoined to cover that which is not ‘awrah. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade men to pray with their shoulders uncovered, even though a man’s shoulder is not ‘awrah, according to scholarly consensus.
A woman’s head and hair are not ‘awrah in the presence of her husband and mahrams such as her father and brother, yet despite that it is not permissible for her to pray in front of her husband or mahrams with her hair uncovered. In fact, she is not allowed to pray with her head uncovered even if she is on her own where no one can see her.
From this it is known that citing the fact that the woman prays with her face uncovered as evidence that the face is not ‘awrah is not correct, because prayer has its own rulings, which are different from the rulings on covering the ‘awrah outside of prayer.
This was explained by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him), who said:
If a woman prays by herself, she is enjoined to cover her head, whereas outside of prayer it is permissible for her to uncover her head in her house. So taking or wearing adornment when praying is following the command of Allah. Hence it is not permissible for anyone to circumambulate the Ka‘bah naked, even if he is alone at night, or to pray naked even if he is alone. Thus it is known that wearing adornment when praying is not for the purpose of covering oneself in front of other people, because this is one thing, and that (covering oneself in front of other people) is another thing. Therefore, the worshipper may be enjoined to cover when praying that which it is permissible to show when not praying, and when praying, a man may show that which he covers in front of other men. An example of the former is the shoulders (of a man). The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade a man to pray in a single garment with nothing of it on his shoulders. This is something that is enjoined specifically with regard to prayer, because it is permissible for a man to uncover his shoulders in the presence of other men outside of prayer. Likewise, a woman should cover her head when praying, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah does not accept the prayer of a woman who menstruates [i.e., a woman of child-bearing age] except with a headcover.” But the woman does not cover her head in the presence of her husband or of her mahrams. And it is permissible for her to show her hidden adornment to these men, but when she is praying, it is not permissible for her to uncover her head in the presence of these men or any others.
The face, hands and feet are the opposite of that. The woman cannot show them to non-mahrams according to the sounder of the two scholarly views. As for covering those parts when praying, that is not obligatory, according to the consensus of the Muslims; rather it is permissible for her to show her face and hands when praying according to the majority of scholars, such as Abu Haneefah, ash-Shaafa‘i and others; this is also one of the two views narrated from Ahmad. It is also permissible for her to show her feet [when praying] according to Abu Haneefah.
To sum up, it is proven on the basis of the religious texts and scholarly consensus that when she prays, a woman does not have to wear the jilbab that covers her completely, if she is at home; rather that is only required if she goes out. But in this instance, she is praying in her house, and even if she shows her face, hands and feet, that is fine, as they used to walk about in the beginning, before the command was revealed to “bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments” [al-Ahzaab 33:59]. So what is regarded as ‘awrah in prayer has nothing to do with what is regarded as ‘awrah that is to be covered in front of non-mahrams.
In the context of prayer, the fuqaha’ referred to “covering the ‘awrah”, but this is not the wording that was used by the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and in the Qur’an and hadith, what the worshipper is required to cover is not referred to as ‘awrah. Rather Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “O children of Adam, take your adornment at every time and place of prayer” [al-A‘raaf 7:31]. And the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade people to circumambulate the Ka‘bah naked, so it is more appropriate that no one should be allowed to pray naked. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was asked about praying in a single garment, and he said: “Does each of you have two garments?”
And he said concerning (praying in) a single garment: “If it is large enough, then wrap it around the body (covering the shoulders), and if it is too short, then tie it around the waist only.” And he forbade any man to pray in a single garment with no part of it over his shoulders. This indicates that it is enjoined to cover the ‘awrah when praying, including the thighs and other parts, even if we assume that it is permissible for a man to see those parts [of another man]. So if we assume the soundness of the view – which is one of two views narrated from Ahmad – that the ‘awrah is the private parts, front and back, and that the thigh is not ‘awrah, this has to do with the permissibility of another man looking at them, and has nothing to do with prayer or tawaaf. It is not permissible for a man to pray with his thighs uncovered, regardless of whether it is said that they are ‘awrah or not, and it is not permissible for him to do tawaaf naked. Rather he must pray in a single garment when he has no alternative; if it is too short, he should wrap it around his waist, and if it is large enough, then he should wrap it around his body (covering the shoulders). By the same token, if he is praying alone in a room, he must cover that, according to scholarly consensus. As for a man praying with his thighs uncovered when he is able to wrap something around his waist and cover them, that is not permissible and there should not be any difference of opinion concerning that. Whoever suggested that on the basis of the two reports concerning the ‘awrah – as one group did – got it wrong. Neither Ahmad nor anyone else suggested that a worshipper may pray in this manner. How could that be the case when Ahmad enjoined the worshipper to cover his shoulders; how could he permit him to uncover his thighs [when praying]?! There is a difference of scholarly opinion regarding the obligation of covering the ‘awrah if a man is on his own, but there is no difference of opinion that when he is praying he must be covered up. It is not permissible to pray naked when one is able to find a garment, according to scholarly consensus. End quote.
Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa (22/113-117).
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The ‘awrah is of two types: the ‘awrah before other people and the ‘awrah when praying. A woman may pray with her face and hands uncovered, but she does not have the right to go out like that in the marketplaces and places where people gather. End quote.
I‘laam al-Muwaqqi‘een (2/80)
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/121171/does-the-fact-that-a-woman-uncovers-her-face-whilst-praying-indicate-that-it-is-not-awrah | 186 | 121,171 |
18,832 | Ruling on a woman removing facial hair by laser | Question
What is the ruling on a woman removing facial hair by laser, and spending a lot of money on that every year? What is the ruling on doing that in Ramadan, knowing that the woman’s hair is light and there is no hormonal problem? | Praise be to Allah.It is permissible for a woman to remove facial hair by laser, subject to certain conditions:
· That this is done by a specialist female doctor. It is not permissible for it to be done by a male doctor except in the case of necessity.
Please see the answer to question no. 95891.
· That no harm results from using the laser, because of the general meaning of the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), “There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.” Narrated by Ibn Maajah (2340); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah.
Concerning that, reference should be made to specialists. Ibn Muflih (may Allah have mercy on him) said in al-Adaab ash-Shar‘iyyah (3/97): It is haraam to treat sickness or apply to the eyes anything that is najis [impure], taahir [pure] but haraam, or harmful, and so on. End quote.
· That should not involve extravagant or wasteful spending; rather the hair should be removed by the normal means by which it is removed in such cases, with no need for spending large amounts of money, for something concerning which the most that can be said is that it is permissible or an adornment, whilst noting that some scholars differ as to whether it is even permissible in the first place.
For more information, please see the answers to questions no. 20108, 153337 and 13744.
Moreover, it makes no difference in the ruling whether that is done in Ramadan or otherwise; rather whatever is permissible at times other than Ramadan does not become prohibited by fasting.
See the answer to question no. 221496.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/222576/ruling-on-a-woman-removing-facial-hair-by-laser | 186 | 222,576 |
18,833 | Obligation of wearing hijaab | Question
Assalam alaikoum, I'm a muslima since august 1996. My problem is about hijaab. I really
want to wear it but it's very difficult to do it in France. I'm not married (I will be next year,
incha Allah) and I live alone, so I'm obliged to work in my country. In France, it is
extremely difficult to find a job and wearing hijaab. I feel very bad about that, I know the
meaning of wearing hijaab, I don't want to wear it and to take it off later. For the moment, I
have large garments and do my best to have a correct attitude. I plan to go to Boston for
working next year, I know there is no problem of that kind there. My problem is just in
France and just for one year, I don't want to stay there because of the reaction of French
people (I'm French with no Arabic origins). So my question is: Is it possible (I mean
correct) to wear hijaab all the time except for working ? thank you very much. | Praise be to Allah.All praise be to Allaah, who has guided you to Islam, and we ask Allaah to give you the strength and
courage to be steadfast in following His guidance. It is the greatest blessing He has bestowed upon you,
and it is incumbent upon you to express and show thanks for this blessing, by worshipping and obeying
Him.
As for your question, wearing hijaab is a mandatory obligation which cannot be neglected. If you cannot
find a place in France that will allow you to work while wearing hijaab, then you must strive to move to a
country you can wear the hijaab while working, as you have indicated. It is not permissible for you to
not wear hijaab under any circumstance. If it is possible for you to accelerate your efforts to get married
so that you may be able to manage without working under such circumstances, this would be even better
and preferable. We share with you your feelings, in the sense of religious brotherhood, of the hardship
that faces our fellow sisters in France with regards to the issue of hijaab, and ask Allaah to strengthen
you with the courage it takes to stand up to it. By no means is it easy, and it takes great will and
determination. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=10 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/170/obligation-of-wearing-hijaab | 186 | 170 |
18,834 | No special wedding cloth in Islam | Question
We are from Fall River High School in California. We would like to know about the materials used in making Islamic bridal dresses as well as any religious significance they might have.
Thank You | Praise be to Allah.There isn't any special material in Islam for wedding cloths. Islamic Sharee'a( Ruling ) is merciful not to place such provisions. However, there are general guidelines like forbidding men from wearing items that are specific to women such natural silk or gold since both degrade manhood. Furthermore; women are forbidden to dress like men. All of this is based on the concern of the Islamic Sharee'a to distinguish between the two sexes since the removal of such distinction is primary causes for corruption and decadence. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=10 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/1348/no-special-wedding-cloth-in-islam | 186 | 1,348 |
18,835 | A Muslim woman does not have to wear hijaab in front
of her non-Muslim mother’s husband | Question
What is the ruling regarding wearing hijab in front of my mother's
husband? Neither of them are Muslim, although Alhumdulilah, they are accepting of my being
Muslim. They have no children together and married after I had already moved out of the
house. Would he be considered my mahram or not?Juzak Allah kheir | Praise be to Allah.It is not obligatory because no report to that effect has been
narrated, so we refer to the principle that all things are permitted except those which
have been expressly forbidden. As far as a mahram ( a relative whom one is permanently
forbidden to marry this includes the mothers husband) for travelling is
concerned, one of the conditions is that he should be a Muslim. And Allaah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=10 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/1912/a-muslim-woman-does-not-have-to-wear-hijaab-in-front-of-her-non-muslim-mother146s-husband | 186 | 1,912 |
18,836 | Islamic Dress Code for Females | Question
Being a Muslim woman, how must they wear their attire to say that she is a Muslim woman? | Praise be to Allah.Scholars have specified the requirements of the Muslim-woman's proper dress before al-ajanib (lit. foreigners, i.e., those to whom marriage is permissible) from both the Glorious Quran and the Sunnah.
Once a woman adheres to such conditions, she can wear whatever she likes and go out into public places so long as her hijab complies with the Islamic law.
A summary of the requirements of the Islamic dress code for females is as follows:
It should cover the whole body.
It should be thick enough, i.e. non-transparent or translucent.
It should be loose and not tight on her body.
It should not be decorated or ornate such as to attract onlookers.
It should not be perfumed.
It should not be considered libas al-shuhrah.
It should not resemble the dress of men.
It should not resemble the dress of the unbelievers.
It should not bear crosses or depictions of anything with a soul (humans, animals, etc.)
This is a summary of the requirements of the Islamic dress code for women according to the Islamic Shari'ah.
For more, please see these answers: 7436 , 13245 , 114050 , and 20475 .
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=10 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/235/islamic-dress-code-for-females | 186 | 235 |
18,837 | When is it permissible for a woman to uncover her face? | Question
We know that the most correct opinion among the scholars is that women should cover their faces, but there are many situations where women cannot cover their faces. Could you shed more light on this topic? | Praise be to Allah.The most correct opinion, which is supported by evidence, is that it is obligatory to cover the face, therefore young women are forbidden to uncover their faces in front of non-mahram men in order to avoid any mischief, and they should certainly do so when there is fear of fitnah (temptation).
On this basis, the fuqaha’ stated that in certain situations, women are permitted to uncover their faces in front of non-mahram men when it is necessary to do so, and it is permitted for those men to look at them, provided that this do not go beyond the bounds of what is necessary, because what is permitted on the grounds of necessity should not be exaggerated.
These special situations may be summed up as follows:
I – Proposal of marriage
It is permitted for a woman to uncover her face and hands in front of a man who wants to propose to her, so that he may see them, without being alone with her and without touching her, because the face gives an indication of ugliness or beauty, and the hands give an indication of whether the body is slender or plump (which in turn gives an impression about fertility).
Abu’l-Faraj al-Maqdisi said: “The scholars do not differ as to the permissibility of looking at the face… the focal point of beauty, the place one looks at…”
Many ahaadeeth indicate that it is permissible for a man to look at the woman to whom he is proposing marriage. Among them are the following:
Sahl ibn Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “A woman came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I came to give myself to you in marriage.’ So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) looked at her, he raised his gaze and stared at her, then he lowered his head. When the woman saw that he had not made any decision, she sat down. Then a man from among his Companions stood up and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, if you don’t want to marry her, then marry her to me.’ …”
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 7/19; Muslim, 4/143; al-Nisaa’i bi Sharh al-Suyooti, 6/113; al-Bayhaqi, 7/84).
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I was with the Prophet , and a man came to him and told him that he had married a woman of the Ansaar. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, ‘Have you looked at her?’ He said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘Go and look at her, for there is something in the eyes of the Ansaar.’”
(Reported by Ahmad, 2/286, 299; Muslim, 4/142; al-Nisaa’i, 2/73).
Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “When any one of you proposes marriage to a woman, if he can look at that which will encourage him to go ahead and marry her, let him do so.”
(Reported by Abu Dawood and al-Haakim. Its isnaad is hasan, and there is corroborating evidence in the hadeeth of Muhammad ibn Muslimah. It was classed as saheeh by Ibn Hibbaan and al-Haakim. It was also reported by Ahmad and Ibn Maajah, and by Ahmad and al-Bazzaar from the hadeeth of Abu Humayd. Fath al-Baari, 9/181).
Al-Zayla’i said: “It is not permissible for him to touch her face or hands – even if he feels that no desire will be aroused by doing so – because it is haraam and there is no need to do so.” In Durar al-Bihaar it says: “It is not permissible for the qaadi, the witnesses or the groom to touch her, even if they feel that no desire will be aroused by doing so, because there is no need for that.”
(Radd al-Muhtaar ‘ala’l-Durr al-Mukhtaar, 5/237).
Ibn Qudaamah said: “It is not permitted for him to be alone with her because she is still forbidden for him, and only a look is permitted, therefore being alone with her remains haraam, because there is no guarantee that he will not do something haraam if he is alone with her. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “No man is alone with a [non-mahram] woman but the Shaytaan is the third one present with them.” He should not look at her in a lustful or suspicious manner. Ahmad said, according to a report narrated by Saalih: “He should look at the face, and he should not look in a lustful manner.”
The man may look at her repeatedly, checking her features, because the desired aim cannot be achieved in any other way.”
II – Business dealings
It is permitted for a woman to uncover her face and hands when buying or selling, and it is permitted for the vendor to see her face when he hands over the goods and asks for the money, provided that this will not lead to fitnah – otherwise it is forbidden.
Ibn Qudaamah said: “If a person deals with a woman when selling or renting, he may look at her face so he knows who she is, and may go back to her when the money is due (a guarantee of the price when the deal is finalized). It was reported that Ahmad said this was makrooh in the case of a young woman, but not in the case of an old woman, and in the case where there is fear of fitnah, or where there is no need for this business deal. But in cases where it is necessary, and there is no wrongful desire, then there is no harm in it.”
(al-Mughni, 7/459; al-Sharh al-Kabeer ‘ala Matan al-Muqni’, 7/348 bi Haamish al-Mughni; al-Hidaayah ma’a Takmilat Fath al-Qadeer, 10/24).
Al-Dasooqi said: “ When testimony is given concerning a woman who wears niqaab (face-veil), she has to remove her niqaab. This applies in the case of marriage and other matters, such as selling, giving gifts, debts, power of attorney, and so on. This is the opinion favoured by our shaykh.”
(Haashiyat al-Dasooqi ‘ala’l-Sharh al-Kabeer, 4/194).
III – Medical treatment
A woman is permitted to uncover the site of her illness whether it is on her face or elsewhere on her body, for a male doctor to treat her, on the condition that her husband or mahram is present, and if she cannot find a female doctor. It is less serious for her to be seen by a doctor of the same sex, and she should not be seen by a non-Muslim doctor if a Muslim doctor is available. Also, she should not uncover more than the site of the problem.
It is not permissible for the doctor to look at or touch more than is necessary, because the issue is one of necessity and should not be exaggerated.
Ibn Qudaamah said: “it is permissible for the doctor to look at whatever is necessary of her body, of her private parts and elsewhere, because there is a need for it to be uncovered.
It was reported that a boy who had stolen something was brought to ‘Uthmaan. He said, ‘Look at his groin (to see if he had pubic hair, which would indicate whether he had reached the age of puberty [and would therefore be considered to be a responsible adult] or not).’ They did not find any pubic hair, so they did not cut off his hand.”
(Al-Mughni, 7/459; Ghidha’ al-Albaab, 1/97).
Ibn ‘Aabideen said: “He said in al-Jawharah: if the illness is in any part of her body apart from her private part, it is permitted (for the doctor) to look at it in order to treat it, because it is the matter of necessity. If the sickness is in her private part, he (the doctor) should teach a woman how to treat it. If there is nobody who can do that, and they fear that she may die or suffer unbearably, then they should cover all of her body except the site of the sickness, then a man may treat her, but he should avoid looking at her as much as he can, and look only at the site of the sickness that he is treating.”
(Radd al-Muhtaar, 5/237. See also, al-Hidaayah al-‘Alaa’iyah, p. 245).
A similar ruling applies to one who is taking care of a sick person, even if it is someone of the opposite sex, when helping the patient with wudoo’ or istinja’ (washing the private parts after using the toilet).
(See Ghidha’ al-Albaab, 1/97).
Muhammad Fu’aad said: “What indicates that it is permissible for a man to treat a woman – within the restrictions mentioned above – is the report narrated by Imaam al-Bukhaari with his isnaad from al-Rabee’ bint Mu’awwadh, who said: “We used to go out on military campaigns with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). We would bring water to the people and serve them, and bring the dead and wounded back to Madeenah.”
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 6/80, 10/136. Fath al-Baari. A similar report was narrated from Anas by Muslim, 5/196; Abu Dawood, 7/205 ma’a ‘Awn al-Ma’bood; and al-Tirmidhi, 5/301-302, who said this is hasan saheeh)
Al-Bukhaari included this hadeeth under the chapter heading Baab hal yudaawi’l-rajul ul-mar’ah wa’l-mar’at ul-rajul? (Chapter: can a man treat a woman or a woman a man?).
(Fath al-Baari, 10/136).
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar said: “The ruling that a man may treat a woman was derived from this by analogy; he (al-Bukhaari) did not confirm that, because it is possible that this referred to the time before hijaab was made obligatory, or that women used to take care of their husbands or mahrams on military campaigns. The ruling is that it is permissible for women to treat non-mahram men in cases of necessity, with as little looking and touching as possible.”
(Fath al-Baari, 10/136)
IV – Testimony
It is permissible for a woman to uncover her face when she is giving testimony in court, whether she is a witness in a case or is there to witness a deal, and it is permissible for the qaadi (judge) to look at her in order to know who she is and to protect the rights of all concerned.
Shaykh al-Dardeer said: “It is not permitted to give testimony against a woman in niqaab until she uncovers her face so that it may be known who she is and what she looks like.”
(Al-Sharh al-Kabeer li’l- Shaykh al-Dardeer, 4/194)
Ibn Qudaamah said: “The witness may look at the face of the woman against whom he is testifying so that his testimony will speak about her in specific terms. Ahmad said: ‘He cannot testify against a woman unless he knows who she is.’”
(Al-Mughni, 7/459; al-Sharh al-Kabeer ‘ala Matan al-Muqni’, 7/348, bi haamish al-Mughni; al-Hidaayah ma’a Takmilat Fath al-Qadeer, 10/26).
V – In court cases
It is permissible for a woman to uncover her face in front of a qaadi (judge) who is to rule either in her favour or against her, and in this situation he may look at her face in order to know who she is and for the sake of protecting people’s rights.
The same rules that apply to giving testimony or bearing witness also apply in court cases, because they serve the same purpose.
(See Al-Durar al-Mukhtaar, 5/237; Al-Hadiyah al-‘Alaa’iyah, p. 244; Al-Hadiyah ma’a Takmilat Fath al-Qadeer, 10/26).
VI – In front of mature boys who feel no physical desire
It is permissible – according to one of the two reports – for a woman to show in front of a mature boy who feels no physical desire what she shows in front of her mahrams, because he has no interest in women, and it is permissible for him to see all that.
Shaykh Abu’l-Faraj al-Maqdisi said: “The mature boy who feels no physical desire may see parts of a woman’s body above the navel and below the knee, according to one of the two reports, because Allah says (interpretation of the meanings): ‘… there is no sin on you or on them to move about, – attending (helping) you each other…’ [al-Noor 24:58] and ‘And when the children among you come to puberty, then let them (also) ask for permission, as those senior to them (in age)…’ [al-Noor 24:59]. This indicates that there is a differentiation between those who have reached puberty and those who have not.”
Abu ‘Abd-Allah said: “Abu Tayyibah did cupping for the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) when he was a boy.”
It was also reported that he said: “He is like the ajnabi (stranger, i.e., non-mahram), because he is like one who has reached puberty in the matter of physical desires, and this means that hijaab is required and it is forbidden to look. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): ‘… small children who have no sense of the shame of sex…’ [al-Noor 24:31]. As for small boys who are not mature, it is not necessary to cover in front of them at all.”
(Al-Sharh al-Kabeer ‘ala Matan al-Muqni’, 7/349. See also Al-Mughni, 7/458 and Ghada’ al-Albaab, 1/97).
VII – The man who has no desire
It is permissible for a woman to show in front of a man who has no desire what she can show in front of her mahrams, because he has no interest in women, and he is allowed to see all of that. Ibn Qudaamah said: “Whoever no longer feels any desire, because of old age, impotence or incurable illness, or because he is a eunuch, … or a mukhannath (the effeminate man or a man who has female hormones) who feels no desire, the ruling that applies to such a man is the same as the ruling that applies to mahrams regarding looking at women, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): ‘… or old male servants who lack vigour…’ [al-Noor 24:31], i.e., those who feel no desire for women.” Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “This is the one of whom women do not feel shy.” He also said: “This is the mukhannath who is impotent (i.e., cannot have an erection).”
It was reported that Mujaahid and Qutaadah said: “This is the one who has no interest in women, but if he is a mukhannath who feels desire and knows about women, then the rules that apply to others apply also to him, because ‘Aa’ishah said: ‘A mukhannath entered upon the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and they used to think that he was a man who felt no physical desires, but the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) entered upon us when this man was describing a woman and saying ‘When she comes in, she comes on four, and when she goes out, she goes on eight.’ The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘Do I not see that this man knows who is here? This one should never enter upon you.’ And he was kept away after that.” (Reported by Abu Dawood and others).
Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said: “The mukhannath is not only the one who is known to be promiscuous. The mukhannath is the one who looks so much like a woman physically that he resembles women in his softness, speech, appearance, accent and thinking. If he is like this, he would have no desire for women and he would not notice anything about them. This is one of those who have no interest in women who were permitted to enter upon women. Do you not see that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not prevent that mukhannath from entering upon his wives at first, but when he heard him describing the daughter of Ghaylaan and realized that he knew about women, he commanded that he should be kept away.”
(Al-Mughni, 7/463; al-Sharh al-Kabeer ‘ala Matan al-Muqni’, 7/347-348).
IX – Old women who are past marriageable age
Old women who are past marriageable age may uncover their faces and what usually appears in front of non-mahram men, but it is still better for them to remain covered.
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And as for women past child-bearing who do not expect wedlock, it is no sin on them if they discard their (outer) clothing in such a way as not to show their adornment. But to refrain (i.e., not to discard their outer clothing) is better for them…” [al-Noor 24:60]. Ibn Qudaamah said: “In the case of old women who are past marriageable age, there is nothing wrong if they show what ordinarily appears, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning), ‘And as for women past child-bearing who do not expect wedlock…’ [al-Noor 24:60].” Ibn ‘Abbaas said concerning the aayahs (interpretation of the meanings), “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze…” [al-Noor 24:30] and “Tell the believing women to lower their gaze…” [al-Noor 24:31]: “Old women who no longer expect to get married were exempted from this. The same exemption also applied to women who are deformed and are not desirable.”
(Al-Mughni, 7/463; al-Sharh al-Kabeer ‘ala Matan al-Muqni’, 7/347-348).
X – Uncovering the face in front of kaafir women
The scholars have differed concerning how a Muslim woman should appear in front of kaafir women.
Ibn Qudaamah said: “The ruling concerning women dealing with women is the same as that concerning men dealing with men. There is no difference between Muslims, and no difference between a Muslim woman and a dhimmi (non-Muslim living under Muslim rule) woman, just as there is no difference between two Muslim men or between a Muslim man and a dhimmi man when it comes to seeing. Ahmad said: ‘Some people think that she should not take off her head covering in front of a Jewish or Christian woman. However, I think that she (a Jewish or Christian woman) should not see the private part (of a Muslim woman), or attend her when she gives birth (i.e., she should not be her midwife, because she will look at the most private part of her body when she gives birth – except in cases of necessity, as discussed above).’”
Another opinion was reported from Ahmad, according to which a Muslim woman should not remove her niqaab in front of a dhimmi woman, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… or their women …” [al-Noor 24:31]. But the first opinion is more correct, because kaafir women, Jewish and others, used to enter upon the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and they did not wear hijaab in front of them nor were they commanded to do so. ‘Aa’ishah said that a Jewish woman used to come and talk to her, saying “May Allah save you from the punishment of the grave,” and she [‘Aa’ishah] asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)… Asma’ said, “My mother came to me, and she had no desire to become Muslim. I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), ‘Should I uphold the ties of kinship with her?’ and he said, ‘Yes.’”
Moreover, hijaab between men and women serves a purpose that is not an issue in the case of a Muslim woman and a dhimmi woman, just as it is not an issue in the case of a Muslim man and a dhimmi man. Hijaab is obligatory when there is a text stating that it is so or the obligation may be understood by analogy; in the case of a Muslim woman and a non-Muslim woman, there is neither text nor analogy.
The aayah “… or their women …” [al-Noor 24:31] could refer to all women.
(Al-Mughni, 7/464; al-Sharh al-Kabeer ‘ala Matan al-Muqni’, 7/351 bi haamish al-Mughni).
Ibn al-‘Arabi al-Maaliki said: “The correct view, in my opinion, is that this permissible in the case of all women, and that it appears with the pronoun ( -hinna = their) to match the rest of the aayah. This is the aayah of pronouns, where the pronoun -hinna appears twenty-five times; there is nothing else like it in the Qur’aan. So this word matches the others.”
(Ahkaam al-Qur’aan, 3/326).
Al-Aloosi said: “Al-Fakhr al-Raazi suggested that the dhimmi woman is like the Muslim woman, and he said: “The correct opinion is that she (the dhimmi woman) is like the Muslim woman, and ‘their women’ means all women. The opinion of the salaf (early generations of Islam) should be understood on the basis that (covering in front of non-Muslim women) is preferable, but it is not obligatory.” Then he said: “This view is easier for people today, for Muslim woman can hardly observe hijaab in front of dhimmi women.”
(Tafseer al-Aloosi, 19/143).
Muhammad Fu’aad said: “If this opinion was easier in their time, then no doubt it is more appropriate and easier in our own time, especially for those women who, because of circumstances beyond their control, find that they have to live in non-Muslim countries, where they mix with non-Muslim women and their lives are interwoven with theirs, to the extent that observing hijaab in front of them is fraught with difficulties. Truly, to Allah we belong, and truly, to Him we shall return.”
XI – Hajj and ‘Umrah
Women must uncover their faces and hands when they enter ihraam for Hajj or ‘Umrah. At this time, they are forbidden to wear niqaab and gloves, because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The woman who is in ihraam must not wear niqaab or gloves.”
If a woman needs to cover her face because men are passing close by her, or she is beautiful and is sure that men are looking at her, she should drop a part of head covering over her face, because of the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah in which she said, “Riders were passing by us, and we were in ihraam with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), so when they came near, each of us would lower her jilbaab over her face, and when they went away we would uncover our faces again.”
Al-Juzayri said, reporting from them: “A woman may cover her face for a necessary reason, such as non-mahram men passing close by her, and the fact that (the cloth) will touch her face does not matter. This is to make it easy and alleviate hardship.”
(Al-Fiqh ‘ala’l-Madhaahib al-Arba’ah, 1/645).
These are situations in which it is acceptable for a woman to uncover her face and hands, explained in detail by the fuqaha’ and scholars. But there is one other situation which deserves our attention, and that is when a Muslim woman is forced to uncover her face – what is the ruling in this case?
XII – Compulsion
Some oppressive regimes have instituted harsh laws which go against the religion of Islam and rebel against Allah and His Messenger. These laws prevent Muslim women from wearing proper hijaab, and some of them even remove their niqaab by force and subject them to the worst type of oppression and persecution.
Women who wear niqaab have been subjected to harassment in certain European countries, where they have been subjected to harm, and Islam and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) have been slandered.
Therefore, when a woman is certain that she is likely to be subjected to unbearable harassment, she is permitted to uncover her face. It is better to follow a scholarly opinion which is less correct than to expose herself to trouble at the hands of evil men.
If a woman is permitted to uncover her face and hands in the situations described above, which do not involve force or harassment, then surely it is more likely that she is permitted to uncover them when she is faced with a threat to herself and her religion, especially when her niqaab may expose her to tormentors who may pull the hijaab from her head or subject her to worse abuse. In cases of necessity, things that are ordinarily forbidden are permitted, within the limits of what is strictly necessary, as the scholars have stated, but this should not lead one to take the matter of covering the face lightly. Each woman must evaluate the situation in which she is living and learn from her own experience and that of others, so that she will be sure of what is a case of real necessity, as opposed to her own whims and weaknesses.
Although women are permitted to uncover their faces and hands in the exceptional situations described above, they are not permitted to wear make-up and visible jewellery if they do so. It is forbidden for them to display these things in front of non-mahram men, according to all the fuqaha’, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… and not to show off their adornment…” [al-Noor 24:31], and because there is no need to do so.
(Hijaab al-Muslimah bayna Intihaal wa Ta’weel al-Jaahileen, p. 239).
We ask Allah to reform the Muslims. May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=10 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/2198/when-is-it-permissible-for-a-woman-to-uncover-her-face | 186 | 2,198 |
18,838 | Ruling on preventing women with improper hijab from entering the mosque | Question
Is it permissible to prohibit women who are
not covered in the proper islaamic covering from entering the masjid ? (after they have
been given the proper naseeha) Please advise the daleel.Jazzakallahu khayrun | Praise be to Allah.Alone, and peace and blessings be
upon him after whom there is no Prophet.
If a woman comes to the mosque wearing improper hijab, then according
to Islam she should be advised and have explained to her – with the daleel or proof
– the fact that hijab is obligatory, and the seriousness of neglecting it. If she
then complies, then praise be to Allah. If she does not comply, then do not let her enter,
because of the fitnah (temptation) and evil involved in her actions. The Prophet
(peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Any woman who has put on bukhoor
(incense, fragrance) should not attend this ‘Isha’ prayer with us.” (Reported
by Muslim, 675). And he
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said
concerning women’s going out to the mosque: “Let them go out unperfumed” (reported
by Abu Dawood, 478), i.e., not wearing any perfume. Women have to go out
wearing complete Islamic hijab, and not wearing adornment or perfume. And Allaah knows
best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=10 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/2945/ruling-on-preventing-women-with-improper-hijab-from-entering-the-mosque | 186 | 2,945 |
18,839 | Conditions of Muslim woman’s hijaab | Question
Being a Muslim Woman,how must they wear their attire to say that she is a muslim woman. | Praise be to Allah.The scholars have based the conditions of the hijaab (covering) which Muslim women must wear in front of non-mahram men on the evidence in the Qur’aan and Sunnah. So long as a woman adheres to these conditions, she may wear whatever she likes in public places and elsewhere, and her hijaab will be considered Islamic. These conditions may be summarized as follows:
The hijaab must cover her entire body
It should be thick enough to conceal what is underneath it
It should be loose-fitting, not tight
It should not be so attractive as to call men’s attention to it
It should not be perfumed
It should not be a dress of fame and vanity (i.e., it shouldn't be extravagant or excessively opulent)
It should not resemble the dress of men
It should not resemble the dress of kaafir women
It should not be adorned with any crosses or pictures of animate beings
Further discussion of each of the above points will appear soon, in sha Allaah. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=10 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/214/conditions-of-muslim-womans-hijaab | 186 | 214 |
18,840 | After becoming Muslim, should she ask those who were her friends in the past to remove pictures of her that they have on Facebook? | Question
A woman became Muslim and her previous non-Muslim friends (including men) have many photos of her on Facebook. The photos are from before she became Muslim and when she was around 15-16.
Does she need to contact all the 'owners' of the photos and explain that she became Muslim and ask them to take the photos down? Or is it part of what is forgiven from jahiliyah?
If she needs to try and have them taken down, should she also request it for certain photos posted by men many years ago. If she asks them to remove the photo, they will then revisit the photo and see her without hijab/jilbab..and she doesn't think that they look at those photos anymore. | Praise be to Allah.Firstly:
You should understand that Islam erases everything that came before it of sins and that repentance erases that which came before it.
Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Say to those who have disbelieved, if they cease (from disbelief) their past will be forgiven”
[al-Anfaal 8:38].
Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Allah, may He be exalted, says to His Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): Tell those who have disbelieved that if they give up what they are following of disbelief, dissent and stubbornness, and they enter Islam, obey Allah and repent, He will forgive them what is in the past, i.e., their disbelief, sins and mistakes. End quote. Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 4/48
Al-Bukhaari (6921) and Muslim (120) narrated that Ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him) said: A man said: O Messenger of Allaah, will we be held accountable for what we did during the Jaahiliyyah? He said: “Whoever does good deeds in Islam will not be held accountable for what he did during the Jaahiliyyah, but whoever does evil in Islam will be held accountable for the former and the latter.”
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: What is meant by doing good here is entering Islam both outwardly and inwardly and becoming a Muslim in the true sense. The one who does that will be forgiven for what he did previously when he was a disbeliever, according to the text of the Holy Qur’an and the saheeh hadeeth, “Islam erases that which came before it” (narrated by Muslim, 121), as well as according to the consensus of the Muslims. End quote.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Just as Islam erases what came before it, repentance also erases what came before it. End quote.
Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa, 22/12
Secondly:
The one who becomes Muslim or repents from sin is only required to set straight the consequences of previous actions that he is able to set straight. With regard to these old pictures, the person in them will not be brought to account for them now, in sha Allah, so long as she has given up that haraam action. Rather all she has to do is remove whatever she is able to remove herself. As for contacting those who were her friends before she became Muslim and asking them to remove the pictures, that depends on whatever will best serve the purpose and what she thinks is most likely to be the case. If she knows that any of them would respond to that request and respect her privacy, then she may ask them to do that. As for those who she thinks will most likely not respect it or may become more stubborn or more interested in her pictures, she should not ask them for that.
If she thinks it most likely – according to what she knows about them – that they will not care about her pictures after she has left them, and they will not pay any attention to them, then it is better for her to keep quiet and let them forget about her.
See also the answer to question no. 46505 .
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=2 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/198143/after-becoming-muslim-should-she-ask-those-who-were-her-friends-in-the-past-to-remove-pictures-of-her-that-they-have-on-facebook | 186 | 198,143 |
18,841 | Ruling on taking off the niqab in foreign countries | Question
I am very confused and I would like to find out the ruling. I took off my niqab because people were staring at me, because my husband said, “I don’t like to look at you.” That is because all the people are looking at me and finding it (my niqab) strange. My husband decided that I should take it off, because he said: I do not want people to look at you but you are attracting attention to yourself by wearing the niqab. So I took the niqab off, but I am very sad about what I have done; but my husband told me that it is sufficient to wear the Islamic abayah and hijab and cover completely except the face. What should I do? What is the ruling? Is that permissible or not? Is it permissible for me to wear a jacket over the abayah when it is cold, because I heard that wearing the jacket is not permissible because it shows the woman’s shoulders and the shape of her body. What is the ruling if I drive by myself to work and I work on my own in some place? | Praise be to Allah.Firstly:
It is obligatory for a woman to cover all of her body in front of non-mahram men, including the face. This is the correct opinion, as explained previously in the answer to question no. 11774.
The woman is obliged to adhere to that even if she is in a non-Muslim society, out of obedience to her Lord and adherence to her religion. It does not matter if people stare or find it strange. Usually this astonishment fades after awhile, when the woman becomes known in her neighbourhood and the area around her.
The fuqaha’ have stipulated that for it to be permissible for a Muslim to live in a non-Muslim country, the Muslim should be able to practice his religion openly. If he is not able to practice his religion openly, it is haraam for him to stay there and he is obliged to migrate if possible.
Secondly:
There is nothing wrong with wearing a jacket on cold days, on condition that it be worn under the khimaar. Thus the problem of showing the size of the shoulders and shape of the body will be avoided. If it is not possible to wear it beneath the khimaar, then the jacket should be large and not show the true size.
Thirdly:
It is permissible for a woman to work on her own in a place, if she is safe and can avoid being alone with non-mahram men, by leaving the door open or by having the front of the place made of glass, and so on; she should also limit conversation to what is necessary.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: I heard that it is permissible for a woman to work in buying and selling. Is that permissible if I adhere to hijab?
He replied: Yes, it is permissible for a woman to work in buying and selling, or renting, on condition that this does not lead to anything that is forbidden in Islam and this is how it has always been among the Muslims. We see that in the case of ‘Aa’ishah the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her): Bareerah came to her asking for help in freeing herself from slavery. Then ‘Aa’ishah bought her from her masters (and subsequently manumitted her). This is how people are nowadays: a woman may go to a store and buy something from the shopkeeper, and he may sell to her. Similarly, a woman may have property that she rents out. The point is that there is nothing wrong with a woman buying and selling, but that is subject to the condition that it does not lead to anything that is forbidden in Islam. If it does lead to something that is forbidden in Islam, such as mixing with men in a haraam manner, then it is not permissible.
End quote from Fataawa Noor ‘ala ad-Darb.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=2 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/152061/ruling-on-taking-off-the-niqab-in-foreign-countries | 186 | 152,061 |
18,842 | Hijab in Islam is not due to sexual obsession | Question
I am curious about the coverings that you have to wear if youre a female in your religion/culture. it really does all seem very vain for us that are Christian because it implies that a woman thinks every man wants her if she is not wearing this type of garb. it also seems that men are not to be trusted with someone from your culture/religion becuase of your "beauty" that you feel you posess, but people could be beautiful and not every man wants them. can you shed some light on this for me? I will be honest and say that when I see someone wearing this, I always think "how vain are you?". thank you ahead of time for replying. | Praise be to Allah.First of all we would like to thank you for your frankness, the clarity of your question and your search for an answer. We hope that you will find the answer in these few lines we write.
We will begin our answer by posing a question, which we would like you to answer, then after that our point will become clear, by Allah’s leave. Our question is: do you think that if a girl takes off all her clothes and walks about in the markets of London or Paris completely naked, will you accept that from her or will the authorities and laws in that place allow her to do that?
We think it most likely that your answer will be no, and that you will not accept this idea, especially since the laws that protect public order do not allow that at all. This is no secret to anyone who lives in that country.
If we take it to another level, we say to you: do you think that if she wore something that covered her private parts, but it uncovered her chest and she went shopping topless, we think that you would also agree that such behaviour is ill-mannered and that it is disrespectful and a transgression of public etiquette as it is known among people.
Forget about those who expose themselves blatantly; what do you think that if a woman went out in the streets and public places wearing nightclothes…?
Perhaps you also know that the authorities in Western countries have the right to object to those who wear swimwear in public places, and that the manager of the company or boss in a workplace has the right to prevent female employees from working with him wearing revealing, provocative clothing, and it is mandatory to wear regular, modest clothing.
Our question now is: do you think all these countries, people, organisations, laws and customs are vain or obsessed with sex, as you say? Or do you think they are abhorrent and unjust, aimed at suppressing freedom, and could not be introduced by anyone but people who are obsessed with sex? Do you think that if a woman uncovers her chest or her private parts or wears swimwear in public places, all men will want her or that she is engaging in prostitution and trying to tempt them?
If you say that there is a difference between the two scenarios, and nakedness in public places is unacceptable, but that uncovering the hair and face is something normal and is not provocative and does not transgress public order, we say to you: who is to decide between us and you in defining the parts of the body that may be uncovered and the parts that it is unacceptable to uncover? Why do you want to make us adhere to the limits that you set, and do not want to accept the limits set out in Islamic sharee‘ah?
Furthermore, why should a particular society, such as Western society, decide for other societies what is appropriate for them and what is not?
Once you know that banning nakedness or scanty dress in public places does not imply all the things that you mentioned in your question, then we would tell you that we Muslims believe that modest dress is this hijab which you see Muslim women wearing and accuse them of being vain?
Why do you look at modesty, or whatever you think is contrary to public taste, manners and morals – why do you regard your point of view or that of your society as the criterion for judging other societies or people?
Why do you reject our view concerning this matter, and ask us to adhere to your concept and definition of modesty? If a girl uncovers her thighs and stomach, is this modesty? Or should she limit it to uncovering her legs and forearms only? What is the guideline for your choices in this matter? What right do you have to make all of humanity adhere to your particular concept?
Or: is this a remnant of the “right” of the white man or, let’s say, the white or blonde woman, to control the world and define its concepts, customs, manners and taste?
Why do you not describe the Virgin Mary (peace be upon her) as you have described us in your question as being “vain”? You know that she wore a kind of hijab. Did she understand modesty as something sexual, according to your description?
Why do women in the church cover their hair during the service in the church and during the prayer?
What is the difference between the state of prayer and outside prayer? If wearing the hijab during prayer increases piety and faith, then why would a woman remove part of her faith and piety outside of prayer?
Why do you not make the same accusation of vanity with regard to what is mentioned in the first Epistle of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians, in which he says:
“But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved.
For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.
A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.
For man did not come from woman, but woman from man;
neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.
It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels.”
1 Corinthians 11:5-10 – New International Version (NIV)
In the first Epistle of Paul to Timothy, it says:
“I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes,
but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.
A woman should learn in quietness and full submission.
I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.”
1 Timothy 2:9-12– New International Version (NIV)
Furthermore, the face-covering (niqab) is also mentioned in the Bible, as a sign of modesty and good manners in a woman.
In the book of Genesis it says:
“He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching.
Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel
and asked the servant, ‘Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?’
‘He is my master,’ the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself.”
Genesis 24:63-66 – New International Version (NIV).
We do not have room here to quote more verses than these. There have been specialist studies dealing with such matters, which you can try to find and study.
All we are trying to do is base our discussion with you on logic and fair-mindedness towards others and on a sound foundation of thinking and discussion, far removed from any accusations of “vanity” and the like. Such accusations are the easiest thing for an opponent to say, and there is no one who is not able to refute them or respond in kind.
We assure you that the obligation of hijab in Islamic sharee‘ah is not because Islam accuses every woman who does not wear hijab of being immoral, or because all men will look at her as a focus for their wickedness and desires. Islamic societies raise people to be righteous and pious at all stages of upbringing, in the family and in the street, school, mosque and at university. The fact that there are many Islamic rulings that encourage good manners, decency, chastity and modesty is sufficient to deter many people from committing immoral actions.
But Islam does not only look at the majority of people; rather it pays attention to the fact that there is also a small percentage of evildoers, in order to protect the well-being of the majority and so that they will not be affected by the actions of the minority, that could spoil life for people and spread immorality if they are not stopped, just as if the authorities in Western countries left perverts, homosexuals and the patrons of strip clubs to act upon their desires and preferences in the streets or in public places, without any checks or measures – you can imagine what the consequences would be for those societies.
Here we will present to you a further quotation which says that attempts to remove women’s niqabs (face veils) and make them uncover their faces is the way of the evildoers.
In the Catholic edition of the book of Daniel, it says:
“Now Susanna was a woman of great refinement and beautiful in appearance.
As she was veiled, the scoundrels ordered her to be unveiled, so that they might feast their eyes on her beauty.”
Daniel 13:30-31 – New Revised Standard Edition
No comment!
Finally, we invite you to read studies on safety which keep an eye on statistics charting attacks on women, such as rape for example. You will find terrifying numbers. According to the organization RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network), which is the largest American national organisation against sexual assault, every two minutes in America there is a sexual assault, which means that sexual assaults in one year number 207,754. This is a huge number which requires a serious effort to unearth the causes and look for the remedy. See:
http://rainn.org/get-information/statistics/frequency-of-sexual-assault
If we were to look for statistics on marital infidelity, illegitimate children, broken families, and incest, we would find many problems that occurred as a result of women not dressing properly and overstepping the limits that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, set for them in the Holy Qur’an, and which can be found even in the Old and New Testament as they exist in print form, as mentioned above.
We hope that you will think about what we have mentioned above, after which we may discuss further the main reasons that motivate Muslim women to wear hijab, and the psychological and social effects of that piece of cloth.
If you accept our logic in this debate, we welcome all questions and sincere requests to learn more about the religion of Islam.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=2 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/194976/hijab-in-islam-is-not-due-to-sexual-obsession | 186 | 194,976 |
18,843 | She wants to take off her hijab because she was forced to wear it when she was young! | Question
Should my sister have stopped wearing the hijaab and abaya because she thought she was pushed into it too early by myself and her friends? She said she started wearing it with a “numb mind” and she wasnt thinking straight due to a hectic start at Uni and pressure from other people.
Keep in mind that she has been already considering starting the hijaab for a long time before we persuaded her to start.
Also, I believe my mum played a huge role in my sister quitting her hijaab as she shouted at her for a very very long time out of shock. She even started crying and stated a lot of reasons why she shouldnt start before she gets married. My sister came out with the news the next day that she is going to start “when the time is right”.
My mum says she knows what she did was wrong and she repented. However she says its a weakness she has and if it happens again she will do the same thing.
Did my sister do the right thing if she was truly feeling this way (pushed too early and not because of my mums ridiculing)?
And is my mums repentance sincere and valid if she feels sad and remorse but knows she’ll do it again for worldly reasons? | Praise be to Allah.Firstly:
The Muslim woman is obliged to wear shar‘i hijab (hijab as prescribed in Islamic teachings) in obedience to Allah and His Messenger, and so as to protect and maintain her honour, good conduct, religious commitment and chastity.
Please see the answer to question no. 13998
Secondly:
The guardian should instruct his daughters to wear hijab and make them adhere to it, and the mother should do likewise, because the parents are responsible for their children, and for raising them properly and ensuring that they adhere to obedience to Allah as much as possible.
Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O you who believe! Ward off yourselves and your families against a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones”
[al-Tahreem 66:6].
Al-Bukhaari (844) and Muslim (3408) narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock.”
The same applies to all members of the family; each of them must help his brother or his sister to obey Allah.
See also the answer to question no. 93775
If the daughter refuses to wear hijab, then she should be forced to wear it; it is not permissible to be lenient towards her in that regard. Rather if one of the parents tells the daughter to take off her hijab, it is not permissible for her to obey them in that, because there is no obedience to any created being if it involves disobedience towards the Creator.
Please see the answer to question no. 20791
The excuse that some people give for abandoning hijab and paying no heed to the command of Allah and the command of His Messenger – “I want to wear it out of conviction, without anybody forcing me to do it” – comes from the prompting and trickery of the Shaytaan, and his confusing the children of Adam.
Then you should say to her, “Come on, wear it now, out of conviction, and forget about the past when you wore it without conviction. Allah and His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) have enjoined it upon you, so you don’t need anyone to force you. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): ‘But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad SAW) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission’ [an-Nisa’ 4:65]; ‘The only saying of the faithful believers, when they are called to Allah (His Words, the Quran) and His Messenger (SAW), to judge between them, is that they say: “We hear and we obey.” And such are the prosperous ones (who will live forever in Paradise). And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger (SAW), fears Allah, and keeps his duty (to Him), such are the successful ones’ [an-Noor 24:51, 52].
“You do not need an interval between wearing it out of conviction and wearing it because you were forced to do so, as you claim. This is not a matter of divorce and marriage, such that you need an ‘iddah between the two!”
What you have to do is explain your sister’s mistake to her, and exhort her to obey Allah and obey His Messenger, and warn her of His punishment, and the evil consequences of sin for the children of Adam. At the same time, you should be kind to her, and try hard to dispel her doubts, if she has doubts; be patient with her, whilst striving to offer supplication for her, asking Allah to guide her to that which pleases Him, for people’s hearts are between two of the fingers of the Most Merciful – if it be His will to make her steadfast in following His command, He will make her steadfast; if it be His will to cause her to go astray, He will cause her to go astray.
For more information, please see the answer to question no. 107783
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=2 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/212658/she-wants-to-take-off-her-hijab-because-she-was-forced-to-wear-it-when-she-was-young | 186 | 212,658 |
18,844 | A new Muslimah is doubtful about the obligation of wearing hijab when praying | Question
Im a new muslim revert. Im wondering how a muslimah is to dress during prayer. It doesn't say to wear hijab during salaat in quran or at least I couldn't find it. Will my prayers still be accepted if I don't wear hijab or something that doesn't cover my body? I wear hijab in public and around men but I know Allah isn't looking at me sexually so why do I have to cover up? When I die I will only be wearing a white sheet and no clothes and when I rise from the grave on judgment day, I will still have no clothes on. When I speak to Allah on judgment day I will be naked so why is it not ok for me to speak to Allah during salaat wearing whatever I want? Allah sees everything and he is my creator so that means he sees me naked all the time. Islam and salaat is supposed to be easy. I feel I'm losing my Iman and I haven't been praying lately because of this issue and I can't find the right answer. I want to pray wearing only my pajamas (short and t-shirt) but I'm afraid something bad will happen to me if I don't wear hijab. | Praise be to Allah.First of all, we would like to congratulate you for the blessing of Islam and faith, and we ask Allah, may He be exalted, to bless you and guide you in this world and the hereafter.
You should understand that the wise person is the one who is fair-minded and thinks objectively, paying attention to all angles of the matter he is examining, so that he will not fall prey to contradiction: today he finds himself doubting the reason why he should cover up when praying, but if the Sunnah was to be uncovered when praying, he would soon find himself having doubts and questioning the reason why one should uncover oneself too. So when Islam enjoins covering up he objects to it, and if it were to enjoin uncovering he would object, and so on. On this website, we hear about the thoughts of confused and troubled people a great deal, as they are living in a vicious circle to which there is no end unless they block the whispers of the Shaytaan, otherwise the Shaytaan may well impact their religious and worldly affairs.
All people understand that the issue of clothing differs from one situation to another. The workplace and formal occasions are not like leisure trips or being at home. A person’s situation in this world is not like his situation in the grave, beneath the earth; whoever thinks that these situations should be alike is contradicting sound reasoning, and will end up thinking that these rational standards contradict one another, but his thinking is not based on any rational or shar‘i principles.
By the same token, in your question you want to compare your situation when standing before Allah in prayer to your situation in the grave or on the Day of resurrection, or to your situation when you are wearing house clothes or pyjamas! Not only that, you think that this wrong analogy is becoming a serious problem in your mind, and a catastrophe that you cannot stop thinking about, to such an extent that doubts have begun to creep into your heart. This is a sign of lack of reasoning which requires you to ponder and think about it, so that you do not let it affect your affairs in this world, let alone the hereafter.
Fine, if you want to draw analogies, which situations will you choose?
Would you prefer to pray naked, as your mother bore you and as you will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection?
Or do you want to pray in a shroud whilst you are still alive in this world, as the deceased is wrapped in his shroud?
The situation you are looking for is not what Allah has prescribed, neither is it akin to the situation of the deceased in his grave or the situation of people on the Day of Resurrection. You are not following the conclusions of your own analogy or the teachings of Islam.
Let us say that there is no good reason for all of that, and there is nothing that deserves all this thought or doubts. The matter is far too insignificant for that. If you were to ask any wise person about the wisdom behind Muslim men and women covering when they pray, he would not hesitate to tell you that it is for the purpose of showing respect, being modest and observing proper etiquette before Allah, may He be glorified, when standing before Him and communicating with Him. It is something wonderful to stand before Him, may He be glorified and exalted, when you are fully dressed in the manner that He asks of you and that He loves for you, which is to wear hijab and to cover the head in particular, as well as the rest of the body. Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O Children of Adam! Take your adornment (by wearing your clean clothes), while praying and when going round (the Tawaaf of) the Ka‘bah, and eat and drink but waste not by extravagance, certainly He (Allah) likes not Al-Musrifoon (those who waste by extravagance)”
[al-A‘raaf 7:31].
What is meant by “while praying” is at the time of every prayer, whether it is in the mosque or otherwise.
Al-‘Allaamah as-Sa‘di (may Allah have mercy on him) said: That is, cover your ‘awrah at the time of all prayers, obligatory or voluntary, for covering it is adornment for the body, whereas uncovering leaves the body unpleasing and off-putting.
It may be that what is meant by adornment here is more than merely covering, namely clean and proper clothing. This indicates that it is enjoined to cover the ‘awrah when praying and to choose nice clothes for it, and keeping that clothing clean and free of dirt and impurities.
End quote from Tayseer al-Kareem ar-Rahmaan (p. 287)
Prayer is a serious matter, in which one is standing before Allah; the Muslim slave converses in the prayer with his Lord, focusing his mind and heart on his Lord and Creator, with presence of mind, humility and tranquillity, hoping for His mercy and fearing His punishment; he places his head and nose on the ground in humility before Allah, may He be glorified and exalted. In this important situation, nothing is befitting except for the Muslim man or woman to be completely and properly clothed, in garments that befit a meeting with the King of kings, may He be glorified and exalted, not in night clothes or work clothes.
Moreover, you have to realise and have a firm belief – as you are a sincere Muslim – that Islam means submitting and surrendering to Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, because of what is mentioned in His holy Book and what is narrated in the Sunnah of His Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). What the Muslim must do, if he finds himself confused and unable to see the wisdom in any matter, is to seek the light of Revelation which will show him the way; this Revelation which comes from Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, is to be found in the Qur’an and Sunnah. Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O you who believe (in Moosa (Moses) (i.e. Jews) and ‘Eesa (Jesus) (i.e. Christians))! Fear Allah, and believe too in His Messenger (Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)), He will give you a double portion of His Mercy, and He will give you a light by which you shall walk (straight), and He will forgive you. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful”
[al-Hadeed 57:28]
“Certainly, We have brought to them a Book (the Qur’an) which We have explained in detail with knowledge, - a guidance and a mercy to a people who believe”
[al-A‘raaf 7:52].
The Muslim seeks guidance in Islamic teachings, and is not like those of whom Allah, may He be glorified, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And among men is he who disputes about Allah, without knowledge or guidance, or a Book giving light (from Allah)”
[al-Hajj 22:8].
This is one of the basic meanings of Islam, faith in Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, and belief in His Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) – not what you are doing of doubting every little thing to the extent that you describe in your question. There is no justification for that, for you could have continued to pray as the Muslims do, then ask whatever questions you wanted to after that; you should not have given in to the whispers and doubts of the Shaytaan and stopped praying altogether.
The Holy Qur’an is the word of Allah, and the word of Allah is perfect, fair and precise; it has no shortcomings whatsoever. Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, is the One Who says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)) gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it) , and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment”
[al-Hashr 59:7].
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed women to cover themselves when praying, and to wear hijab and cover their heads. It is proven from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah does not accept the prayer of any woman who menstruates unless (she wears) a head cover.” [What is meant by a “woman who menstruates” here is a woman who has reached the age of menstruation, not a woman who actually has her menses.]
See Ma‘aalim as-Sunan (1/180). Narrated by Abu Dawood in as-Sunan (641); at-Tirmidhi in as-Sunan (277) – he said: It is a hasan hadeeth. The ruling of the scholars based upon this hadeeth is that when a woman reaches the age of puberty, if she prays with any part of her hair uncovered, then her prayer is not valid.
Ibn al-Mundhir (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
They were unanimously agreed that the free adult woman must cover her head when she prays, and that if she prays with all of her head uncovered, then she must repeat the prayer.
End quote from al-Ijmaa‘ (p. 43)
If you do not want to follow the Prophet’s Sunnah with regard to this matter, then why do you pray Zuhr with four rak‘ahs, when you will not find this number in the Book of Allah? Why do you give zakaah at a rate of 2.5%, when you will not find this number in the Qur’an either? In fact the Muslims take all of those numbers from the saheeh Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), for Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Nor does he speak of (his own) desire.
It is but a revelation revealed”
[an-Najm 53:3-4].
Our scholars (may Allah have mercy on him) said that the verse “while praying” [al-A‘raaf 7:31] is one of the teachings of the Qur’an that helped primitive nations to become civilised. Just as the Arabs during the Jaahiliyyah used to circumambulate the Ka‘bah naked, many nations did not have the culture of wearing clothing and adorning themselves with clothing. By requiring people to dress fully, Islam became one of the means of those nations taking a huge leap forward in terms of civilisation.
Al-‘Allaamah Muhammad Rasheed Rida (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
This instruction to wear adornment “while praying” – and not only in al-Masjid al-Haraam – is one of the basic principles that form a sound foundation for a person’s religious and worldly affairs. Some of the value of this principle may be understood from the reports that speak of the reason for revelation of these verses. Indeed, in order to fully appreciate its value we need to know something of the history of nations and religions, and to understand that most wild peoples who live in the bush and in the jungle, as individuals or in groups, and live in caves, and many idol worshipping tribes who live on ocean islands and African mountains all live naked, both women and men. But whenever Islam reached any of these peoples, it taught them to wear clothes by making it obligatory to cover themselves and adorn themselves. When some European missionaries went to extremes in criticising Islam in order to put people off it and turn them away from it, and to incite Europe against the Muslims, one fair-minded person among them responded by reminding them that the spread of Islam in Africa was in fact a blessing to Europe, because it had spread civility among the people by making them give up nakedness and obliging them to wear clothes, and this was the reason for the European textile industry finding a market among them!
Indeed I say that there are some idol worshipping nations that have a strong civilisation and a high level of various branches of knowledge and the arts, but most of them live naked, but when any of them is guided to Islam, they begin to wear clothes and adorn themselves, then they begin to make clothes. Then their idol-worshipping neighbours begin to imitate them to some extent. Thus we see India, whose civilisation was highly developed in the past and at present, despite the prevalence of idol worship; you still find thousands of their women and men fully naked or half naked or three quarters naked. You see some of the men in stores and factories almost naked, covering only the private parts, or only covering the lower half of the body; and a woman may leave her belly, thighs or the upper part of her body – all or some of it – uncovered. Some of their fair-minded scholars have admitted that the Muslims are the ones who taught them to wear clothes and to eat from vessels. Many of the poor people still put food on leaves and eat from them. But they are better off than many other polytheists in terms of covering and adornments, because the Muslims used to rule them, and Indian Muslims are still among the most advanced Muslims on Earth in terms of knowledge, deeds and influence over the idolaters in their country.
As for the Muslims further east, where ignorance is prevalent, they are closer to the idolaters than to the Muslims in terms of the way they dress and in many of their religious rituals. An example is the Muslim women of Thailand who do not regard any part of the body as ‘awrah apart from the private parts, as mentioned above. Wherever Islam grows stronger, then you will find that covering and adornment that is befitting of human dignity and civility.
Whoever understands this will realise the value of this important principle in Islam. Were it not for the fact that this most civilised faith made clothing and adornment part of the religion of Allah – i.e., He made it obligatory upon His slaves – it would not have transformed so many nations and peoples, leading them from extreme wildness to refined civility. The one who does not recognise this blessing is the one who is ignorant of history, even if he claims to have knowledge of it. In fact it is not unlikely to find a westernised pretender who sits in a casino or cafe or pub, leaning back with his hat tilted on his head, saying: What does it mean to say that people should adorn themselves with clothes as part of religious matters, at a time when it is necessary for all humans to cover themselves and there is no need for divine revelation or a religious decree?
End quote from Tafseer al-Manaar (8/340-341)
On our website we have previously published a number of fatwas which explain how a woman should dress for prayer; please see the following questions: 11073, 69804, 32993
To sum up:
Prayer in which one stands before Allah is something of great importance which requires the Muslim woman to wear complete hijab, paying attention to proper etiquette before Allah. This is something other than the clothes that one wears at home, which is light clothing. Moreover, the Muslim receives light and guidance from the Holy Qur’an and saheeh Sunnah, so he should not make his views and doubts judge of the revelation that comes from Allah.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=2 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/222000/a-new-muslimah-is-doubtful-about-the-obligation-of-wearing-hijab-when-praying | 186 | 222,000 |
18,845 | She wants to study gynaecology but that may require her to take off the niqab sometimes | Question
I am a 16 year old muslim girl who lives in the U.K. I am in year 11 and finishing secondary school in a couple of weeks.
I am of the opinion that covering the face and hands is obligatory. I want to go to sixth form but only a minority are not mixed . So I am trying to find some schools that have an an all girls sixth form or more females than males in the school. In order to reduce and prevent free-mixing as much as possibble. As, I have seen the evil consequences of free mixing(in regards to others not personally me) ; my secondary school is a mixed school. At the time I wanted to leave my parents didnt allow me.
I would be dissallowed to wear the niqab to secondary school so I wear it outside of school.
I fear that these few sixth forms and colleges that accepted me wearing niqab, may want me to remove my niqab and gloves during science practical lessons. Such as, when things are being heated or burnt due to health and safety reasons. Also when I am sitting exams for identification purposes.
Am I allowed to comprimise and remove my niqab during these practicals? Or even when I inshaAllah go to medical school to become a gyneacologist/obetrician. I think the niqab will not be permitted. So am I sinworthy if I take my niqab off whilst in the school? Even though males will be around? Or am I permitted because I want a career path that can benefit muslims and women in particular? | Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
Mixing of men and women in education, work
or otherwise leads to serious consequences and many evils, and the harmful
outcomes have become very clear and cannot be denied. Shaykh al-Islam ibn
Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
If men mix with women, it is like fire
mixing with wood. End quote from al-Istiqaamah (1/361)
For more information, please see the
answer to question no.
1200.
Hence what you must do is look for a place
where there is no mixing between men and women.
Secondly:
Covering the face and hands for women is a
matter concerning which there is a difference of scholarly opinion. The most
correct view is that on which fatwas on this website are based, which is
that it is obligatory to cover them because of the evidence which has been
explained in detail in fatwa no.
11774.
Thirdly:
It is known that knowledge of medicine is
a communal obligation, especially with regard to women learning gynaecology
and obstetrics, so that there will be sufficient female Muslim doctors,
which will spare women the problem of having to uncover their ‘awrahs in
front of male doctors. The basic principle is that a woman is encouraged to
study medicine in a proper environment that is controlled by Islamic
guidelines. But if you have no opportunity to study medicine except by
uncovering your face and hands on occasion, then there is no blame on you
for that, especially since the obligation of covering the face and hands is
a matter concerning which the scholars differed. The scholars have stated
that concessions are allowed in the case of a woman studying medicine
regarding matters that are more serious than that, such as uncovering
‘awrahs, touching them, and so on. This has been explained previously in
fatwa no.
169979
But you must hasten to cover up again once
the need has passed, and strive hard to avoid occasions of mixing and
interacting with those with whom you are not obliged to interact and mix.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=2 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/220069/she-wants-to-study-gynaecology-but-that-may-require-her-to-take-off-the-niqab-sometimes | 186 | 220,069 |
18,846 | If his sister goes out wearing a hijab and pants, what should he do? | Question
Does a hijabi sister who wears wide-leg pants come under the heading of women who are clothed yet naked? Is her guardian regarded as a cuckold (duyooth)? What should her brother do if she rejects his advice, if he is her guardian? | Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
Hijab, as
prescribed in Islam, has certain conditions and characteristics which have
been explained in the answer to question no.
6991.
It is haraam for a woman to appear in
front of non-mahram men wearing pants, because they do not cover her ‘awrah
in the prescribed manner; rather they show her charms, which is known to be
haraam.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have
mercy on him) said:
I think that the Muslims should not follow
these fashions and kinds of clothes that come to us from here and there.
Many of them are not in accordance with proper Islamic dress which involves
covering the woman completely, like the short or very tight or thin clothes.
That includes pants, because they show the size of a woman’s legs, as well
as her stomach, waist, breasts, etc. Wearing it comes under the description
given in the saheeh hadeeth: “there are two types of the people of Hell whom
I have not seen: people with whips like the tails of cattle, with which they
strike the people, and women who are clothed yet naked, walking with an
enticing gait, with something on their heads that looks like the humps of
camels, leaning to one side. They will never enter Paradise or even smell
its fragrance, although its fragrance can be detected from such and such a
distance.”
This hadeeth was narrated by Muslim,
2128.
End quote from Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh
Ibn ‘Uthaymeen.
Secondly:
The prohibition on wearing pants is lifted
if they are worn under another garment, but if they are worn under a blouse,
even if it comes down to the knees, that is not permissible, because the
reason for the prohibition is still there.
Shaykh ‘Abd al-Razzaaq ‘Afeefi (may Allaah
have mercy on him) said: If a woman wears pants and puts over them a wide
garment then she will not be resembling men, so long as she wears them
underneath her garments. End quote from Fataawa al-Shaykh ‘Abd al-Razzaaq
‘Afeefi, p. 573.
Thirdly:
The woman’s guardian should encourage her
to do that which is good, and tell her not to do that which is evil; he
should make her adhere to hijab and prevent her from wearing clothes that
constitute wanton display (tabarruj).
Allah, may He be exalted, says
(interpretation of the meaning):
“O you who believe! Ward off from
yourselves and your families a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones,
over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not, (from
executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do that which they are
commanded”
[at-Tahreem 66:6].
And the Prophet (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) said:
“Each of you is a shepherd and each of you
is responsible for his flock. The ruler of the people is a shepherd and is
responsible for his flock. A man is the shepherd of his household and is
responsible for his flock. A woman is the shepherd of her husband’s house
and children and is responsible for her flock
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (893) and Muslim
(1829)
The brother should and advise his sister
and remind her of Allah, may He be exalted, and of what He has enjoined upon
her of observing hijab and covering herself. That will be a means of raising
her status in this world and the hereafter. He should also remind her of the
warnings against making a wanton display and showing one’s adornments in
front of non-mahram men. If she responds, then praise be to Allah, but if
she persists and he is able to prevent her from going out except when
necessary, then he should do that, so as to denounce the wrong deed and
reduce the evil, and so as to ward off the negative consequences that may
result from her making a wanton display. But if he fears that that will lead
to a greater evil, he should stick to advising her and verbally objecting to
what she is doing.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have
mercy on him) was asked:
When the women in our village go out to
the fields or they go out of their houses, they wear their best clothes and
put on perfume, but at home with their husbands we find that they do not
care about that. If we try to advise them, they do not listen.
He (may Allah have mercy on him) replied:
For a woman to go out to the marketplace
wearing perfume and adorned in beautiful and charming clothes is something
haraam; it is not permissible because of the temptation that may result from
that. Her guardian should prevent her from going out in this manner, whether
he is her husband, her father or her brother, because this is a wanton
display (tabarruj) and Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the
meaning): “and do not display yourselves like that of the times of
ignorance” [al-Ahzaab 33:33]. My advice to these women who go out to the
marketplace wearing these clothes and this perfume is that they should fear
Allah concerning themselves and their community, for if they go out to the
marketplace wearing these clothes, the people will be tempted by them and
they will become the talk of the town. So they must fear Allah, may He be
glorified and exalted, and not go out wearing perfume or make-up
end quote from
Fataawa Noor ‘ala ad-Darb
He (may Allah have mercy on him) also
said: The woman’s guardian must prevent her from wearing any kind of haraam
clothes or going out wearing her adornment or perfume, because he is her
guardian, therefore he is responsible for her on the Day of Resurrection, on
the Day when a person shall not avail another, nor will intercession be
accepted from him, nor will compensation be taken from him, nor will they be
helped. (cf. 2:48). May Allah help us all to do that which He loves and
which pleases Him.
End quote from
Daleel at-Taalibah al-Mu’minah
We do not say that the case of this hijabi
is exactly like that of one who makes a wanton display; rather we say that
if her hijab does not meet the conditions of hijab stipulated in Islam, then
she should fear Allah, may He be exalted, and observe proper, correct hijab
in submission and obedience to her Lord, may He be glorified and exalted.
May Allah help us all to do that which He
loves and which pleases Him.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=2 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/115098/if-his-sister-goes-out-wearing-a-hijab-and-pants-what-should-he-do | 186 | 115,098 |
18,847 | It is not permissible for a female doctor to take off her hijab when visiting patients, even if the laws governing her work require her to do that | Question
I am thinking about becoming a gynaecologist as I am aware that there is a need of female Muslim doctors.
But as I live in the west, there are very strict health and safety rules in hospitals. One of the rules is that all hospital staff whilst training and working in the hospital must roll their sleeves up above their elbows to allow arms to be washed up to the elbows in between seeing different patients, to prevent the spread of bacteria and diseases. I have enquired at hospitals if they would allow concessions due to my religious beliefs but they have said that they cannot do anything about that as all hospital staff are required to follow the health and safety rules.
What is the ruling on showing my arms whilst working in the hospital because of necessity?
Also, I wear the niqab But the niqab is also another issue in hospitals. I am not allowed to wear it whilst seeing patients. Will it be okay for me to remove the niqab whilst Im seeing patients? And of course I'll wear it everywhere else إن شاء الله.
Please advise me. I don't want to sin but I don't see any other way. I don't have the means the move to a Muslim country to do medicine, as my parents are not willing to move with me and I cant travel without a mahram, and there are also issues with languages since I can only speak English.
May Allah reward you for your efforts. | Praise be to Allah.Specialising in medicine, for practising sisters, is a good thing if it is free of fitnah and temptation in school and at work, and it does not involve anything that is contrary to Islamic teachings.
With regard to things that are required for the purpose of learning and practising the profession, such as seeing or touching ‘awrahs, that is permissible as it is a case of need, as we have explained in the answer to question no. 169979
Wearing hijab in front of non-mahram men is a definite obligation as is indicated by the Qur’an, Sunnah, and scholarly consensus. Hence it is not permissible for anyone to instruct a woman to do the contrary or to prevent a woman who wants to comply with that. By the same token, it is not permissible for a woman to take this obligation lightly or to uncover any part of her body, unless she is compelled to do that by a case of necessity which makes that which is ordinarily prohibited permissible.
With regard to going out to work, if she does not need to do that, because the maintenance of her husband or father or whoever is obliged to spend on her, be he a relative or otherwise, is sufficient, then it is not permissible for her to go out to work if that will result in her taking off the hijab.
Please see the answer to question no. 93145.
Based on the above:
If you do not need to work, rather you want to work in the medical field because there is a great need for women specialists in this area, and this work of yours will result in mixing with non-mahram – and kaafir – men, and coming under non-Islamic law that does not pay attention to the rulings of Islamic sharee‘ah, and this will result in you having to do things that are contrary to what is enjoined by Allah and His Messenger, i.e., not covering and observing hijab, and will also lead to temptation and exposing oneself to the wrath and punishment of Allah, then what we advise you to do is not to take on this profession, and to look for other kinds of work in which you will be able to benefit the Muslims.
But if it is possible for people of wealth and means among the Muslim community in that country to cooperate in establishing a specialist hospital, paying attention to the rulings of Islam and the situation of poor and needy Muslim is, in which all medical specialties are available, then this would be a blessed project. In this case you could work there and preserve your modesty and hijab, and not have to go against any of the commands of Allah, may He be exalted, and His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=2 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/217968/it-is-not-permissible-for-a-female-doctor-to-take-off-her-hijab-when-visiting-patients-even-if-the-laws-governing-her-work-require-her-to-do-that | 186 | 217,968 |
18,848 | His mother wants his wife to uncover her face in front of his relatives but his wife refuses to do that | Question
I am newly married.My spouse covers her face infront of all non-mehram men.She even covered her face on the day of our nikah and none of my male relatives(non-mehram) were unable to see her face till today.My mother is very angry about this and she is telling me that she is very much insulted infront of our relatives because of my wife.She is now compelling me to remove my wifes nikaab & show her face to all our family members.My father and all my other relatives are supporting my mother in this case.Covering all the body with loose garments is alright for my mother with the exception of covering face. After months of debates between me and my mother in this issue now my mother is telling that she wil grant permission to cover my wife's face if my wife show her face to all my male relatives(non-mehram) for one time for the purpose of identification. On the other hand my wife wish to wear nikab for the sake of allah,she dont want to uncover her face not even for one time in front of non-mehram men. My mother is crying infront of me and continuously reminding me about 'jurayj' incident.She is telling that even 'jurayj' was afflicted with his mothers curse for making salah against his mother's call.If this is the case for most important salah then what is the ruling on putting nikab by going against and hurting mother's heart? Should i obey my mother or should I stand with my wife in this case? | Praise be to Allah.Firstly:
It is obligatory for the Muslim woman to cover her face in front of non-mahram men. This is what is indicated by the Holy Qur’an and the Prophet’s Sunnah, and that has continued to be a practice handed down from one generation to another of people of religious commitment and chastity, from the time of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and almost up to our own time, when the Muslims became obsessed with imitation of the West and they went back to the ways of Jaahiliyyah that Allah had forbidden when He said (interpretation of the meaning):
“And stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves like that of the times of ignorance”
[al-Ahzaab 33:33].
The evidence for this has been explained previously in fatwa no. 11774.
Secondly:
You should praise Allah, may He be exalted, for having provided you with a wife who is religiously committed and is keen to obey her Lord, and you should help her in that. You are the first one who is required to help her to obey Allah and to stand up to anyone who wants her to disobey Allah.
Thirdly:
You should understand that Islam emphasises that the Muslim woman should wear complete hijab in front of her husband’s relatives (such as his brother and uncle) and that she should not mix with them. If the Muslim woman is required to wear complete hijab in front of men who are strangers, the obligation upon her to observe hijab in front of her husband’s relatives is even more emphasized and more important. This is what Islam teaches, so as to correct what many people are used to of women being heedless in front of their husband’s relatives.
The wisdom behind that is quite obvious. A non-mahram man who sees her in the street, for example, will see her only once then he will carry on his way, and he may never see her again. If it so happens that he does see her again, the opportunities for communication between them are usually very difficult and very limited.
As for the husband’s relatives, they may see her time after time, and talk to her and sit with her, and so on. Hence the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Beware of entering upon women.” A man among the Ansaar said: O Messenger of Allah, what do you think about the in-law? He said: “The in-law is death.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5232) and Muslim (2172).
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
With regard to the Prophet’s words, “The in-law is death,” what this means is that the fear in his case is greater than in the case of others, and evil is expected on his part and the fitnah (temptation) is greater, because he is able to reach the woman and be alone with her with no one denouncing him, unlike the stranger or non-mahram. What is meant by the in-law here is the husband’s relatives, except for his father/grandfather and sons/grandsons.His father/grandfather and sons/grandsons are mahrams of the wife and it is permissible for them to be alone with her; they are not described as “death”. Rather what is meant here is the brother, nephew, uncle, cousin and others who are not mahrams. People customarily take things lightly with regard to them, so a man will often be alone with his brother’s wife. This is what is described as death.
Fourthly:
With regard to your saying about your mother that she likes modesty (covering all the body with loose garments) and so on,
You have to understand that the concept of modesty may be misunderstood by many people, in a manner contrary to the correct Islamic concept.
The truly modest woman according to Islamic teaching is the one who wears complete hijab, does not mix with men, and does not talk to them except as much as is necessary only; she stays in her house and does not come and go a great deal.
As for looking down on the hijab and describing it as being a piece of cloth, this applies to any garment that covers the body of a man or a woman; all of them are just pieces of cloth. Will the wise person follow the plot of the Shaytaan so that he will remove his clothing and uncover his ‘awrah, because what covers it is just a piece of cloth?!
Fifthly:
With regard to likening this situation to the story of the devoted worshipper Jurayj, that is not appropriate, because the mother of Jurayj did not ask him to disobey Allah. The most that can be said is that she called him, but he did not answer her. But in your case, your mother is calling you and your wife to disobey Allah, and the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “There is no obedience to any created being if it involves disobedience towards Allah.” Narrated by Imam Ahmad (1041); it is a saheeh hadith.
If someone tells a person to disobey Allah, he should not obey him, no matter who he is, for there is no obedience to any created being if it involves disobeying the Creator, and it is not permissible for anyone to give precedence to pleasing people over pleasing Allah, or to seek their pleasure by doing that which angers Allah. Rather this is indeed something which it is feared will render all one’s good deeds null and void, not what your mother says. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“That is because they followed that which angered Allah, and hated that which pleased Him. So He made their deeds fruitless”
[Muhammad 47:28].
Shaykh as-Sa‘di (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“That” punishment that they deserved and that befell them
“is because they followed that which angered Allah” of all kinds of disbelief, rebellion and disobedience
“and hated that which pleased Him” so they had no desire for that which would bring them closer to Him
“So He made their deeds fruitless” that is, He rendered them null and void. This is in contrast to the one who follows and seeks that which pleases Allah and hates that which angers Him; in his case, Allah will expiate his sins and increase and multiply his reward.
End quote from Tafseer as-Sa‘di (789)
However we should point out that there is nothing in the story of Jurayj to suggest that his good deeds were rendered null and void; rather it tells us that Allah, may He be exalted, answered his mother’s prayer when she prayed against him.
See: Saheeh al-Bukhaari (2482); Saheeh Muslim (2550); Fath al-Baari (6/480)
Finally:
You have to support your wife and help her to obey Allah, and encourage her to be steadfast in doing all kinds of good deeds.
At the same time, you have to be very gentle and kind towards your mother, and explain to her that this is an Islamic ruling and there is no room for compromise concerning this matter. All goodness is in obeying Allah, may He be exalted, and all evil is in disobeying Him, may He be glorified. You should treat her and your wife in the best and kindest manner, keep good company with her and be nice to her, and you can show her kindness by giving her gifts, saying nice words to her, and so on.
We ask Allah to help and guide you all.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=2 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/224810/his-mother-wants-his-wife-to-uncover-her-face-in-front-of-his-relatives-but-his-wife-refuses-to-do-that | 186 | 224,810 |
18,849 | Ruling on celebrating World Hijab Day | Question
World Hijab Day is celebrated on 1 February every year. What do the scholars say about that? What is your view concerning this issue? Is this regarded as coming under the heading of innovation (bid ‘ah)? | Praise be to Allah.
World Hijab Day is an idea promoted by a Muslim woman living
in the USA called Nazma Khan. She is a Muslim woman of Bengali origin who
migrated to the US when she was eleven years old, and she faced all kinds of
harrassment and pressure because of her hijab, which made her think of a way
to put a stop to this discrimination against the hijab. The way she came up
with was to call women of all countries, religions and races to put on the
hijab for at least one day, namely the first day of February, which is known
as World Hijab Day.
Hijab is a well-established obligation that Allah, may He be
glorified, has prescribed for believing women. It is a symbol of chastity
and a sign of dignity and piety. Muslim scholars, preachers and individuals
must do their utmost to call people to it and encourage it, but despite that
the methods used to achieve this aim must be methods that are prescribed in
Islam, because the means of pursuing praiseworthy goals should be in
accordance with Islamic teaching. As for designating a particular day in the
year, that is repeated every year and is called World Hijab Day, that is not
permissible, for the following reasons:
Firstly:
This involves imitating the traditions of the disbelievers
who are enemies to Allah, may He be glorified, and are enemies to His
Messengers. It is they who introduced such ideas, and allocated for every
issue that they want to promote and disseminate an occasion to celebrate it,
that is repeated every year, such as the International Day of the Child, the
International Day Against Violence Against Women, International Cancer Day,
the International Day for People with Special Needs, Mother’s Day, national
festivals (such as Independence Day and the like), and many other examples
of such innovations and evil practices for which Allah has not sent down any
authority.
Rather these things are more akin to reprehensible
innovations, because allocating a particular day that is repeated every
year, on which people gather to do certain things makes this day a kind of
“eid” or festival, because the root meaning of the word eid refers to
something that returns and is repeated.
The scholars of the Standing Committee said, in Fataawa
al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah – vol. 1 (3/88): Eid is a word that refers to
something that is repeated, of gatherings in a customary manner, either once
a year, once a month, or once a week, and the like. So the word eid refers
to several things, such as a special day that is repeated, such as the day
of Eid al-Fitr or the day of Jumu‘ah (Friday); the gatherings held on those
days; or the activities that are done on those days, both acts of worship
and customs and traditions. End quote.
See also the answer to question no 10070.
The prescription of eids or festivals can only come from
Allah, may He be glorified, like all other matters of prescription or
legislation, that can only come from Allah, may He be glorified and exalted,
to Whom belong the power of creation and command, legislation and ruling,
permitting and forbidding. Allah, may He be glorified, has not prescribed
for us Muslims anything but two eids only, namely Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr;
then there is the weekly “eid”, which is the day of Jumu‘ah (Friday).
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
All eids or festivals other than the prescribed eids are
innovated festivals that have been introduced into the religion. They were
not known at the time of the righteous early generations, and they may have
originated among non-Muslims. Therefore they involve the innovation of
imitating the enemies of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted. The
prescribed eids are well known to the Muslims; they are Eid al-Fitr and Eid
al-Adha, as well as the weekly eid (the day of Jumu‘ah). There are no other
eids in Islam apart from these three.
End quote from Majmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (2/301)
Secondly:
The celebrations that happen on this day involve
entertainment, exuberance and foolishness that are contrary to the purpose
behind the prescription of the hijab, and indeed all other prescribed
rulings. That is because when it comes to the rulings prescribed by Allah,
may He be glorified, people should hasten to do them and adhere to them in a
spirit of humility, submission, seeking reward from Allah and aiming thereby
to draw close to Allah, may He be glorified, hoping for His reward and
fearing His wrath and punishment. As for women gathering on the so-called
World Hijab Day, in an atmosphere of fun, playing, celebrating and
exuberance, inviting women of all religions, nationalities and races to put
on the hijab for a single day so they can take pictures and publish these
pictures as a kind of advertisement, then take off the hijab after that –
all of that is a kind of toying with the commands of Allah, because hijab is
an act of worship in which it is essential to have the correct intention,
seeking reward with Allah and persisting in it.
Thirdly:
The kind of hijab that women wear on this day often makes a
mockery of this divinely-ordained obligation, and does more harm than good.
That is because with regard to hijab as prescribed in Islam, there are
conditions and criteria which, if they are met, then it is the correct
Islamic hijab that Allah has enjoined upon women. But if these conditions
are not met – in full or in part – then this cannot be called correct
Islamic hijab. These criteria have been discussed previously in fatwa no.
6991. As for the hijab that women wear on this
occasion, in most cases it has nothing to do with correct Islamic hijab; in
fact all that the woman does in this case is cover her hair and body, but at
the same time she may be wearing pants, or the clothes may be tight and show
the shape of the body, or she may be wearing make-up, or the clothes that
she is wearing may be an adornment in and of themselves, as they are
colourful, adorned and attract attention or provoke desire in sick hearts.
All of these things are contrary to the hijab that Allah has enjoined.
Based on that, celebrating so-called World Hijab Day is not
permissible, even if the intention of the people behind it is good and
sincere. However sincere intention alone is not sufficient; rather it is
essential that the methods used should be in accordance with Islamic
teachings, and not involve anything that is contrary to the command of
Allah, may He be glorified.
However, if a group of Muslims, men or women, gather in a
certain place at a certain time in order to promote the obligation of hijab
and inform people about it, then this is a good thing and comes under the
promotion of what is right and good, that Allah, may He be glorified, has
enjoined upon us. But when doing that, it is essential to adhere to the
following guidelines:
·
they should not imitate the disbelievers and their
customary practices in celebrating such things
·
they should not allocate a specific day that is repeated
every year, because this is a kind of innovation, as explained above
·
they should call women to adhere to correct Islamic hijab,
fulfilling all the criteria and conditions that have been explained by the
scholars, as discussed in the fatwa referred to above
·
they should inform women that hijab is a well-established
obligation and an important act of worship, in which believing women worship
Allah, so they should hasten to do it and persist in it. As for calling
women to put on hijab for one or two days, and the like, that is not
permissible.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=2 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/217241/ruling-on-celebrating-world-hijab-day | 186 | 217,241 |
18,850 | How can she make it easier for herself to wear hijab? | Question
How can I make it easier for myself to wear hijab? | Praise be to Allah.We appreciate your eagerness to adhere to the commands of Allah and to attain the status of true servitude to the Lord of the Worlds and to follow the straight path which Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, wants every person to follow, and commanded them to seek guidance to it at all times: “Guide us to the Straight Way” [al-Faatihah 1:6].
We advise you to hasten to that which is good and to compete in doing righteous deeds, for Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, urges us to do that in the verse in which He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And march forth in the way (which leads to) forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth, prepared for Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)”
[Aal ‘Imraan 3:133].
And Allah, may He be glorified, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“So hasten towards all that is good”
[al-Baqarah 2:148].
The one who is truly a slave to Allah is the one who is content with Allah as his Lord, Islam as his religion, and Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) as his Prophet, and he does not hesitate, or seek people’s advice, or consult them, with regard to anything that Allah commands him to do:
“It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed in a plain error”
[al-Ahzaab 33:36].
Abu’z-Zinaad (may Allah have mercy on him) said in al-Faqeeh wa’l-Mutafaqqih (1/222):
What is prescribed as Sunnah is not to be contested, and should not be subjected to personal opinions. If people did that, no day would pass without them moving from one religion to another. Rather it should be adhered to and followed, regardless of whether it is in accordance with one’s opinion or otherwise. Indeed what is prescribed as Sunnah, and many other aspects of the truth, may often differ with one’s opinion, but the Muslims have no alternative but to follow them and submit to them. End quote.
Muhammad ibn Nasr al-Mirwazi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Whoever follows the religion of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), let him accept what he brought, whether it is in accordance with his opinion or otherwise, and let him not develop any doubts about anything he said, because doubt about the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) constitutes disbelief.
End quote from Ta‘zeem Qadr as-Salaah
This is the greatness of Allah’s way of disciplining those who believe in Him, and is a warning from Him to them lest the following of His religion be based on whims and desires and personal interests. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“They (hypocrites) say: ‘We have believed in Allah and in the Messenger (Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)), and we obey,’ then a party of them turn away thereafter, such are not believers.
And when they are called to Allah (i.e. His Words, the Qur’an) and His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), to judge between them, lo! a party of them refuse (to come) and turn away.
But if the right is with them, they come to him willingly with submission.
Is there a disease in their hearts? Or do they doubt or fear lest Allah and His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) should wrong them in judgement. Nay, it is they themselves who are the Zalimoon (polytheists, hypocrites and wrong-doers, etc.).
The only saying of the faithful believers, when they are called to Allah (His Words, the Quran) and His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), to judge between them, is that they say: ‘We hear and we obey.’ And such are the prosperous ones (who will live forever in Paradise).
And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), fears Allah, and keeps his duty (to Him), such are the successful ones”
[an-Noor 24:47-52].
Shaykh as-Sa ‘di (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his commentary on the verses quoted above:
Here Allah, may He be exalted, tells us about the situation of the wrongdoers, those in whose hearts is a disease, weakness of faith, hypocrisy, doubt or lack of knowledge. They speak words and make a show of commitment to faith and obedience to Allah, but then they do not act in accordance with what they say. Some of them turn away significantly from obedience, based on the fact that Allah says here: “then a party of them turn away”. The one who turns away may have the intention of coming back to that from which he turned away, but in this case what is referred to is the one who turns away and does not turn back at all, and does not look at that from which he is turning away. You will find that this is applicable to many of those who claim to believe in Allah and be obedient to Him, but they are weak in faith; you will find that they do not do many acts of worship, especially those that are hard for many people, such as giving zakâh, spending in ways that are obligatory or recommended, jihad in Allah’s cause, and so on.
“And when they are called to Allah (i.e. His Words, the Qur’an) and His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), to judge between them” that is, if an issue arises between them and someone else where a judgement is required, and they are called to the judgement of Allah and His Messenger,
“lo! a party of them refuse (to come) and turn away”, seeking the rulings of the time of ignorance, and preferring the rulings of man-made laws over the rulings of sharia, because they know that they are in the wrong and that sharia only judges on the basis of what really is the case.
“But if the right is with them, they come to him” that is, they come to the ruling of sharia
“willingly with submission” but that is not because it is the ruling of sharia; rather that is because it coincides with their whims and desires. So they are not doing anything praiseworthy in this case, even if they come willingly, because the one who is a slave of Allah in a true sense is the one who follows the truth whether he likes it or not, whether it suits him or not. As for the one who follows sharia when it coincides with his whims and desires and rejects it when it does not, and gives precedence to his whims and desires over sharia, he is not a slave of Allah in a true sense.
Allah says, criticising them for turning away from the ruling of sharia:
“Is there a disease in their hearts?” that undermines the healthy state of the heart and removes common sense, so that he becomes like a sick person who turns away from that which will benefit him and turns towards that which will harm him?
“Or do they doubt” and that has made them anxious about the ruling of Allah and His Messenger, so that they accused him of not judging in accordance with the truth?
“or fear lest Allah and His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) should wrong them in judgement?” That is, are they afraid that an unfair and unjust ruling will be passed against them? Rather that is how they are, “Nay, it is they themselves who are the Zalimoon (polytheists, hypocrites and wrong-doers, etc.)”. As for the ruling of Allah and His Messenger, it is based on the utmost justice and is in accordance with wisdom. “And who is better in judgement than Allah for a people who have firm Faith?” [al-Maa’idah 5:50].
These verses indicate that faith is not just words, unless those words are accompanied by action. Therefore the one who turns away from obedience has no faith. It is obligatory to submit to the ruling of Allah and His Messenger in all cases, and if a person does not submit to that ruling, this is indicative of a disease in his heart and weakness in his faith. It is forbidden to think negatively of the rulings of sharia or to think that they are contrary to justice and wisdom.
Having described the condition of those who turn away from the rulings of sharia, Allah now describes the condition of the praiseworthy believers:
“The only saying of the faithful believers” that is, the true believers whose deeds confirm their faith, when they are called to Allah and His Messenger so that he may judge between them, whether that is in accordance with their whims and desires or otherwise,
“is that they say: ‘We hear and we obey’” that is, we hear the ruling of Allah and His Messenger, we respond to that to which he called us, and we obey him completely, without any reservation.
“And such are the successful ones (who will live forever in Paradise)” it is only they who will be successful, because success means attaining what is sought and being saved from what one fears, and no one will succeed except the one who refers to Allah and His Messenger for judgement, and obeys Allah and His Messenger.
Having mentioned the virtue of obedience with regard to the rulings in particular, Allah now mentions the virtue of obedience in general terms, in all situations:
“And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger” by believing in what they say and complying with their commands,
“fears Allah” that is, fear accompanied by knowledge, so he refrains from what is forbidden to him and restrains himself from following whims and desires. Hence Allah says, “and keeps his duty (to Him)” by refraining from that which is prohibited, because keeping one’s duty to Allah (taqwa) – when it is mentioned in general terms – includes doing what is enjoined and refraining from what is forbidden. When this is mentioned alongside righteousness or obedience – as in this case – it is interpreted as referring to warding off the punishment of Allah by refraining from disobeying Him.
“such” namely those who combine obedience to Allah, obedience to His Messenger, fear of Allah and mindfulness of Him
“are the triumphant ones” as they will be saved from the punishment, because they avoided the causes that lead to that, and they will attain reward, because they did that which leads to it. So triumph is theirs alone. As for those who were not like that, they will miss out on triumph, according to what they failed to attain of these praiseworthy characteristics.
End quote from Tafseer as-Sa‘di
Remember that your time in this world is very short, and no one knows when his time will be up. So it is better to prepare to meet Allah with that which is pleasing to Him, not with that which incurs His wrath and anger.
Remember that the Shaytaan is constantly urging you to procrastinate and delay, until there comes to you that which will prevent you from obeying Allah, for he has devoted all his efforts to tempt people and he will never miss any opportunity to deprive the believer of virtue, and he is always watching out for such opportunities. Therefore one of the early generations said: Beware of saying “I will…” for it is one of the troops of Iblees!
Hijab is an honour and a source of pride for the Muslim woman, but over and above all that, it is a means of attaining mercy and divine pleasure. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e., screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way). That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful”
[al-Ahzaab 33:59].
Do not think little of that piece of cloth, for it hides behind it purity, chastity, good manners and etiquette. It is the practice of the Mothers of the believers and the righteous women; it is the practice of Khadeejah, Faatimah, ‘Aa’ishah, Hafsah, Umm Salamah, and all the righteous, devout women who guard that which Allah would have them guard.
It pains us greatly to see crowds of girls hastening to display themselves and take off their hijab, not one of them paying any attention to good manners of feeling shy before people, not hesitating to display their charms and show their adornments, going against the natural characteristic of modesty that Allah has instilled in women, but because the Shaytaan makes that fair-seeming to them, they are able to do that.
After that, is there any reason to feel too shy to wear hijab or niqab? Can we approve of the situation in which those who commit sin do so openly and audaciously, whereas those who seek to obey Allah feel shy about their acts of obedience, their chastity and their purity?
Have the commands of Allah becomes so insignificant in our minds that we subject them to the whims and desires of the people and their views?
The first and most important step in wearing hijab is to be convinced that it is obligatory, and to submit to the command of Allah as something unavoidable. The believing woman does not have any choice about it, for Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed in a plain error”
[al-Ahzaab 33:36].
Then you should train yourself to ignore people’s stares and comments, because pleasing people is a goal that you can never attain, and the one who watches people’s reactions will die of worry. Rest assured that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, will be pleased with you for your obedience, and He can see what you are faced with in your efforts to follow the straight path, and He will grant you ease after hardship.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever seeks to please Allah by incurring the wrath of the people, Allah will suffice him and will protect him from the people, but whoever seeks to please people by incurring the wrath of Allah, Allah will leave him to the people.”
Narrated by at-Tirmidhi (2414); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in as-Silsilah as-Saheehah (2311)
‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) wrote this hadith in a letter to Mu‘aawiyah, after he asked her for advice, and she wrote to him again and said: To proceed: fear Allah, for if you fear Allah, He will suffice you against the people, but if you fear the people, they will not avail you at all before Allah. Wa’s-salaam.
Remember that the individual’s destiny is connected to his deeds, and that when the people carry him to his grave, and throw the dust onto his body, he will never find anything to comfort him except his righteous deeds, for he will be cut off from all means at that time, except the means that connect him to the Creator, may He be glorified and exalted. So let each of us prepare for that momentous Day.
Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“That Day shall a man flee from his brother,
And from his mother and his father,
And from his wife and his children.
Everyman, that Day, will have enough to make him careless of others”
[‘Abasa 80:34-37].
And He, may He be glorified, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Friends on that Day will be foes one to another except Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)”
[az-Zukhruf 43:67].
So beware of being among the heedless, and beware of procrastination and delay; hasten to do good before it is too late, for this world is only a few transient days and its joys are fleeting. We ask Allah to guide us and you, and to make us steadfast in this world and the Hereafter.
Please see also answers no. 11967, 13998 and 69804
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=2 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/107783/how-can-she-make-it-easier-for-herself-to-wear-hijab | 186 | 107,783 |
18,851 | Can Women Play Sports in Islam? | Question
I am a fifteen-year-old girl, studying in the third year of preparatory school. As you know, in school, like every other subject, we have a course called “phys ed” (physical education). In this course, we play a number of sports: basketball, handball, volleyball, sprinting, and long jump. These are the sports that are available to us. My question is: can a Muslim girl play sports?
I also have another question to which I would like an answer: in our school, there is also a club for girls’ basketball, and I am a member of this club. A male teacher trains us, and in February we will play in a tournament: we will go to a city that is approximately 30 km away – myself, the girls and the male teacher, and another male teacher, as an assistant, as well as the driver, and sometimes there are males who play another sport, but we girls sit at the back and the boys sit at the front with the teachers, and of course the driver is at the front. Is it permissible for me to carry on in this club?
I hope that you can answer as soon as possible. Please note that I also want to adhere to the commandments of Islam, and I hope that Allah will reward you with the best of rewards for this truly brilliant website of yours. | Praise be to Allah.Benefits of sports
Sport brings health and psychological benefits, as is well known, but because sport nowadays has taken on its own special character, it is essential to set out some Shar‘i guidelines on sport. Whoever adheres to these guidelines, her participation in sport will be permissible, but whoever goes against them, playing sport is haram in her case.
Guidelines of practicing sports in Islam
The guidelines of practicing sports in Islam include the following:
Engaging in sport should be far removed from the eyes of men, whether they are trainers, teachers, students, administrators or spectators. In order to fulfil this condition, it is not permissible to take pictures of women’s sport, so that they will not fall into the hands of men who will look at them, which would be contrary to the condition which makes it permissible for women to engage in that sport.
Hence what is most preferable, best, most prudent and most concealing for women is for them to engage in sport and exercise at home, not in clubs, gyms and schools, even if there is no mixing in those places, because there is no guarantee that a woman will not be photographed by one of those devils that look out for such opportunities, which would lead to bad consequences. If there is mixing in those places, then it is obvious that it is not allowed, as we have explained above.
Women should engage in sport wearing modest, covering clothing. It is not permissible for a woman and those who are playing with her to wear short, see-through or tight clothing. This condition is general in application and includes what she wears in front of men and in front of women. But it is worth pointing out here, because of what happens of this condition not being met in many sports, in the case of both women and men, as is well known with regard to the clothing worn for swimming, wrestling, football, volleyball, basketball, gymnastics, and so on. This condition applies to men and women equally, but how often it is broken and ignored by both genders.
There should be no gambling or betting on the sport.
The sport should not lead to any argument or conflict, as is often seen and is well known among nations and peoples that are not content merely to be divided by geography; even worse than that is when the people of a single country are divided, supporters and fans of one club engaging in disputes and fights with the supporters and fans of other clubs.
The sport should be played only at certain times; it is not permissible for it to distract a woman from her religious and worldly duties.
There should be no playing of music during practice or games .
There should be no imitation of disbelieving women in their hairstyles, clothing or names, because we are forbidden to imitate the disbelievers in general terms, and because such things come under the heading of venerating those disbelievers.
The game should not involve physical fighting where the face or head are struck, and it should not involve any rituals of disbelief such as bowing that is done by players in some sports before beginning a game or match.
If these conditions are met, then it is permissible for a woman to engage in sport. However we advise our sisters to protect themselves and take care of their time, and not waste it in such deeds, because protection of a woman is done by adhering to the commands of Allah, one of the most important of which is to stay in their houses, and not go out unnecessarily, in obedience to the words of Allah, may He be exalted (interpretation of the meaning):
“And stay in your houses” [al-Ahzab 33:33]
The Muslim woman can follow these guidelines and conditions if she engages in sport with her sisters in places that are just for them, where they will be safe from being seen by men or nosey evildoers
Practicing sports at schools
As for achieving that in schools, institutions and universities, that is not possible. Hence the introduction of “physical education (phys ed)” is one of the main causes of indecency, immorality, uncovering of `awrahs, and the death of modesty. Then the matter becomes even worse when there are male trainers or teachers, then when there are administrators, and so on, until matters end up as we see them now and as is well known in many Arab and Muslim countries, unfortunately.
Shaykh ‘Abd al-Karim al-Khudayr (may Allah preserve him) was asked:
With regard to the introduction of physical education in girls’ schools in such a way that it does not contradict Islamic teachings, what is the ruling on introducing this course into girls’ education?
He replied:
“Demanding the introduction of physical education in girls’ schools is following in the footsteps of the Shaytan, which Allah, may He be exalted, has forbidden to us in the verses in which He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O mankind! Eat of that which is lawful and good on the earth, and follow not the footsteps of Shaytan (Satan). Verily, he is to you an open enemy” [al-Baqarah 2:168]
“O you who believe! Enter perfectly in Islam (by obeying all the rules and regulations of the Islamic religion) and follow not the footsteps of Shaytan (Satan). Verily! He is to you a plain enemy” [al-Baqarah 2:208]
“And of the cattle (are some) for burden (like camels etc.) and (some are) small (unable to carry burden like sheep, goats etc. for food, meat, milk, wool etc.). Eat of what Allah has provided for you, and follow not the footsteps of Shaytan (Satan). Surely he is to you an open enemy” [al-An‘am 6:142]
“O you who believe! Follow not the footsteps of Shaytan (Satan). And whosoever follows the footsteps of Shaytan (Satan), then, verily he commands Al-Fahsha (i.e. to commit indecency (illegal sexual intercourse, etc.)), and Al-Munkar (disbelief and polytheism (i.e. to do evil and wicked deeds; to speak or to do what is forbidden in Islam, etc.))” [an-Nur 24:21]
Allah has made it perfectly clear to us that the Shaytan is an enemy to us, and He has commanded us to take him as an enemy. The Shaytan is eager to lead the children of Adam astray, as he swore to do by the might of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, when he said – as Allah tells us – (interpretation of the meaning):
“‘By Your Might, then I will surely mislead them all’” [Sad 38:82]
If we look at what the Shaytan did, as a result of this so-called sport, stirring up enmity and resentment, and barring people from remembering Allah – as is obvious to everyone – (then we will realize how serious the matter is).
It is sufficient for us to remember what happened to neighbouring countries when they ignored the commands of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, and followed the footsteps of the Shaytan. The first step was playing sports in modest clothing, in women-only environments, then they gave up these conditions gradually, little by little, until it ended up with the situation that no caring and mature-thinking Muslim could approve of, let alone anyone who is religiously committed. If men are expected to prepare themselves and be physically strong, then women are expected to focus on their role by staying at home and raising the next generation with religious commitment, good morals, virtues and Islamic etiquette.
What I have no doubt about is that playing sports in school, for girls, is haram, because of the negative consequences that result from it, as is obvious to anyone who has a mind to think. It is not permissible to demand it, let alone approve of it.” (Fatawa ash-Shaykh ‘Abd al-Karim al-Khudayr, 1/21-22)
For more, please see these answers: 47554 , 8827 , 82392 , 1200 , and 79549
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=2 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/115676/can-women-play-sports-in-islam | 186 | 115,676 |
18,852 | It is not permissible for a girl to wear short clothes in front of her parents under any circumstances | Question
For a very long time, I was unaware that I had to dress modestly around my parents. So I would cover when going out, but at home with just my parents, I would wear pants and short tops. However, I have learnt recently that I should not wear tight fitting clothes around them. My problem is that, because I did not know this for such a long time, the only clothing I have to wear around them sometimes at the moment are the pants and short tops. This is honestly all I have. I have some modest clothing, but my parents do not allow me to wear it at certain times such as when eating, etc. and so I have no choice but to wear the pants and short tops. I am planning to buy some longer tops that will reach down to my knees, but I am completely dependent on my parents and so I cannot go out and buy them immediately. My question is, is it permissible for me to wear the pants and short tops around my parents only, due to necessity, until I can buy some more modest clothing? If it is permissible, should I avoid being around my parents when wearing such clothing as much as possible? This can be difficult as we live together and I would probably have to close myself up in my bedroom sometimes to avoid them. Please reply soon as I am in desperate need of guidance. | Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
There is no doubt that good behaviour with parents, honouring
them and treating them kindly are good deeds for which a person will be
rewarded in this world and the hereafter.
However, there is no obedience to them if it involves
disobedience to Allah and His Messenger, and one should not seek to please
them by angering Allah and incurring His wrath, and going against His
command and the command of His Messenger.
Secondly:
With regard to what a woman may wear in front of another
woman, what is prescribed is for her to cover the area between the hand and
ankle, but if a woman needs to roll up her garment for the purpose of work
and the like, then she may roll it up to the knee, or if she needs to roll
up her sleeves, she may roll them up to the elbow. But she should do that
only as much as is necessary; it is not permissible for this to be her usual
way of dressing.
It is permissible for a woman to cover in front of her
mahrams what she may uncover in front of other women; she may uncover her
head, neck, foot, hand, forearm, leg and so on.
But despite that she should not make her clothes short,
coming only to the knee and the like, let alone making it shorter than that.
Rather she may uncover only what is ordinarily uncovered of the lower leg,
the foot, and the like.
She should not wear these tight clothes that show the shape
of the ‘awrah or display her charms, even if that is in front of her mahrams.
Rather she may only do that with her husband.
See the answers to questions no.
6569
and
12371
What we advise the questioner to do in light of the
circumstances that she mentions is the following:
-She should try to explain
the Islamic rulings to her parents in a proper and clear manner, by telling
them about the shar‘i evidence and what the scholars said. She can help
herself to do that by using available means such as tapes, lectures, books,
fatwas published on trustworthy websites, and the like.
-She should handle this
matter with the utmost gentleness, wisdom and patience, even if that causes
her some distress and pressure.
-She should try hard to
explain the wisdom behind modesty, even at home with her parents, so as to
highlight the beauty of Islamic teaching and so that her parents will
understand the divine wisdom behind that.
-She should explain to her
parents that the basic principle behind what she is doing is obedience to
Allah and to His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and
it is not intended to cause hardship to herself or to make her parents angry
with her.
-She should offer a lot of
du‘aa’ (supplication) and turn to Allah, may He be exalted, asking Him to
guide her parents, to divert harm and annoyance from her and to enable her
to do that which He loves and is pleased with.
Moreover, we think that the questioner should try hard to
save whatever she can of her personal income so that she can buy clothes
that will help her to cover up at home. She does not have to change all of
her clothing completely rather in the beginning she may stick to what is
absolutely necessary.
We suggest that she should have a “prayer suit” or the like
that she can put on when any of her mahrams come, if she is wearing
something that is not appropriate.
And in all of that, she should strive to fear Allah and do
her duty towards Him by doing that which He is pleased with and refraining
from that which incurs His anger and that He has forbidden, as much as she
can, and Allah does not burden any soul with more than it can bear.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=2 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/220174/it-is-not-permissible-for-a-girl-to-wear-short-clothes-in-front-of-her-parents-under-any-circumstances | 186 | 220,174 |
18,853 | A girl wants to become Muslim and conceal her Islam; how should she deal with issues of prayer, hijab and eating pork? | Question
There is a girl who wants to become Muslim, but she is living with a Christian family who eat pork. Can she eat with them if she becomes Muslim in secret? How can she become Muslim and pray and wear hijab? | Praise be to Allah.Firstly:
We ask Allah to decree for this girl guidance to His religion, and to open her heart to Islam, for He is able to do that.
Secondly:
Entering Islam is not a difficult matter, praise be to Allah. Whoever wants to enter Islam, all he has to do is to utter the twin declaration of faith: Ashhadu an laa ilaaha ill-Allah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan rasool-Allah (I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah).
If he does that, then he has entered Islam and has become a Muslim, with all the same rights and duties as any other Muslim.
Thirdly:
The basic principle is that the one who enters Islam is required to follow all the teachings of the religion, doing what is enjoined, and avoiding what is prohibited. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O you who believe! Enter perfectly in Islam (by obeying all the rules and regulations of the Islamic religion) and follow not the footsteps of Shaytaan (Satan). Verily! He is to you a plain enemy” [al-Baqarah 2:208].
Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Here Allah instructs His believing slaves who follow His Messenger that they should adhere to all the teachings of Islam, act in accordance with all its instructions and avoid everything that it prohibits, to the best of their ability. End quote from Tafseer Ibn Katheer (1/565)
Based on that, if this girl becomes Muslim, she is obliged to comply with all the commands, which includes offering prayer and wearing hijab. She is also obliged to avoid everything that is prohibited, which includes eating pork.
If she is not able to do some of that or is incapable of doing any of that, and she fears that she will be harmed or persecuted, and that they may try to make her give up her religion, then in that case it is permissible for her to conceal her Islam whilst doing whatever she can of the obligatory duties and avoiding whatever she can of things that are prohibited, and whatever she is unable to do, she will be forgiven by the Most Gracious, Most Merciful, in sha Allah.
With regard to the issue of prayer, if she is not able to do each prayer at its proper time, then she may put two prayers together: so she may pray Zuhr and ‘Asr together, and Maghrib and ‘Isha’ together, and pray Fajr on time on its own. If she is not able to do that, then she should offer whatever of the prayers she can on time, and the rest she should pray whenever she is able to do so, even if the time for any particular prayer has ended, and even if she is compelled to offer all five daily prayers together at one time, when she is alone and safe from prying eyes.
We have previously discussed how a person may pray who becomes Muslim but is not able to practice his religion openly. For more information, please see the answers to questions no. 165426 and 100627
With regard to wearing hijab, if this girl is not able to do that, she should try to wear clothes that are as close as possible to it, that she can wear without any fear of persecution. She should cover whatever she is able to of her body and hair, and whatever she is not able to do, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Kind. But she should try hard to avoid going out of the house except in the case of need.
For more information, please see the answer to question no. 166604 .
Similarly, she should try to avoid eating pork as much as she can, and eat other things, or she can pretend that she does not feel like eating it, or other excuses that may be acceptable or that will not cause conflict with her family and the people around her.
Over and above all that, she should seek the help of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, to make her steadfast in adhering to His religion, and to avert from her all pressures to make her give up Islam, both apparent and hidden, and to grant her a way out.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=2 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/192411/a-girl-wants-to-become-muslim-and-conceal-her-islam-how-should-she-deal-with-issues-of-prayer-hijab-and-eating-pork | 186 | 192,411 |
18,854 | It is not permissible to make accusations without proof against a Muslim woman who does not wear hijab, or to pray that she go to Hell | Question
I met a girl who was righteous but she does not wear hijab, and this is her only fault, but Allah knows that she is of good character and is kind, and she prays regularly and memorises the Book of Allah and a lot of the Prophet’s hadiths, and she is keen to observe voluntary fasts and offer naafil prayers.
I have advised her repeatedly, but she is not convinced. She grew up in a European environment, and she is used to this situation.
But the problem is that some people – may Allah guide them – slander this girl in horrible terms, saying that she is a zaaniyah (fornicatress) and immoral, and this makes me crazy! Yes, the girl may be falling short with regard to wearing hijab, but do these people have the right to accuse her in front of me, when they have not seen her committing fornication with their own eyes? When I try to defend them and advise them to fear Allah, and not accuse her of fornication and so on, and I tell them that making accusations against chase believing women is one of the seven sins that doom one to punishment, they ridicule me and say that “chaste women, who never even think of anything touching their chastity” are the women who stay in their husbands’ houses and wear hijab as prescribed in Islam! And they pray against her by saying “May Allah make her one of the people of Hell.”
Do they really have the right to accuse this girl of such things and to pray that she go to Hell? | Praise be to Allah.Firstly:
Undoubtedly not wearing hijab is a major sin, but it does not make it permissible for anyone to state categorically that the one who does not wear hijab is one of the people of Hell. Likewise, it is not permissible to pray against her in such terms, let alone indulge in impugning her honour and speaking ill of her. Rather what is prescribed in Islam is to pray for her that she be guided and her affairs set straight.
Al-Bukhaari (6443) and Muslim (94) narrated from Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that Jibreel (peace be upon him) said to him: “ ‘Give your ummah the glad tidings that whoever dies not associating anything with Allah will enter Paradise.’ I said: ‘O Jibreel, even if he steals and commits zina?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ I said: ‘Even if he steals and commits zina?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ I said: ‘Even if he steals and commits zina?’ He said: ‘Yes, and even if he drinks alcohol.’”
The scholars of the Standing Committee said:
The belief of Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa‘ah is that any Muslim who dies persisting in a major sin such as zina, slander or stealing is subject to the will of Allah, may He be glorified: if Allah wills, He will forgive him, and if Allah wills, He will punish him for the major sin that he was persisting in when he died, but his ultimate destination will be Paradise, because Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases” [an-Nisa’ 4:48]. And there are mutawaatir hadiths which indicate that the sinners among those who affirmed the Oneness of Allah will be brought forth from the Fire.
End quote from Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah (1/728)
Please see also the answer to question no. 7436
Abu Dawood (4906) narrated from Samurah ibn Jundub that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Do not invoke the curse of Allah upon one another, or the wrath of Allah, or Hell.”
Classed as hasan by al-Albaani.
It says in ‘Awn al-Ma‘bood:
“Do not invoke the curse of Allah upon one another” means: do not curse one another, so no one should say to a particular Muslim: May the curse of Allah be upon you, for example.
“or the wrath of Allah”, by saying: May the wrath of Allah be upon you
“or Hell” by saying: May Allah admit you to the Fire, for example. It specifically mentions the prohibition on invoking such things upon particular individuals, because it is permissible to invoke curses in general terms, such as saying, May the curse of Allah be upon the disbelievers, or to invoke curses upon specific groups of people, or a specific disbeliever who died in a state of disbelief, such as Pharaoh or Abu Jahl. End quote.
Please see also the answer to question no. 83390 and 36674
Thirdly:
It is not permissible for a Muslim to accuse any Muslim man or woman of zina without proof as specified in sharee‘ah, namely four witnesses of good character, or a confession, or pregnancy in a woman who does not have a husband. Whoever does that has committed a major sin and deserves the hadd punishment for slander, which is eighty lashes on his back, and his testimony is never to be accepted in the future, and he is not to be described as being of good character, rather he is to be labelled as a faasiq (evildoer).
Please see the answer to question no. 121059 .
With regard to them saying that the “chaste women, who never even think of anything touching their chastity” are the women who stay in their husbands’ houses and wear hijab as prescribed in Islam, it may be noted that the verse in which Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, those who accuse chaste women, who never even think of anything touching their chastity and are good believers, are cursed in this life and in the Hereafter, and for them will be a great torment” [an-Noor 24:23] refers to every chaste Muslim woman who refrains from zina and is not known to commit it. At-Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The “chaste women, who never even think of anything touching their chastity” are those who refrain from shameful deeds
“and are good believers” in Allah and His Messenger.
End quote from Tafseer at-Tabari (19/138)
It is not permissible to slander any Muslim woman who is not proven to have committed shameful deeds, even if the woman who is accused does not wear hijab.
It says in al-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah (2/227):
The chaste individual (man or woman) whose accuser is to be subjected to the hadd punishment is the one who fulfils the following conditions, according to the consensus of the fuqaha’,if the accusation against him or her is of zina:
1.He or she should be free; there is no hadd punishment for the one who makes accusations against a slave, male or female.
2.He or she should be Muslim; there is no hadd punishment for one who makes an accusation against an apostate or one who was originally a disbeliever.
3.He or she should be of sound mind.
4.He or she should be an adult.
5.He or she should be chaste. What is meant by being chaste is that the individual who is accused never had unlawful sexual intercourse, or intercourse within the framework of a marriage contract that is invalid according to scholarly consensus. If he or she was ever involved in any such deed, the description of chastity no longer applies.
So chastity, in a practical sense, is a condition according to three (of the four) imams.
However, Imam Ahmad said:
An individual may be described as chaste if he appears to refrain from zina. So if a person has never been proven to have committed zina, on the basis of evidence or a confession, and has never received a hadd punishment for zina, he is to be regarded as chaste.
As there is no proof that this woman committed the crime of zina, she is regarded as chaste according to the rules of sharee‘ah, and the one who accused her without proof deserves to be subjected to the hadd punishment. The mere fact that she does not wear hijab does not cancel out the description of her as chaste.
So how about if, in addition to that, she is as you described, keen to pray regularly and do good deeds, and memorise Qur’an? Such a woman is even more unlikely, in sha Allah, to do such evil things, and is more deserving of being well thought of; it is hoped that her prayer and the other good things that she does will keep her away from such shameful deeds, and we hope that by His grace, Allah will open the door of guidance to her, because of those good deeds, and she will begin to wear hijab as prescribed in Islam.
Moreover, the hurtful things that they say about her in her absence are haraam; in fact this is a major sin, and if it is untrue, then it is a grievous lie. What people must do is fear Allah with regard to the honour of the Muslims, especially women and girls, because the impact of speaking ill of these people is immense, and she may be mistreated all her life because of something that was said against her out of animosity and enmity, and the one who said that word, or transmitted it, or approved of it, will bear the burden of that sin.
Allah, may He be exalted, says, warning against such talk (interpretation of the meaning):
“And those who annoy believing men and women undeservedly, bear on themselves the crime of slander and plain sin” [al-Ahzaab 33:58].
The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Do not envy one another, do not artificially inflate prices, do not hate one another, do not turn away from one another, do not undercut one another. Be, O slaves of Allah, brothers. The Muslim is the brother of his fellow-Muslim. He does not wrong him, let him down or despise him. Piety (taqwa) is here” – and he pointed to his chest three times. “It is sufficient evil for a man to despise his Muslim brother. The whole of a Muslim is sacred to another Muslim, his blood, his wealth and his honour.”
Narrated by Muslim (2564)
Please see also the answer to question no. 66699 .
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=2 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/199049/it-is-not-permissible-to-make-accusations-without-proof-against-a-muslim-woman-who-does-not-wear-hijab-or-to-pray-that-she-go-to-hell | 186 | 199,049 |
18,855 | Ruling on a woman removing her clothes in a place other than her own house | Question
I have read these two hadeeths:
I came out of the bathhouse and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Where are you coming from, O Umm ad-Darda’?” I said: From the bathhouse. He said: By the One in Whose hand is my soul, there is no woman who removes her clothes in a place other than the house of one of her mothers but she is destroying every screen between her and the Most Merciful, may He be glorified and exalted.”
At-Targheeb wa’t-Tarheeb, 1/119
“There is no woman who removes her clothes in a place other than her husband’s house but she has removed the screen between her and her Lord.”
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in ad-Radd al-Mufhim, p. 73
My question is: We have a sports club near us that is a respectable place and very well monitored. Inside it there is a room for exercise that is only for women. All the women in charge of this building and those who frequent it are religiously committed and wear hijab, and they do not allow any man to enter it at all. The doctor has advised me and my sister to exercise in order to overcome our general state of weakness and muscular and joint pain. They have also given similar advice to my mother, because she suffers from osteoporosis. My sister and I go to that gym wearing full hijab and covering ourselves properly, but when we enter it we exercise wearing clothing like that which we wear in front of our mahrams; there is no indecency there or extreme uncovering at all; only our heads and forearms are uncovered, and that is in safe rooms that are entirely enclosed inside this building, and all the people around us are women. Is it permissible for us to do that or does it come under the heading of what is forbidden by the two hadeeths quoted above?
I would also like to find out from you any exemptions to the prohibition in the two hadeeths if there is any? Does it also mean that it is not permissible to go to beauty parlours or hairdressers who work with women who wear hijab for the purpose of simple and permissible beautification in which there is nothing that is contrary to the laws of Allah, in places that are safe, where all the workers are women, even if one of my mahrams is going to take me there and back by car? (And does that apply) even if I am a bride and even if it requires me to uncover a little as a woman uncovers in front of her mahrams?
What is the ruling on beauty parlours or cosmetic surgery clinics that are operating on a larger scale than that and in which more extensive procedures are carried out?
I hope that you can respond in detail; may Allah reward you with good. | Praise be to Allah.
Ahmad (6/173), Abu
Dawood (4010) and at-Tirmidhi (2803) narrated from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be
pleased with her) that some women from Homs asked permission to enter upon
her, and she said: Perhaps you are among those who enter bathhouses? I heard
the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say:
“There is no woman who removes her clothes anywhere other than her husband’s
house, but she has torn the screen that is between her and Allaah.”
Classed as saheeh
by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan Ibn Maajah.
This hadeeth
indicates that it is haraam for a woman to take off her clothes anywhere but
in her own house. What is meant by that is if she removes her clothes in a
place where she is not safe from being seen by men who are not her mahrams,
or there is the fear that that may result in fitnah or falling into
something haraam.
Al-Manaawi said in
Fayd al-Qadeer, 3/176:
“Removing her
clothes anywhere other than her husband’s house” is a metaphor for her being
seen by non-mahrams and not being concealed from them.
“she has torn the
screen that is between her and Allaah” – because Allah, may He be exalted,
sent down garments for them to conceal their ‘awrah, Which is the garment of
piety. So if a woman does not fear Allah and she uncovers her ‘awrah, she
has torn the screen between her and Allah, may He be exalted, as she has
exposed herself and did not protect herself, and she has betrayed her
husband, so Allah will remove the screen that is concealing her. The
punishment fits the misdemeanour and what is meant by removing the screen is
scandal. End quote.
He also said
(3/189):
Because if she
does not adhere to what is being enjoined upon her of covering herself
before non-mahrams, she will be requited for that and the requital fits the
misdemeanour. It seems that removing clothing refers to her uncovering
herself before a non-mahram man so that he may engage in intimacy with her
or in that which leads to it. This is something different from her removing
her clothing among other women whilst being careful to cover the ‘awrah, as
there is no way that this could be included in this warning. End quote.
It says in
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah, 17/224:
What the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) meant, and Allah knows best, was
to prevent a woman from being careless with regard to removing her clothing
anywhere but in the house of her husband in such a way that her ‘awrah could
be seen and then she may be accused of seeking to commit immoral actions and
so on. As for removing clothing in a safe place, such as in the house of her
family or her mahrams in order to change her clothes, or to relax and other
permissible aims that are far removed from fitnah, there is nothing wrong
with that. End quote.
Shaykh Ibn
‘Uthaymeen said in Fataawa Noor ‘ala ad-Darb (Commentary on hadeeths
and their classification):
This hadeeth, if
it is saheeh, which says that the one who removes her clothing anywhere but
in the house of her husband has torn the screen – if it is saheeh, then what
is meant is if a woman removes her clothing in a situation where there is
the fear that she may be seen by one for whom it is not permissible for him
to see her. End quote.
See also the
answer to question no. 9460,
34750
Based on that,
there is nothing wrong with a woman removing her clothing outside her house
for a necessary purpose, when she is safe from anyone seeing her ‘awrah,
such as in her mother’s or sister’s house, or in indoor clubs that are only
for women, or in beauty parlours where no one goes except women… And so on.
With regard to
going to the hairdressers, there is nothing wrong with it if the place is
only for women and there are no haraam things there such as plucking the
eyebrows, imitating kaafir or immoral women, or uncovering that which it is
not permitted to uncover of ‘awrahs, and it is only limited to beautifying
the hair and face.
With regard to
cosmetic centres, the basic principle concerning various kinds of cosmetic
procedures is that if it is done to remove a defect that is disfiguring to
the body, there is nothing wrong with it, but if the aim is to go to
extremes in beautification, and not to remove a defect, then it is haraam.
You will find more
details on that on our website under the heading “Clothing, adornment and
images”
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/110163/ruling-on-a-woman-removing-her-clothes-in-a-place-other-than-her-own-house | 186 | 110,163 |
18,856 | Is it permissible for women to go to swimming pools? | Question
I am a Muslim woman aged twenty-eight years, and I want to go swimming so that I can lose some weight. Can I go swimming in a swimming pool wearing clothes that cover me from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet? There are special clothes for Muslim women who want to swim and they cover the entire body, but they cling to the body when wet. What does Islam have to say about this? What if I wear a towel over these clothes and cover myself beforehand and straight after coming out of the pool? Is it permissible for me to swim in this case? Is it permissible for me to swim if there are some men present?. | Praise be to Allah.Islam takes complete care of the Muslim woman and preserves her modesty, conceals her and keeps her away from places of fitnah (temptation).
Islam enjoins women to stay at home and not go out unnecessarily, so as to preserve their chastity, maintain their dignity and protect them from all evil.
Muslim women going out to public centres and swimming pools is something that is emphatically forbidden, because it involves a number of evils and negative consequences.
If these swimming pools are in public centres that are frequented by men and women, this is a great evil. Abu Dawood (4010) and at-Tirmidhi (2803), who classed the report as hasan, narrated from Abu Maleeh al-Hudhali that some women from Syria entered upon ‘Aa’ishah and she said: Perhaps you are the people whose women enter bathhouses? They said: Yes. She said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: “There is no woman who removes her clothes anywhere other than her house, but she has torn (the screen) that is between her and Allah.”
Classed as saheeh by al-Albani in Saheeh at-Tirmidhi.
At-Tirmidhi (2801) also narrated from Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should not let his wife enter bathhouses.” Classed as hasan by al-Albani in Saheeh at-Tirmidhi.
What is meant by bathhouses here is the kind of bathhouses that existed in the past (hamaam or “Turkish bath”), because houses did not have bathrooms at that time.
The reason why women were forbidden to enter them is because of what happens in them of uncovering the ‘awrah, looking at that which is haram and exposure to fitnah (temptation), although bathhouses at that time were not mixed.
So what about bathhouses that are mixed and public swimming pools in which ‘awrahs are uncovered and exposed? The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas said:
For men and women to swim together and then shake hands with one another after swimming is a great evil and it is not permissible to do it. The one who does that should be denounced and the ruler should prevent them from doing it.
End quote from Fatawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah, 17/49
If these swimming pools are only for women it is not permissible to go to them either, even if that is less serious than public baths. That is because women uncover their ‘awrahs, and even if the Muslim woman covers her body she will see those naked women and she will not be able to tell them not to do this evil action.
The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas were asked:
I am an engineer working in the holy city; my job is in the building permits department. A citizen has submitted to us a plan for a health centre offering natural remedies, with two sections, one for men and one for women. After studying the drawings and plans it was noted that there is a large swimming pool in the women’s section. The project manager was informed that this swimming pool is not permissible, because swimming requires women to take off their clothes and then put on tight clothes that, even if they do not show her ‘awrah, will show the shape of her body, and as is well known it is not permissible for women to uncover the ‘awrah among other women. So we explained to the project manager that, by way of blocking the means to evil and warding off evil consequences, he should not build this swimming pool because it was highly possible – especially nowadays – that among the workers would be someone who did not fear Allah, even among the women, and might take pictures of the women in secret, whether with a regular camera or a video camera such as is available nowadays. This would cause a great of trouble and would turn this centre from being a centre for healing to a centre of corruption and fitnah. And it is well known that everything that leads to haram is also haram.
We hope that you can clarify the Islamic ruling on such cases.
They replied:
It is not permissible to build a swimming pool for women in the centre mentioned, because warding off evil takes precedence over bringing benefits.
End quote from Fatawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah, 26/342-343
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked:
We live in a residential neighbourhood where there is a women’s centre; at this centre there is a swimming pool for women and a sauna. What is the ruling on women going to this centre?
He replied:
My advice to my brothers is not to let their women go to swimming pools and sports clubs because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) encouraged women to stay at home. Moreover, if a woman becomes accustomed to that she will become very attached to it because she is subject to her emotions, and in that case she will become distracted from her religious or worldly duties and she will always be talking about these activities in gatherings. And if the woman does such things that will be a cause of her losing sense of shame and modesty, and if a woman loses her sense of shame and modesty do not ask about the evil consequences except for the one whom Allah blesses by guiding her and enabling her to regain the modesty that was taken away from her.
I will close my message by repeating my advice to my believing brothers not to let their daughters, sisters, wives or other female relatives under their guardianship go to these centres or clubs.
End quote from the shaykh’s fatwas for ad-Da‘wah magazine no. 1765/54
This is not the only means of losing weight; there are many permissible means of doing so and there are other types of exercise that the Muslim woman can do if she adheres to Islamic guidelines.
For more information please see the answer to question no. 115676
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/159926/is-it-permissible-for-women-to-go-to-swimming-pools | 186 | 159,926 |
18,857 | Which Colours Are Prohibited in Islam? | Question
What is meant by “dyed with safflower (mu‘asfar)” in the hadith? Is it permissible to wear a green or beige garment? Is there any evidence to suggest that they are makruh?. | Praise be to Allah.What type of clothing is permitted?
The basic principle with regard to clothing is that it is permissible because Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“He it is Who created for you all that is on earth. Then He Istawa (rose over) towards the heaven and made them seven heavens and He is the All-Knower of everything.” [Al-Baqarah 2:29]
He has blessed us by giving us the means of clothing ourselves, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O Children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover yourselves (screen your private parts, etc.) and as an adornment, and the raiment of righteousness, that is better. Such are among the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah, that they may remember (i.e. leave falsehood and follow truth).” [Al-A‘raf 7:26]
The one who claims that a certain type or colour of clothing is haram is required to produce evidence to prove that.
The scholars differed concerning the ruling on men wearing three colours :
Pure red that is not mixed with any other colour . As for red that is mixed with another colour, they are agreed that it is permissible.
Clothing dyed with ‘usfur (safflower or carthamus tinctorius, a plant which gives a red colour). As for clothing that is dyed red with something other than safflower, it comes under the previous ruling.
Clothing dyed with saffron (a plant which gives a yellow colour). As for clothing that is dyed yellow with something other than saffron, the scholars are agreed that it is permissible.
Ruling on wearing clothing that is dyed with safflower
With regard to the ruling on wearing clothing that is dyed with safflower, the scholars differed concerning it and there are three opinions:
That it is haram.
This is the view of the Zahiriyyah (literalists) and it is the opinion favoured by Ibn al-Qayyim.
Their evidence is the report narrated by Muslim (2077) from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As, who said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw me wearing two garments that had been dyed with safflower and he said: “These are garments of the disbelievers ; do not wear them.”
According to another report, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Did your mother tell you to do this?” I said: Should I wash them? He said: “No, burn them.”
And Muslim narrated from ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade garments dyed with safflower.
That it is makruh.
This is the view of the Hanafis and Malikis, and it is the view adopted by the Hanbalis, who said: The previous prohibition may be understood as meaning that it is makruh, because it is proven that al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wearing a red hullah (suit). (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 3551; Muslim, 2337)
That it is permissible.
This is the view of the Shafi`is. (Al-Majmu‘, 4/450; al-Mughni, 2/299; al-Muhalla, 4/69; Tahdhib Sunan Abi Dawud, 11/117; Hashiyat Ibn ‘Abidin, 5/228)
What appears most likely to be correct – and Allah knows best – is the opinion that it is haram, because the basic principle concerning prohibition is that it means that a thing is haram. With regard to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wearing red, it does not mean that his red garment had been dyed with safflower; rather it was dyed red with something other than safflower. (See: Ma'alim al-Sunan, 4/179)
Ruling on clothes dyed with saffron
With regard to clothing dyed with saffron, the scholars differed concerning it and there are also three opinions, the most correct of which is that of the Shafi`is, which was also narrated by the Hanbalis, that it is haram for men to wear garments dyed with saffron.
The evidence for that is the report narrated from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade men to dye their clothes with saffron. (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 5846; Muslim, 2101)
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymin (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“The correct view is that wearing clothing dyed with safflower is haram for men, and the same applies to clothing dyed with saffron.” (Ash-Sharh al-Mumti‘, 2/218) (See: at-Tamhid, 2/180; al-Insaf, 1/481; al-Muhalla, 4/76; al-Majmu‘, 4/440; Hashiyat Ibn ‘Abidin, 5/228; al-Mughni, 2/299)
Which colour is forbidden for men?
With regard to clothing of other colours , the scholars did not differ concerning the permissibility thereof; rather it was narrated that there was consensus on that. For example:
An-Nawawi said in al-Majmu‘, 4/337:
“It is permissible to wear white, red, yellow, green, striped and other colours of clothing, and there was no difference of opinion concerning that, and none of them are makruh.”
It says in al-Mawsu‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 6/132-136:
“The jurists agreed that it is mustahabb to wear white clothing…
The jurists agreed that it is permissible to wear yellow so long as it is not dyed with safflower or saffron.”
Can women wear coloured clothes?
It is also permissible for women to wear whatever colours they like , so long as they do not display themselves in front of non-mahram men. Those scholars who spoke about the prohibition on wearing clothing dyed with safflower and saffron limited that to men only.
Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said in at-Tamhid, 16/123:
“With regard to women, there is no difference of opinion among the scholars that it is permissible for them to wear clothing dyed various shades of red or pink.”
To sum up, green and beige are colours that it is permissible to wear, and there is nothing to suggest that they are haram, unless that is the result of dyeing with safflower or saffron. If that is the case, then it becomes haram to wear it, for men only. This is the most correct of the scholarly opinions.
For more, please see this category: Rulings on Dress
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/72878/which-colours-are-prohibited-in-islam | 186 | 72,878 |
18,858 | Does a Muslim woman have to cover her face in the presence of a gay man? | Question
Is it obligatory for a Muslim woman to cover her face in the presence of a gay man (homosexual)?. | Praise be to Allah.
Homosexuality is a great and abhorrent evil which is
off-putting to those of sound human nature. One of those of sound nature
said: Were it not that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, told us the
story of the people of Loot in the Qur’aan, I would never have thought that
a male could be intimate with another male. Hence both the one who does it
and the one to whom it is done to be executed. This has been discussed
previously in the answer to question no.
27176.
Secondly:
It is not permissible for anyone to accuse another person of
doing the action of the people of Loot unless that is proven with acceptable
shar‘i evidence, such as a confession or if the action is witnessed by four
witnesses of sound character. If a person transgresses against another by
accusing him of this immoral action, which is a slur against his honour, and
he has no proof, then he is making a false accusation and deserves the
appropriate deterrent punishment. The obligatory hadd punishment in this
case is eighty lashes. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the
meaning):
“And those who accuse
chaste women, and produce not four witnesses, flog them with eighty stripes,
and reject their testimony forever. They indeed are the Fâsiqûn (liars,
rebellious, disobedient to Allaah”
[an-Noor 24:4].
Thirdly:
The Muslim woman is required to cover herself, including her
face and hands, in front of non-mahram men. If it is known that a man is an
immoral evildoer, then covering herself in front of him is even more
emphasised.
The Muslim woman should be more cautious with regard to this
evildoer than others, and should take care to ensure that there is no
meeting or conversation between them.
For more information please see the answers to questions no.
11774,
21536 and
6991.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/166083/does-a-muslim-woman-have-to-cover-her-face-in-the-presence-of-a-gay-man | 186 | 166,083 |
18,859 | If her parents force her to go to a school where she has to take off her niqab, should she take it off in the street too? | Question
I am a 17 year old who want to wear niqab. It is 3 years on school and I am only in my first year. Should I take of my niqab only at school? Notice that it would be a big problem too me from my family if I told them I want to quit at school. Is it better to use it outside school and not at school, or should I wait 2 years untill I finish school so that I can use it all the time?. | Praise be to Allah.Firstly:
It is obligatory for a girl who has reached puberty to cover her entire body in front of non-mahram men, because of evidence that has been discussed previously -- see questions no. 11774 and 21134.
There is no differentiation in this regard between the street, the school or any other place. Wherever there are non-mahram men, the woman is obliged to cover all of her body, including the face.
Secondly:
You have to try hard to convince your parents to let you study in a school that is not mixed, or a school in which you will be able to cover your face, or to study by distance learning, so that you can avoid falling into sin.
If your family do not let you do that, and they insist on your staying in this school, and you cannot move to another school, then you have to wear the niqab outside school, because that is what you can do. The fact that you are forced to uncover your face in the school does not make it permissible for you to do so outside of school, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can” [al-Taghaabun 64:16].
We ask Allah, may He be exalted, to increase you in knowledge and guidance, and to grant you a way out and relief.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/167259/if-her-parents-force-her-to-go-to-a-school-where-she-has-to-take-off-her-niqab-should-she-take-it-off-in-the-street-too | 186 | 167,259 |
18,860 | Is it permissible for a woman to uncover her eyes unnecessarily? | Question
My question has to do with niqab. I read on your website and many Islamic websites that the niqab is fard (obligatory) and women must wear niqab, but they can leave their eyes uncovered so that they can see where they are going.
What concerns me is: is it obligatory for us to cover our eyes if I am not walking and there is no need to see where I am going?. | Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
What the woman must do is cover her face because of a great
deal of shar‘i evidence which indicates that it is obligatory for the woman
to cover her face in front of non-mahram men. And she has two ways in which
she can cover:
Either she may lower down on her face something that will
cover it completely and not let anything of it show, and she can see through
that cover
or she may wear the niqab (face veil) which is that which
covers the face but leaves the eyes uncovered.
In Saheeh al-Bukhaari (1838) it says: “The woman in
ihram should not wear niqab or gloves.” The fact that the woman in ihram is
forbidden to wear niqab indicates that it is permissible to wear it when not
in ihram.
Hence the fuqaha’ and scholars said that it is permissible
for a woman to wear niqab, but that is on condition that she does not go to
extremes in uncovering the eye socket or show too much of the cheeks.
Imam al-Ramli ash-Shaafa‘i (may Allah have mercy on him)
said:
It is haraam to look at a woman in niqab of whom nothing can
be seen except her eyes, especially if she is beautiful. How much fitnah may
be caused by looking at a woman’s eyes. End quote from Nihaayat
al-Muhtaaj, 6/188
It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah: With regard
to the niqaab: Abu ‘Ubayd said, describing the niqab according to the Arabs:
it is that from which the eye appears. It was known by other names,
including “burqa‘”. As for the ruling on it, it is permissible.
The source for that is the hadeeth narrated from Ibn ‘Umar
(may Allah be pleased with him), according to which the Prophet (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The woman in ihram should not wear
niqab or gloves.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari. The fact that he (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) forbade the woman in ihram to wear niqab
indicates that it is permissible when not in ihram. End quote from
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah (vol. 1, 17/171).
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baz, Shaykh ‘Abd ar-Razaaq ‘Afeefi,
Shaykh ‘Abdullah ibn Ghadyaan, Shaykh ‘Abdullah ibn Qa‘ood.
This has been
stated previously in the following answers:
1496,
8540,
21134 and
100719
Secondly:
Once the above becomes clear, we will realise that there is
nothing wrong with a woman wearing a niqaab from which only her eyes appear
through a narrow opening which does not uncover anything more than what is
needed in order to see. The ruling that this is permissible is not dependent
upon there being any need; rather it is generally applicable and it is
permissible for her to wear the niqab whether the woman needs to see where
she is going or not, and whether she is sitting in a car or walking down the
street. The evidence quoted above which indicates that it is permissible to
wear the niqab was narrated in a hadeeth of the Prophet (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him), and the tafseer of Ibn ‘Abbaas is general in
application and is not restricted to cases of necessity.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/165349/is-it-permissible-for-a-woman-to-uncover-her-eyes-unnecessarily | 186 | 165,349 |
18,861 | How should he deal with his sisters who do not wear full hijab? | Question
I am a young man who was guided by Allaah – all praise be to Him – four months ago. I am surprised at all the bid’ahs that the people follow, hence I visit this site of yours all the time. I live in a family where all the people pray, praise be to Allaah. I have two sisters aged 14 and 16. They do not wear jilbaabs, rather they just cover their heads. When I try to convince them to wear jilbaab my mother stands in my way even though she wears jilbaab herself, and she tells me that when they grow up we will make them wear jilbaab. I adhere to the command in the Qur’aan to respect our parents, so I keep quiet.
I want to ask:
1 – Should I keep quiet and wait till my sisters grow up?
2 – Should I go against my parents and make my sisters wear the jilbaab, especially since my parents are strongly opposed to this idea at present ?
Please advise me, because I am confused. May Allaah reward you with all good. | Praise be to Allah.We ask
Allaah to continue to guide you and to increase your faith, and to make us
and you steadfast in adhering to His religion.
You should
continue advising your sisters to wear the jilbaab, and advise your parents
to make them adhere to the command of Allaah. But you should do that in a
kind and gentle manner, and perhaps you can use some tapes and booklets that
explain the ruling on the jilbaab, which is enjoined in the verse
(interpretation of the meaning):
“O
Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers
to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e. screen themselves
completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way). That will be better,
that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be
annoyed. And Allaah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful”
[al-Ahzaab 33:59]
Al-Qurtubi
(may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
It was the
custom of the Arab women to be uncovered. They used to uncover their faces
as slave woman do, which prompted men to look at them and provoked desires
in them. So Allaah commanded His Messenger (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) to tell them put on their jilbaabs when they went out,
if they wanted to go out to relieve themselves, because they used to go out
into the desert before they began to use chamber pots. This was in order to
distinguish between them and slave woman, so that free woman would be
recognized by their covering, and no one would harass them. Before this
verse was revealed, believing women would go out for their needs and the
evildoers would think that they were slave women, so they would harass them,
and the free women would should at them. They complained about that to the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and this verse was
revealed for that reason. This was said by al-Hasan and others.
See also
question no.
11774.
What some
people say, that a girl does not have to wear the hijab or jilbaab until
after she is married or until she has completed her education etc has no
basis, rather this shar’i ruling applies to every girl who has reached the
age of adolescence, whether she is 12 years old or 18 or whatever. See
question no.
20475.
Fathers and
mothers should note that they are responsible before Allaah for the affairs
of their daughters that have been entrusted to them, as Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
“O you
who believe! Ward off yourselves and your families against a Fire (Hell)
whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and)
severe, who disobey not, (from executing) the Commands they receive from
Allaah, but do that which they are commanded”
[al-Tahreem 66:6]
And as the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Each of you is a shepherd
and each of you is responsible for his flock. The ruler is a shepherd and is
responsible for his flock; the man is the shepherd of his family members and
is responsible for them...”
Narrated by
al-Bukhaari, 853; Muslim, 1829.
And he
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah will ask every person in a position of responsibility about that which was entrusted to him, whether he took care of it or was negligent, until He will ask a man about the members of his household.” Narrated by Ibn Hibbaan, classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Ghaayat al-Maraam, no. 271.
And Allaah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/36805/how-should-he-deal-with-his-sisters-who-do-not-wear-full-hijab | 186 | 36,805 |
18,862 | Are Feet ‘Awrah? | Question
Does the girl who wears Hijab have to cover her feet? | Praise be to Allah.Is it haram to show your feet?
At the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) women were keen to cover themselves completely, which includes covering the feet . They used to let the hem of their garments hang low . One of them asked the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about letting this hem touch what is on the ground, which may make it dirty, and he said: “That which comes after it purifies it.”
On another occasion, when he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said that women should let their hems down by one hand span, one of them said, “But then her feet will show.”
This indicates that they were keen to cover their feet and that the feet are part of that which must be covered.
A woman asked Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): I am a woman whose garment drags, and I may walk through a dirty place. Umm Salamah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “That which comes after it purifies it.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (143), Abu Dawud (383) and Ibn Majah (531). The hadith was classed as sahih by Shaykh al-Albani in Sahih Abi Dawud, 407.
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever lets his garment drag out of pride, Allah will not look at him on the Day of Resurrection.” Umm Salamah said: What should women do with their hems? He said: “They should let them down a hand span.” She said: Then their feet will show. He said: “Then let it down a cubit, but no more than that.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 1731) He said: This is a sahih hasan hadith. Also narrated by al-Nasai (5336). The hadith was classed as sahih by al-Albani in al-Silsilah al-Sahihah, 1864.
So it is not permissible for the woman to wear open shoes which show her feet. But if her clothes are long and she wears socks, there is nothing wrong with that, although it is better for her to cover the feet with the garment and not with socks.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“If a woman wears pants or loose khuff (leather slippers), and the jilbab hangs over it so that the shape of the foot cannot be seen, this achieves the purpose, unlike the tight khuff (leather slippers) which shows the shape of the foot, because this is worn by men.” (Majmu‘ al-Fatawa, 22/148 )
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymin (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“It is permissible for a woman to let her garment down below the ankles. In fact this is what is prescribed for women, so that they may cover their feet. Covering the feet is something that is prescribed for women and is in fact obligatory for them according to many scholars. What a woman should do is cover her feet, either with her garment which is long and covers them or by wearing socks or shoes and the like.” (Fatawa al-Marah al-Muslimah, 1/437 )
For more, please see this category: Women Clothing.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/153367/are-feet-awrah | 186 | 153,367 |
18,863 | He tells his wife to wear hijab even when she is in the house on her own | Question
I want to know your opinion on something -- may Allah reward you with good and make Paradise your abode. My husband is a very pious man, and I am trying to strengthen my commitment to Islam and I am trying to cover myself properly. We agreed that the niqaab is fard (obligatory) outside the house. My husband thinks that the highest level of faith is to wear hijab at home! He thinks that this will bring more barakah (blessing) to the home. He is suggesting (but he is not forcing me to do anything, praise be to Allah) that I have to wear hijab even when I am home alone, even when there are no mahrams or visitors in the house, and that I cannot take it off except when sleeping or taking a bath.
I do not have any reason to reject this if Islam enjoins it, but I think that in the house I have to be attractive and look beautiful, and hijab prevents me from that. From my studies I found out that there is no evidence that says that a woman has to wear hijab in the house. My husband says: I will never find any evidence for that because this is the matter of etiquette and there are a number of points of etiquette that are not mentioned in the Qur’aan and Sunnah. I thought this might be a cultural tradition and I am happy to do that to please him, but I am also keen to adhere to Islam. Can you explain whether wearing hijab in the house increases barakah? If I refuse, will I be sinning? It is important to please my husband for the sake of Allah, but I am confused about this matter. | Praise be to Allah.We do not know of any Islamic rulings or etiquette that enjoins the woman to wear jijab even when she is on her own in the house or with her husband.
Although your husband’s gheerah (protective jealousy) is to be appreciated, what he is demanding comes under the heading of extreme strictness which is contrary to Islam and to sound human nature (fitrah). Allah, may He be exalted, has made sound hearts love adornment and beauty, and Allah has permitted a great deal of that, including a woman’s adorning herself and beautifying herself for her husband. This is something that makes the husband love his wife and creates a good relationship between them.
Al-Manaawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
As for putting on perfume and adorning oneself for one’s husband, it is required and recommended. Some of the scholars said: The wife’s adorning herself and putting on perfume for her husband are among the strongest causes of love and harmony between them and keeps dislike and resentment at bay, because the eye is the way to the heart, so if the eye sees something and likes it, it goes straight to the heart and thus love is generated. If it looks at something ugly or something that it does not like of clothing or garments, it will go to the heart and thus resentment and hatred will be generated. Hence the Arab women used to advise one another: Beware of letting your husband see you in a way that he does not like or smell something from you that he finds off-putting.
End quote from Fayd al-Qadeer, 3/190
If a woman wears hijab at home and with her husband, this will prevent her from a lot of adornment and beautification.
It should be said to the husband: Islam encourages the woman to adorn herself and beautify herself for her husband, and women are created with a natural inclination towards adornment and beauty, as Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“(Like they then for Allaah) a creature who is brought up in adornments (wearing silk and gold ornaments, i.e. women), and who in dispute cannot make herself clear?”[al-Zukhrif 43:18].
So do not put restrictions on something that Allah has made broad in scope. A woman’s wearing hijab in her husband’s house is not something that is indicative of higher levels of faith, it is not one of the things that bring barakah to the home, and it is not part of the etiquette that is encouraged in Islam.
The sign of faith is adhering to the laws of Allah; barakah is attained by following the commands of Islam and keeping away from dubious matters.
Enjoy what Allah has permitted to you and to her; ask her to adorn herself and beautify herself, and you will see that goodness and barakah are to be found in this, in sha Allah.
For more information, please see the answer to question no. 126454
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/152986/he-tells-his-wife-to-wear-hijab-even-when-she-is-in-the-house-on-her-own | 186 | 152,986 |
18,864 | Ruling on women riding bicycles in Western countries | Question
If a woman is a new Muslim, and she is currently not married and has a child who she must support - living in a non-Muslim country... what is the ruling for her riding a bicycle for her work and other places, seeing as she does not have enough money to buy a car, or even rent an apartment! During the summertime walking becomes difficult, so she would like to buy a bicycle, what is the ruling regarding this?. | Praise be to Allah.The woman is required to cover all of her body in front of non-mahram men with clothes that are loose and will not show the size of her limbs and are not see-through.
The basic principle is that it is permissible for a woman to ride animals, just as women used to ride camels and so on at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). al-Bukhaari (5365) and Muslim (2527) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The best women who ride camels are the women of Quraysh.”
Some fuqaha’ forbade women to ride horses except in cases of necessity such as jihad or Hajj, and they gave as the reason for that the fact that it is an imitation of men, and because of the reports that the women who do that are cursed, but that is a hadeeth that is not saheeh.
It says in al-Durr al-Mukhtaar: A Muslim woman should not ride an animal because of the hadeeth. This applies if it is for leisure, but if it is for a need such as a campaign or Hajj or some religious or worldly interest concerning which she has no other option, then there is nothing wrong with it.
Ibn ‘Aabideen said in his Haashiyah (6/423): The phrase “because of the hadeeth” refers to a hadeeth in al-Dhakheerah which says “May Allah curse the women on saddles.” But al-Madani narrated from Abu’l-Tayyib that there is no basis for it, i.e., there is no source for the hadeeth in this wording but the meaning is proven. In al-Bukhaari and elsewhere it says: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) cursed men who imitate women and women who imitate men. In al-Tabaraani it says: A woman passed by the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) carrying a bow and he said: May Allah curse women who imitate men and men who imitate women.
The words “but if it is for a need such as a campaign” and so on mean: it is stipulated that she should be covered and she should be with her husband or a mahram. The words “for some religious interest” refer to something like travelling in order to uphold ties of kinship. End quote.
If a woman rides a bicycle in front of men there is the possibility that she may become uncovered and part of her body may appear or the shape of her body may appear when she moves and air flows around her. For this reason it is not permissible for her to do that except in the case of necessity or urgent need, on condition that she wear clothes that cover her, with pants and socks underneath.
We asked Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) a previous question, which was as follows: Is it permissible for a Muslim woman living in a kaafir country to ride a bicycle or motorbike wearing complete hijab?
He replied: I do not think this is allowed, because she may be caught up with pursued. End quote.
Dr. Ahmad al-Hajji al-Kurdi [an expert in al-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah and a member of the Ifta Committee in Kuwait] was asked:
What is the ruling on women riding bicycles in European countries in order to get to school or work or to the supermarket?
He replied:
There is no reason why a woman should not ride a motorbike or a bicycle if she is where men cannot see her, so long as she adheres to complete shar‘i hijab that covers her body and she is careful to avoid showing any part of her ‘awrah when getting on and off.
But with regard to her riding it in a place where men can see her, I do not think that this is permissible except in the case of urgent need, because usually when a woman rides it, part of what she has covered appears or the clothes become tight and show the shape of her body. And because she may fall from it and uncover what she has covered, or there are other reservations.
Moreover, among the conditions of a woman’s hijab in front of non-mahram men is that it should cover all of the ‘awrah; it should be thick and not see-through;, it should be loose and should not show the shape; and it should be of a dull colour that does not attract attention; it should not have any adornment or pattern; and it should not be intended as an adornment, rather it should be worn in order to cover.
The best that I have seen in that regard is what is called the jilbaab, but I do not say it is obligatory for anyone.
End quote from his website.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/152058/ruling-on-women-riding-bicycles-in-western-countries | 186 | 152,058 |
18,865 | Responding to Allaah’s command of hijab and warning against going against that command | Question
We are aware of hijab - covering of woman's face and hair. Some of my muslim lady friends donot cover their hair and there is an argument that if they tie their hair rather than keep it open, the degree of the sin (gunah) is smaller? Also keeping long hair open is a greater sin than keeping short hair open. Is it true? Plese help and reply. | Praise be to Allah.When Allaah, may He be exalted, and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoin something, it is obligatory for the Muslim to say, “We hear and we obey,” and to hasten to carry out what has been enjoined upon him. This is what is required by faith in Allaah.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allaah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed into a plain error”
[al-Ahzaab 33:36]
Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Sa’di (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
“It is not for a believer, man or woman” means: it is not appropriate or befitting for the one who is described as a believer to do anything other than to hasten to please Allaah and His Messenger, and to flee from incurring the wrath of Allaah and His Messenger, and to obey their commands, and to avoid that which they have prohibited. It is not appropriate for a believing man or a believing woman “when Allaah and His Messenger have decreed a matter” and enjoined it, “that they should have any option in their decision”. They do not have the choice of whether to do it or not, rather the believing man and the believing woman know that the Messenger is dearer to them then their own selves, so they should not let their own whims and desires form a barrier between them and obeying the command of Allaah and His Messenger.
“And whoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed into a plain error” means, an obvious error, because he has forsaken the Straight Path which leads to the reward of Allaah, and has strayed to another path which leads to a painful torment. So Allaah mentions first the reason for not going against the command of Allaah and His Messenger, which is faith, then He mentions the deterrent for that, which is fear of going astray, which leads to punishment and humiliation. End quote.
Tafseer al-Sa’di, p. 612.
The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us that the one who disobeys him is the one who does not want to enter Paradise! Al-Bukhaari (7280) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “All of my ummah will enter Paradise except those who refuse.” They said: “O Messenger of Allaah, who would refuse?” He said: “Whoever obeys me will enter Paradise and whoever disobeys me has refused.”
When the command of hijab came, the first Muslim women hastened to obey it, so much so that the women tore their clothes in order to hasten to obey this command. This is what is meant by faith.
It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: May Allaah have mercy on the women of the early muhaajireen. When Allaah revealed the words “and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms)”, they tore their aprons and covered their faces with them. Narrated by al-Bukhaari in a mu’allaq report and by Abu Dawood (4102); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar said:
Muroot, sing. murt (translated here as “aprons”) refers to the izaar or lower garment.
Fath al-Baari, 8/490
Our advice to those sisters is to hasten to obey the command of Allaah without any hesitation, and not to try to obey part of the command and neglect part of it. It is obligatory for a woman to cover her hair, face and all of her body, and it is not permissible for her to show any part of that in front of non-mahram men. Whoever does that is exposing herself to the threat and is lacking in faith to the extent that she is failing to respond to the command of Allaah.
In the answer to question no. 11774 we have explained the ruling on women covering their faces, with detailed evidence.
In the answer to question no. 6244 we have answered the question: “Why should women cover their hair?”
In the answer to questions no. 214 and 6991 we have given a description of correct hijab.
And Allaah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/69804/responding-to-allaahs-command-of-hijab-and-warning-against-going-against-that-command | 186 | 69,804 |
18,866 | Should she wear hijab even though her family will be harmed because of that? | Question
What is the ruling on a woman who wears hijab in an Arab country which forbids hijab by force and by harming the woman’s religious commitment and social interests? Should she remain steadfast even though some of her family members may be harmed indirectly? Please advise me. | Praise be to Allah.
It is a serious crime and a reprehensible action to prevent a
Muslim woman from wearing hijab as enjoined by Allaah and forcing her by law
to uncover her head and face and go out unveiled among people.
The Muslim has to adhere to the rulings of sharee’ah and
“there is no obedience to any created being if it involves disobedience
towards the Creator.” The Muslim woman’s hijab is one of the duties that she
is obliged to fulfil. The harm that a woman imagines will befall her or her
family may be baseless, or it may not be extreme, and it may be something
that can be put up with. So she has to continue to adhere to correct Islamic
dress.
If the harm is extreme and certain, or it is most likely that
it will happen, then the woman can take off her hijab in order to protect
her honour and religious commitment, but she has to remain as covered and as
modest as she possibly can. In this case it is not permissible for her to go
out of the house except when absolutely necessary, and there is no
concession allowing her to go out to study or to buy things that someone
else can bring to her. What we mean is that she should only go out for
essential needs that cannot easily be dealt with at home, or for some shar’i
action that she cannot forsake, and so on.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was
asked:
In some countries Muslim women may be forced to take off
their hijab and leave their heads uncovered. Is it permissible for them to
do that, knowing that whoever refuses to do that is faced with consequences
such as losing their jobs or being expelled from school?
The Shaykh replied:
This calamity which is happening in some countries is one of
the things by means of which a person may be tested. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
“Alif-Laam-Meem.
[These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur’aan, and
none but Allaah (Alone) knows their meanings.]
2. Do people think that they will be left alone because
they say: “We believe,” and will not be tested.
3. And We indeed tested those who were before them. And
Allaah will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and
will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars,
(although Allaah knows all that before putting them to test)”
[al-‘Ankaboot 29:1-3]
What I think is that
Muslim women in these countries should refuse to obey people in charge (the
rulers) in this evil action, because obeying those in authority in doing
something that is wrong is not allowed. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
“O you who believe! Obey Allaah and obey the Messenger
(Muhammad), and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority”
[al-Nisa’ 4:59]
If you think about the meaning of this verse, you will note
that Allaah says “Obey Allaah and obey the Messenger (Muhammad), and
those of you (Muslims) who are in authority” – but the verb (obey) is
not repeated in the third case with regard to those who are in authority.
This indicates that obedience to those in authority is secondary to
obedience to Allaah and obedience to His Messenger. If their command is
contrary to obeying Allaah and His Messenger, then they should not be
listened to or obeyed in that which goes against obedience to Allaah and His
Messenger. “There is no obedience to any created being if it involves
disobedience to the Creator.”
The persecution that a
woman may face in this regard is something that has to be borne with
patience, and she should seek the help of Allaah in being patient. We ask
Allaah to guide those in authority to the truth. I do not think that this
forcing her not to wear hijab can take place unless the woman leaves her
home, but if she stays at home no one can force her, so she can stay in her
house so that she will be safe from this thing. With regard to studies that
will lead to her committing sin, this is not permissible, rather she should
study whatever she needs for her religious and worldly interests. This is
sufficient, and this can usually be done at home.
As’ilat al-Usrah al-Muslimah, p.
22, 23
And Allaah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/45672/should-she-wear-hijab-even-though-her-family-will-be-harmed-because-of-that | 186 | 45,672 |
18,867 | Wearing clothes with tight sleeves in front of women and mahrams | Question
There are clothes which are of a design called “cloche”. Some of them are for women and are very loose, and their sleeves are also long and wide, as in the case of dira‘s and jilbaabs. Is it permissible for women to wear them? Also, is it permissible to wear tight sleeves among other women and mahrams?. | Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
It is permissible for a woman to wear whatever clothes she
wants so long as that is not imitating men or kaafir women, or uncovering
the ‘awrah in front of those before whom it must be covered. Covering the
awrah can only be achieved by wearing concealing garments that do not show
what is underneath them, and which are wide and do not show the size of her
frame. See the answer to question no.
6991 and
14302.
Secondly:
The ‘awrah of a woman in front of her mahrams such as her
father, brother, son and nephew, is her entire body except what usually
appears, such as her face, hair, neck, forearms and feet. Allah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
“…and not to show off their adornment except only that
which is apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer
palms of hands or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, headcover, apron), and
to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks
and bosoms) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or
their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s
sons, or their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or
their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islam), or the (female) slaves
whom their right hands possess…”
[al-Nisa’ 4:31]
See also the answer to question no.
113287.
Based on that, it is permissible for her to wear tight
sleeves from the hands to the elbows, because that is not part of the ‘awrah
before mahrams, so long as there is no cause for suspicion or temptation.
There is also nothing wrong with wearing these kinds of
sleeves in front of women, because Allah says in the verse quoted above “or
their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islam)”, as that is not part
of the ‘awrah in front of other women.
For more information please see the answer to question number
34745.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/141158/wearing-clothes-with-tight-sleeves-in-front-of-women-and-mahrams | 186 | 141,158 |
18,868 | Taking pictures of women in Qur’aan teaching centres and showing them on satellite channels | Question
What is the ruling on photographers entering Qur’aan teaching centres to take pictures of a lesson given by one of the female daa‘iyahs, knowing that the photographer will move among the women who are listening to the lesson, so that they can show their pictures in a lesson that will be broadcast on an Islamic satellite channel?. | Praise be to Allah.
Women are
obliged to cover their entire bodies in front of non-mahram men, because of
evidence that we have quoted previously in the answers to questions no.
11774 and
92801
It is not
permissible to allow anyone to take pictures of women when their faces are
uncovered or to transmit these pictures on satellite channels or otherwise.
We have
previously discussed the negative consequences of women participating in
satellite channels -- even if they wear niqaab. Please see the answer to
question no. 134785
Shaykh ‘Abd
ar-Rahmaan ibn Naasir al-Barraak (may Allah preserve him) was asked: What is
the ruling on a female daa‘iyah appearing on TV in full shar‘i hijab for the
purpose of da‘wah and fatwas?
He replied:
To proceed:
The basic
principle is that the woman is fitnah in her image and her voice. The
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I am not leaving
behind me any fitnah more harmful to men than women.” (Agreed upon). Hence
those who follow their whims and desires are very keen to introduce women
into all media programming, both audio and video. Based on that, it is not
permissible for a woman to appear on TV, even if she is wearing hijab, in
the name of da‘wah and giving fatwas, because innumerable men will listen to
her even if she only appears on the channel on the basis of teaching women.
Moreover, there is no need for her to undertake da‘wah and issue fatwas via
TV channels. The basic principle is that that is to be done by men, and men
are more suited to that. Throughout Islamic history men have been the ones
to teach, call people to Islam and issue fatwas in the mosques and so on.
They are the khateebs and imams. It is not permissible for women to do any
of these things unless it is among other women.
Moreover it is
well known that women’s participation in video and audio media results in
things that are contrary to sharee‘ah, such as their going out
unnecessarily, mixing with men, making images of them even if they do wear
hijab. This results in negative consequences that Islam came to prevent, as
Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O wives of
the Prophet! You are not like any other women. If you keep your duty (to
Allah), then be not soft in speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease (of
hypocrisy, or evil desire for adultery, etc.) should be moved with desire,
but speak in an honourable manner.
And stay in
your houses, and do not display yourselves like that of the times of
ignorance”
[al-Ahzaab
33:32-33].
A woman may be
making a display of herself in her clothing even if she wears hijab.
Based on the
above I say: It is not permissible for a woman to appear on satellite TV
channels as a daa‘iyah, mufti or teacher. Rather she should restrict her
da‘wah activities to her fellow women at home or in a school or in the
women’s prayer space in the mosque.
On this
occasion we advise our sisters who are in charge of Islamic channels to fear
Allah and not to be deceived by the words of those who have wrong views and
do not see anything wrong with women appearing on Islamic channels and even
promote that and support it with specious arguments. It is sufficient to
note that this is in accordance with the whims and desires of modernists,
who do not care about anything but falsehood or that which leads to
falsehood. Hence they like the Islamic channels on which women appear and
they regard them as keeping pace with modern times, and they do not like the
channels on which no women appear and they regard them as backward and
describe the people in charge of them as being extremists. These people are
like those of whom Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the
meaning):
“but those
who follow their lusts, wish that you (believers) should deviate
tremendously away from the Right Path”
[an-Nisa’
4:27].
We ask Allah
to guide us to the straight path and to keep us away from the path of those
who earned His Anger and of those who went astray. End quote from
Shabakat Noor al-Islam.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/148014/taking-pictures-of-women-in-quraan-teaching-centres-and-showing-them-on-satellite-channels | 186 | 148,014 |
18,869 | Can she breastfeed her baby in front of other women? | Question
Allah has blessed me with a baby girl. Often I have my relatives or female friends with me, or I am visiting them, and I breastfeed my baby. Is it haraam to uncover my chest and breastfeed in front of them? Because I am afraid that if I breastfeed away from them they will take it badly. Please note that I only breastfeed her in front of woman or children. | Praise be to Allah.We have previously discussed what it is permissible for a woman to show in front of her mahrams and in front of other women. See the answer to question no. 113287, 82994 and 34745 . To sum up, she should not uncover in front of women anything but that which ordinarily appears.
With regard to uncovering the breast in order to feed her child, the scholars granted a concession allowing that because there is a need for it.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
We must understand that there is a difference between saying “What is ‘awrah?” and “What is the clothing that it is prescribed for a woman to wear?” so that there will be no confusion between the two matters.
The clothing that is prescribed for a woman to wear in front of mahrams is that which covers all of her body apart from the head, hands and feet. This is what is prescribed.
With regard to the issue of ‘awrah, the ‘awrah for a woman in front of other women is like the ‘awrah for a man in front of other men, i.e., the area between the navel and the knee. But saying that does not mean that it is permissible for a woman to appear in front of other women wearing nothing but pants that cover from the navel to the knee. No one would say that. Whoever says such a thing is misguided. Rather what is meant is that if a woman is wearing covering clothes, and she needs to uncover her forearms to do some work or because of some disease in the forearms and like, or she wants to breastfeed her child in front of other women, so she uncovers her breast in front of the women, there is nothing wrong with that.
So there is a difference between the concept of ‘awrah and the manner of dress that is prescribed. What is prescribed for women is that their clothing should cover them properly, and it is permissible for a woman to uncover her head, face, neck and hands, and even her forearms, feet and lower legs in front of her mahrams. But that does not mean that we say she can wear short dresses in front of her mahrams; not at all.
This is another matter. But if we assume, for example, that she lifts up her dress for some reason, and her mahrams are present and her lower leg shows, then there is nothing wrong with that."(Al-Liqa’ al-Maftooh. 126/23. See also al-Liqa’ al-Maftooh, 31/17
Based on that:
If you need to breastfeed your child in the presence of other women, there is nothing wrong with that, but you have to try to remain covered as much as possible, by covering whatever you can cover when breastfeeding.
If you can go off to one side away from them, or go into another room, that is preferable, because it is part of modesty, dignity and remaining covered.
With regard to children, you should avoid breastfeeding in front of those who have reached the age of discernment and who know what the ‘awrah is.
The righteous woman should be a teacher and an example for her sisters, so as to spread goodness and decency.
We ask Allah to guide you and help you.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=3 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/164700/can-she-breastfeed-her-baby-in-front-of-other-women | 186 | 164,700 |
18,870 | Hijab does not cause vitamin D deficiency | Question
What should hijabi women do 4 deficiency of Vitamin D and calcium which is becoz of less exposure to sun?
What can we provide if someone argues with us that they dont wana wear hijab due to this reason?. | Praise be to Allah.
What is required of women is to cover the head and the
entire body in front of non-mahram men, because Allah, may He be exalted,
says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the
women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies
(i.e. screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the
way). That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable
women) so as not to be annoyed. And Allaah is Ever Oft‑Forgiving, Most
Merciful”
[al-Ahzaab 33:59].
And because of other evidence which has been discussed
previously in the answer to question
11774.
Hijab is a definite obligation for every Muslim woman.
Deficiency in calcium and vitamin D is something that can be treated
medically and by eating food that contains those nutrients, and by exposure
to the sun in a place where there are no non-mahram men, such as exposure to
the sun through windows, on the roof of the house, in remote parks, and so
on.
Allah, may He be exalted, has prescribed and enjoined hijab,
and He knows best about His creation and what is best for them. Sharee‘ah
does not enjoin anything that causes obvious harm or considerable problems.
Following a medical study in which a number of doctors took
part, Dr. Muhammad al-Shaakir (consultant in bone disease at the specialist
King Faisal Hospital in Riyadh) rejected what has been said about women’s
Islamic clothing playing a part in vitamin D deficiency and said: This
theory has no connection to truth.
Specialists think that one of the means of protection against
bone disease is exposure to the sun so as to enable the skin to produce
vitamin D. The Muslim woman’s hijab does not prevent her being exposed to
the rays of the sun, because minimal daily exposure is enough to produce
sufficient amounts of this vitamin.
End quote from the [Saudi] Ministry of Health website.
http://www.moh.gov.sa/des/sections.php?CatParent=13&CatID=42
It should be said to women who do not wear hijab for this
reason: Fear Allah, may He be exalted, and beware of His Punishment; adhere
to that which He has enjoined upon you, and stop making false excuses, for
nothing is hidden from Allah; Allaah knows the fraud of the eyes, and all
that the hearts conceal (cf. Ghaafir 40:19). Seek remedies and treatments in
that which Allah has not forbidden, and you will find it, in sha Allah.
May Allah help us all to do that which He loves and which
pleases Him.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=4 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/146329/hijab-does-not-cause-vitamin-d-deficiency | 186 | 146,329 |
18,871 | She wants to wear hijab and her family don’t want her to. Should she obey them? | Question
I am a muslimah & am hoping 2 get married in a few mths Insha'Allah. My parents are from Pakistan & would like me 2 wear a traditional bridal outfit which consists of an embroidered scarf, tunic & long, baggy skirt (lengha). Initially,I had no qualms about wearing this outfit as I would be covered according 2 the Islamic requirements 4 a woman. However, I was talking 2 a few sisters who have commented that 4 me 2 wear such an outfit would not be acceptable in Islam as it would be bright & some non-mahrem men would c me in it. I am confused now as 2 what 2 do, because in my whole family I am the only one who wears hijaab & 2 refuse 2 wear this outfit would cause major distress & upheaval in my family,especially as I am already getting married outside the family. But I also am aware that obedience 2 Allah (s.w.t)come first & therefore am asking u 4 advice.
I would appreciate a reply from yourselves at the earliest oppurtunity with advice,evidences etc. | Praise be to Allah.We appreciate your keenness and your efforts to seek advice. We ask Allaah to make things easy for you and to give you a way out.
Women are commanded to conceal their adornment from strange men who are not their mahrams, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer palms of hands or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, headcover, apron), and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islam), or the (female) slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigour, or small children who have no sense of feminine sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you beg Allaah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful”
[al-Noor 24:31]
Hence it is required that the clothes with which a woman covers herself should not be an adornment in themselves, because she is commanded to conceal her adornment as stated above.
It is also essential that the clothing be wide and loose so that it covers all the body, and it should be thick so that it is not see-through.
You should advise your family and explain to them the necessity of adhering to that which Allaah has prescribed and enjoined. Explain that to your husband also, for he is responsible before Allaah and is required to protect you and have protective jealousy concerning you.
Ask Allaah to protect you and to guide your family to that which is good; remain steadfast in what you are doing even if that makes them angry and upset. For there is no obedience to any created being if it involves disobedience towards the Creator, and it is not permissible for you to obey your parents or husband in wearing that which Allaah has forbidden, or neglecting to do something that Allaah has enjoined, either at your wedding or afterwards.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no obedience if it involves sin, rather obedience is with regard to that which is good and proper.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 7257; Muslim, 1840.
See also questions no. 11967, 6408, 6991, 5393; these questions explain the ruling on hijab and the description of hijab. You should read them and choose whatever is appropriate to show to your parents so that they will be convinced of the shar’i ruling.
We ask Allaah to make you steadfast until death. And Allaah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=4 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/20791/she-wants-to-wear-hijab-and-her-family-dont-want-her-to-should-she-obey-them | 186 | 20,791 |
18,872 | Can Muslim Women Wear Coloured Hijab? | Question
Is it haram for a woman to wear colored clothes even if it fulfills the conditions of hijab? If it is haram, then is there a hadith or verse to prove that? What is meant by saying it should not be an adornment in itself? | Praise be to Allah.Must a Muslim woman be dressed in black?
The conditions of the hijab of the Muslim woman have already been explained in the answer to question no. 6991 .
It is not one of these conditions that it should be black. A woman may wear whatever she wants, so long as she does not wear a colour that is only for men, and she does not wear a garment that is an adornment in itself, i.e., decorated and adorned in such a way that it attracts the gaze of men , because of the general meaning of the verse (interpretation of the meaning):
“…and not to show off their adornment…” [al-Nur 24:31]
This general meaning includes the outer garment, if it is decorated. Abu Dawud (565) narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Do not prevent the female slaves of Allah from attending the mosques of Allah , but let them go out unadorned.” (Classed as authentic by al-Albani in Irwa al-Ghalil, 515)
It says in ‘Awn al-Ma’bud:
“‘Unadorned’ means not wearing perfume … they are commanded to go out like this and are forbidden to wear perfume lest they provoke men’s desires with their perfume. That also includes other things which are forbidden because they provoke desire, such as beautiful clothing and visible and expensive adornment.”
What should women do if they appear before non-mahram men?
What a woman must do if she appears before non-mahram men is to avoid clothes that are decorated and adorned, which attract the gaze of men.
It says in Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Daimah (17/100):
“It is not permissible for a woman to go out in a decorated garment that attracts people’s gaze, because this is something that tempts men.”
It also says (17/108):
“The dress of the Muslim woman need not only be black. It is permissible for her to wear any colour of clothing so long as it covers her ‘awrah , does not resemble men’s clothing, and is not so tight as to show the shape of her limbs or so thin as to show what is beneath it, and does not provoke temptation.
And it says (17/109):
“Wearing black for women is not a must. They may wear other colours that are worn only by women, do not attract attention and do not provoke desire.”
Many women choose to wear black, not because it is obligatory, but because it is farthest removed from being an adornment. There are reports which indicate that the female Companions used to wear black. Abu Dawud (4101) narrated that Umm Salamah said: “When the words ‘and to draw their veils all over Juyubihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms)’ [al-Nur 24:31 – interpretation of the meaning] were revealed, the women of the Ansar went out looking as if there were crows on their heads because of their garments.” (Classed as authentic by al-Albani in Sahih Abi Dawud)
The Standing Committee (17/110) said: “This is to be understood as meaning that those clothes were black in colour.”
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=4 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/39570/can-muslim-women-wear-coloured-hijab | 186 | 39,570 |
18,873 | What Is A Woman’s `Awrah in Front of Her Children? | Question
I have a child who is 11 months old, and sometimes I change my clothes in front of him. Is that permissible? How old should the child be when it is not permissible to take off my clothes in front of him, or to wear short clothes at home with my husband in front of him? Please advise me, may Allah reward you with good. | Praise be to Allah.If the child understands what the `Awrah (private parts which need to be covered in public) is, then it is not permissible for a woman to uncover her `Awrah in front of him.
But if he does not understand because he is little, then it is permissible.
It seems that at the age of 11 months he will not understand, but if a child is four or five years old, he may understand this matter.
The point is that if he understands and such actions will stick in his mind, then it is not permissible for a woman to uncover the most private `Awrah in front of him.
For further information, refer to the following answers:
What Is a Woman’s `Awrah?
Uncovering the `Awrah in Front of Children
Children Exposing Their Private Parts to One Another
A Woman’s `Awrah in Front of Women
Can a woman breastfeed her child in front of her Mahrams?
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=4 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/43289/what-is-a-womans-awrah-in-front-of-her-children | 186 | 43,289 |
18,874 | What is a woman permitted to uncover in front of other women and mahrams? | Question
What is your opinion of what many women do nowadays, whereby they wear very short clothes when they are with other women and there are no men present? Some of these clothes show a large part of the back and stomach, or they wear these short clothes (like shorts) in front of their children at home?. | Praise be to Allah.The Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas issued a statement on this matter, which reads as follows:
, the Lord of the Worlds, and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon all his family and companions.
The believing women at the beginning of Islam were extremely pure, chaste, and modest, which was the blessing of belief in Allah and His Messenger and following the Quran and Sunnah. Women at that time used to wear concealing garments, and it is not known that they used to uncover themselves when they met one another or when they met their mahrams. The women of this ummah followed this mode of behaviour – praise be to Allah – generation after generation until recently, when corruption and impropriety entered the way women dress and behave for many reasons, which we do not have room to discuss here.
Because of the large number of questions that have been sent to the Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas about women looking at women, and what women should wear, the Committee is telling all Muslim women that women are obliged to have an attitude of modesty, which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) described as being part of faith and one of the branches of faith. One aspect of the modesty which is enjoined by Islam and by custom is that women should cover themselves, be modest and adopt an attitude and conduct that will keep her far away from falling into fitnah (temptation) and doubtful situations.
The Quran clearly indicates that a woman should not show to other women anything other than that which she shows to her mahrams, that which she customarily uncovers in her own home and when doing housework, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“…and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islam)…” [al-Noor 24:31]
If this is the text of the Quran and this is what is indicated by the Sunnah, then this is what the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and the womenfolk of the Sahaabah used to do, and the women of the ummah who followed them in truth until the present day.What was usually uncovered in front of the people mentioned in this verse is what women usually uncover when they are at home and when doing housework, which is difficult to avoid, such as uncovering the head, hands, neck and feet.
With regard to going to extremes in uncovering, there is no evidence in the Quran and Sunnah that this is permissible. This is also the way that leads to a woman tempting or being tempted by other women, which happens among them. It also sets a bad example to other women, as well as being an imitation of kaafir women, prostitutes and immoral women in the way they dress. It was proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” Narrated by Imam Ahmad and Abu Dawood. In Saheeh Muslim (2077) it is narrated from ‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Amr that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saw him wearing two garments dyed with safflower, and he said, “These are from the clothing of the kuffaar – do not wear them.”
It is also narrated in Saheeh Muslim (2128) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There are two types of the people of Hell whom I have not seen: people with whips like the tails of cattle, with which they beat the people, and women who are clothed yet naked, misguided and leading others astray, with their heads like the humps of camels, leaning to one side. They will not enter Paradise or even smell its fragrance, although its fragrance may be detected from such and such a distance.”
The meaning of the phrase “clothed yet naked” is that the woman is wearing clothes that do not cover her, so she is clothed, but in fact she is naked, such as when she wears a thin dress that shows the colour of her skin, or a dress that shows the outline of her body, or a short dress that does not cover part of her limbs.
So what Muslim women have to do is to adhere to the guidance followed by the Mothers of the Believers (the Prophet’s wives) and the womenfolk of the Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased with them), and the women of this ummah who followed them in truth, and strive to cover themselves and be modest. This is farthest removed from the causes of fitnah and will protect them from the things that lead to provocation of desires and falling into immorality.
Muslim women must also beware of falling into that which Allah and His Messenger have forbidden of imitating kaafir women and prostitutes, in obedience to Allah and His Messenger, and in the hope of attaining the reward of Allah, and for fear of His punishment.
Every Muslim must also fear Allah with regard to the women who are under his care, and not let them wear things that Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, such as provocative clothes, or clothes that are revealing or tempting. He should remember that he is a shepherd and will be responsible for his flock on the Day of Resurrection.
We ask Allah to set the Muslims’ affairs straight, and to guide us all to the straight path, for He is All-Hearing, Ever-Near and Ever Responsive. May Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and companions."(Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 17/290)
It also says in Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (17/297):
What a woman is permitted to uncover in front of her children is that which is customarily uncovered, such as the face, hands, forearms, feet and so on.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=4 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/34745/what-is-a-woman-permitted-to-uncover-in-front-of-other-women-and-mahrams | 186 | 34,745 |
18,875 | Ruling on buying and keeping fashion magazines | Question
What is the ruling on (buying) fashion magazines such as Burda, in order to find out about new and different styles for women’s clothes? What is the ruling on keeping them after using them, since they are full of pictures of women? | Praise be to Allah.Undoubtedly buying magazines in which there is nothing but pictures is haram, because keeping pictures is haram. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The angels do not enter a house in which there are images.” And when he saw the images on the cushion that ‘Aa’ishah had brought, he stopped and did not enter, and she saw signs of displeasure on his face. These magazines which show pictures of fashion should not be looked at. Not every kind of dress is permissible; because some designs may show the ‘awrah either because they are too tight or for some other reason. This fashion may be part of the dress of the kaafirs which belongs exclusively to them, and imitating the kaafirs is haram because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” What I advise my Muslim brothers in general, and the Muslim women in particular, to do is to avoid these fashions, because some of them may involve imitating non-Muslims and some may involve showing the ‘awrah. Moreover, if women look to every new fashion, will lead to them abandoning our customs which are based on from our religion, and adopting other customs that have come from the non-Muslims. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=4 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/13214/ruling-on-buying-and-keeping-fashion-magazines | 186 | 13,214 |
18,876 | At What Age Is Hijab Mandatory? | Question
My question is: if a female child has begun to grow body hair, is she required by the Shari`ah to observe full hijab? | Praise be to Allah.The age of accountability in Islam
A person is not considered to be accountable until after reaching puberty. Before puberty he or she is not accountable. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The Pen has been lifted from three: from the child until he reaches puberty, from the sleeper until he wakes up, and from the one who has lost his mind until he recovers.” (Narrated by Abu Dawud, 4402)
Based on this, then a girl has to put on complete hijab when she reaches puberty.
Signs of puberty for males and females in Islam
There are three signs of puberty that males and females have in common:
Nocturnal emissions (wet dreams)
Growth of coarse hair around the private parts
Reaching the age of fifteen
Sign of puberty for females in Islam
In the case of females, there is a fourth sign which is:
Menstruation
Importance of training children on doing obligatory duties
If one of these signs of puberty appears in a girl, then she is obliged to do all the obligatory duties and to avoid all haram things. One of the obligatory duties is wearing hijab .
But the parent or guardian of a girl has to make her get used to doing the obligatory duties and avoiding haram things before puberty, so that she will grow up with that and it will not be too hard for her to adhere to that after she reaches puberty. This is one of the basic principles of child rearing that are established in the Shari`ah.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Train your children to pray when they are seven years old, and smack them (lightly, that is, discipline them) if they do not do so when they are ten, and separate them in their beds.” (Narrated by Abu Dawud, 495; Ahmad, 2/187, from the hadith of ‘Amr ibn Shu’ayb, narrated from his father from his grandfather.)
Something similar was mentioned in the hadith of Saburah ibn Ma’bad which was narrated by Abu Dawud (494) and al-Tirmidhi (407). He said, it is hasan sahih. The hadith was classed as sahih by al-Albani in al-Irwa, 247.
Al-Bukhari (1960) and Muslim (91136) narrated in their sahihs from al-Rubayyi’ bint Mu’awwidh the hadith concerning the fast of ‘Ashura and when it was enjoined on the Muslims.
In this hadith, it says: “And after that we used to fast it – meaning ‘Ashura – and make our small children fast, and we would go to the mosque and make them toys out of wool, and if one of them cried for food we would give them that toy (to play with) until iftar.”
According to a report narrated by Muslim: If they asked us for food, we would give them the toy to distract them until they completed their fast.
Al-Nawawi said in Sharh Sahih Muslim (8/14):
“This hadith describes training children to do acts of obedience and making them get used to doing acts of worship, but they were not accountable.”
Ibn al-Qayyim said in Tuhfat al-Mawdud bi Ahkam al-Mawlud (p. 162):
“Even though the child is not accountable, his guardian is accountable and it is not permissible for him to enable him to do haram things, so that he becomes used to them and it is difficult to wean him away from them afterwards.”
And Allah knows best and is most wise.
So if a girl is approaching puberty, there is the fear that her not wearing hijab may cause young men to be tempted by her or her by them. Hence in this situation, her parent or guardian has to make her wear hijab so as to prevent means that may lead to evil or immorality.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=4 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/20475/at-what-age-is-hijab-mandatory | 186 | 20,475 |
18,877 | Putting a permanent white veneer on the teeth | Question
My teeth do not cause me any problems, praise be to Allah, except that they are yellow with some white spots. This causes me a great deal of embarrassment and difficulty. I asked about whitening and they told me that it would not benefit me because of the varying colour of my teeth. But they told me that there is a permanent veneer for the teeth that is white and could solve my problem. What is the ruling on doing that?. | Praise be to Allah.There is nothing wrong with putting the veneer that you describe on the teeth, even if it is permanent, because the basic principle is that it is permissible and we do not know of any shar’i reason for not allowing that.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=4 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/99921/putting-a-permanent-white-veneer-on-the-teeth | 186 | 99,921 |
18,878 | She is concealing her Islam from her family in China; can she visit them without hijab, and wearing pants? | Question
My wife is Chinese and converted to islam 3 years ago walhamduliLlah. She did not observe the hijab or pray at first but for a year now, she prays and observes the hijab, Ramadan, Hajj, & zakat. There is just one problem. She did not tell her family that she became a Muslim and when we go to visit them 4 times a year for a few days, she does not wear the hijab and sometimes she puts on a hat to cover her hair when she goes out. She also wears pants sometimes when she's visiting her family. Lastly, one in a while we have to go out to a chinese restaurant and eat. They do not order pork or alcohol out of respect for me. She does not want to tell her family or explain to them so that she may not inconvenience them. As a husband, i am afraid that if I let her do that I may be considered a DAYOUTH and bear the sin along with her. On the other hand, if I try to force her to do that there may be repercussions on the family as we have 4 children walhamduliLlah. Please note that I am planning to move out of the kuffar country to the Muslm land in about year Inshaa Allah so that these problems are no longer there or absolutely minimal. Please advise as to the food in the restaurant and the hijab/dress issues. | Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
We praise Allaah for having blessed your wife with guidance
and choosing her to be one of the Muslims. This is a great and precious
blessing which should be protected and nurtured. Try to support her in
learning the rulings of Islam, strengthening her faith by doing acts of
obedience and keeping away from sin. We ask Allaah to enable you to do all
that is good.
Secondly:
We do not think that she has any excuse for uncovering her
head or for wearing pants, unless she is afraid that her family will harm
her if they find out about her being Muslim. Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning):
“Verily, as for those whom the angels take (in death)
while they are wronging themselves (as they stayed among the disbelievers
even though emigration was obligatory for them), they (angels) say (to
them): ‘In what (condition) were you?’ They reply: ‘We were weak and
oppressed on the earth.’ They (angels) say: ‘Was not the earth of Allaah
spacious enough for you to emigrate therein?’ Such men will find their abode
in Hell — what an evil destination!
98. Except the weak ones among men, women and children who
cannot devise a plan, nor are they able to direct their way”
[al-Nisa’ 4:97, 98]
Your wife -- as it appears to us from what you say -- is not
one of those who are weak and oppressed, because she is not living with her
family and she has nothing to fear from them; rather the most that can be
said is that she is afraid of her ties with them being severed.
Al-Aloosi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
What is meant is that they tried to justify their
shortcomings in showing their Islam openly and falling short in carrying out
their religious duties on the grounds that they were weak and oppressed,
which was why they could not carry out their religious duties among the
people of Makkah; therefore they did not do much. Or they made excuses for
not going out with them [the Muslims, to Madeenah] and becoming a part of
their [Muslim] community on the grounds that they were helpless and under
the control of the non-Muslims of Makkah. Whatever the case, the angels did
not accept this from them.
Tafseer al-Aloosi, 4/196
And he (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Every believer who finds himself in a place where he cannot
show his religion openly because of the opposition of those who are not
Muslims is obliged to migrate to a place where he can show his religion
openly. It is not permissible for him at all to stay there and conceal his
religion and to make the excuse that he is weak and oppressed, because
Allaah's earth is vast and spacious.
Yes, if he is one of those who have a shar’i excuse for not
migrating, such as children, women, the blind, those who are detained, those
whom the non-Muslims scare with threats to kill them or to kill their
children or fathers or mothers, in cases where he thinks that what they are
scaring him with is most likely to happen -- whether that killing is by
beheading, withholding food and so on -- then in that case it is permissible
for him to stay with the non-Muslims and to go along with them as much it is
necessary, but he must strive to find ways to escape and flee for the sake
of his religion. End quote.
Tafseer al-Aloosi, 2/479
What we advise you to do -- if your wife is not afraid that
she may be harmed by her family -- is to tell them that she has become
Muslim and to send someone to them to inform them about that, and to
continue to uphold ties with them and treat them kindly.
Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of her showing her Islam
openly is that she will become keen to call her family to Islam and she will
start to look for suitable ways to do that, such as corresponding with them,
talking to them, and sending them audiovisual materials on Islam. Perhaps
Allaah will guide them to enter Islam, and that will be included in the
balance of your good deeds. Thus your wife will be safe from committing
those haraam actions, she will have established proof against her family,
she will have discharged her responsibilities before Allaah and she will
have striven to guide them and save them, because it is not right for her to
have the blessing of Islam and deprive her family of it.
We ask Allaah to help and guide you.
And Allaah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=4 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/129423/she-is-concealing-her-islam-from-her-family-in-china-can-she-visit-them-without-hijab-and-wearing-pants | 186 | 129,423 |
18,879 | She wears sleeves that are the same colour as her skin, and the abayah may fall back and uncover her arms | Question
My wife wears hejab and wide clothes. Usually her sleeves are also wide; and because she is careful not to show anything of her body, she normally wears separate sleeves under her normal sleeves. For if she raises her arm nothing of her arm gets uncovered. The problem is these separate sleeves are of he same colour as her skin, if someone sees them he will think that what he sees are my wife’s arms, not the separate sleeves. I advised her to wear sleeves of the same colour as her garment but she refused and said she is not responsible of how the other sees her, what matters is that she is properly covered. She says that by doing this she is better than many religious women who do not care if something of their bodies is not properly covered. | Praise be to Allah.
We have described the conditions that must be met with regard
to Islamically acceptable clothing in the answer to question number 6991.
One of these conditions is that the clothing should be thick so that it does
not show what is beneath it and so that the colour of the skin cannot be
seen.
If a woman wears sleeves that are similar in colour to her
skin, and they appear if the abaya falls back from her arms, and a person
who sees her thinks that this is her skin, then this is contrary to the
purpose for which hijab was enjoined, which is to protect women and to
prevent others being tempted by them.
Hence the opening of the sleeve should be narrow so that it
will not fall back and show the arm, or clothing that does not attract
attention should be worn underneath the abayah.
The aim is not only to cover the ‘awrah with any kind of
clothing at all; rather the aim, as well as covering, is to prevent anything
that attracts attention and causes fitnah. Hence women are forbidden to wear
tight clothes or to wear adorned clothes that attract attention, even if
they are covering.
Women are also forbidden to stamp their feet whilst walking
so as not to attract attention to their adornment, as Allah says
(interpretation of meaning):
“And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what
they hide of their adornment”
[al-Noor 24:31].
The point is that paying attention to others is required with
regard to covering, and the believing woman should be a good example to
others and she should not put herself in a situation where she may be
accused, and she should not merely be content with doing better than others;
rather she should strive to attain perfection to the best of her ability.
May Allah help us all to do that which He loves and which
pleases Him.
Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=4 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/106600/she-wears-sleeves-that-are-the-same-colour-as-her-skin-and-the-abayah-may-fall-back-and-uncover-her-arms | 186 | 106,600 |
18,880 | Is Niqab Compulsory? | Question
Is wearing Niqab one of the conditions of Islamic dress for women? | Praise be to Allah.What is hijab?
Hijab in Arabic means covering or concealing. Hijab is the name of something that is used to cover. Everything that comes between two things is Hijab.
Hijab means everything that is used to cover something and prevent anyone from reaching it, such as curtains, door keepers and garments, etc.
What is khimar?
Khimar comes from the word khamr, the root meaning of which is to cover. For example, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Khammiru aniyatakum (cover your vessels).” Everything that covers something else is called Khimar.
But in common usage Khimar has come to be used as a name for the garment with which a woman covers her head; in some cases this does not go against the linguistic meaning of Khimar.
Some of the jurists have defined it as that which covers the head, the temples and the neck.
Difference between khimar and hijab
The difference between the Hijab and the Khimar is that the Hijab is something which covers all of a woman’s body, whilst the Khimar in general is something with which a woman covers her head.
What is Niqab?
Niqab is that with which a woman veils her face (tantaqib)…
Difference between Hijab and Niqab
The difference between Hijab and Niqab is that the Hijab is that which covers all the body, whilst Niqab is that which covers a woman’s face only.
The woman’s dress as prescribed in shari’ah (“Islamic dress”) is that which covers her head, face and all of her body.
Is niqab compulsory?
But the Niqab or burqa’ – which shows the eyes of the woman – has become widespread among women, and some of them do not wear it properly. Some scholars have forbidden wearing it on the grounds that it is not Islamic in origin, and because it is used improperly and people treat it as something insignificant, demonstrating negligent attitudes towards it and using new forms of Niqab which are not prescribed in Islam, widening the opening for the eyes so that the cheeks, nose and part of the forehead are also visible.
Therefore, if the woman’s Niqab or burqa’ does not show anything but the eyes, and the opening is only as big as the left eye, as was narrated from some of the salaf, then that is permissible, otherwise she should wear something which covers her face entirely.
What is the prescribed hijab in Islam?
Shaykh Muhammad al-Salih al-‘Uthaymin (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“The Hijab prescribed in shari’ah means that a woman should cover everything that it is haram for her to show, i.e., she should cover that which it is obligatory for her to cover, first and foremost of which is the face, because it is the focus of temptation and desire.
A woman is obliged to cover her face in front of anyone who is not her mahram (blood relative to whom marriage is permanently forbidden). From this we learn that the face is the most essential thing to be covered.
There is evidence from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and the views of the Sahabah and the imams and scholars of Islam, which indicates that women are obliged to cover all of their bodies in front of those who are not their mahrams.” (Fatawa al-Marah al-Muslimah, 1/ 391, 392)
Should a woman cover her face?
Shaykh Salih al-Fawzan (may Allah preserve him) said:
“The correct view as indicated by the evidence is that the woman’s face is ‘awrah which must be covered. It is the most tempting part of her body, because what people look at most is the face, so the face is the greatest ‘awrah of a woman. This is in addition to the shar’i evidence which states that it is obligatory to cover the face.
For example, Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer palms of hands or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, headcover, apron), and to draw their veils all over Juyoubihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms)…” [al-Nur 24:31]
Drawing the veil all over the juyub implies covering the face.
When Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about the verse (interpretation of the meaning): “O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies.” [al-Ahzab 33:59], he covered his face, leaving only one eye showing. This indicates that what was meant by the verse was covering the face. This was the interpretation of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) of this verse, as narrated from him by ‘Ubaydah al-Salmani when he asked him about it.
Evidence for niqab from the Sunnah
In the Sunnah, there are many ahadith, such as: the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The woman in ihram is forbidden to veil her face (wear Niqab) or to wear the burqa’.” This indicates that when women were not in ihram, women used to cover their faces.
This does not mean that if a woman takes off her Niqab or burqa’ in the state of ihram that she should leave her face uncovered in the presence of non-mahram men. Rather she is obliged to cover it with something other than the Niqab or burqa’, on the evidence of the hadith of ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) who said: “We were with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in ihram, and when men passed by us, we would lower the Khimar on our heads over our faces, and when they moved on we would lift it again.”
Women in ihram and otherwise are obliged to cover their faces in front of non-mahram men, because the face is the center of beauty and it is the place that men look at… and Allah knows best.” (Fatawa al-Marah al-Muslimah, 1/396, 397)
He also said:
“It is OK to cover the face with the Niqab or burqa’ which has two openings for the eyes only, because this was known at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and because of necessity. If nothing but the eyes show, this is fine, especially if this is customarily worn by women in her society.” (Fatawa al-Marah al-Muslimah, 1/399)
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=4 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/21134/is-niqab-compulsory | 186 | 21,134 |
18,881 | Her husband is forcing her to wear niqaab and she wants advice | Question
I wear Hijab but do not wear Niqab, my husband says that if I do not start covering my face then he will divorce me. He says that whatever he asks me to do I should do. I do not want to disobey my husband but to wear niqab would cause me great hardship and sadden me deeply. I guess it is due to lack of eeman that I feel this way but feel that he is trying to force me to do something that I do not want to do. Can you please advise me on this matter. | Praise be to Allah.The evidence of the Qur’aan and Sunnah indicates that it is obligatory for women for cover their faces. This evidence includes the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e. screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way)”
[al-Ahzaab 33:59]
The cloak (jilbaab) is a garment that the woman places over her head and lowers over her face.
So you have to fear Allaah in this matter and respond to two commands: the command of Allaah and the command of your husband. Undoubtedly this will be very good for you. This matter will make your husband happy and bring happiness to your home. Feelings of difficulty will pass if you are patient and get used to it. These feelings of difficulty will turn to joy when you see the effect that your way of dressing has on him, so you will be responding to Islamic commands and the command of your husband which is in accordance with the laws of Allaah. You will be closing the door to the shaytaans of those who may look at you, and will also be protecting the gaze of chaste and good people from looking at something which they are not permitted to see. And there are other benefits which you will see and appreciate when you respond to this command.
Sisters who wear niqaab often come to regret the years in which they used to uncover their faces, after Allaah honoured them with the niqaab. If one of them were to be given all the wealth in the world to uncover her face, she would not do it. We have even seen many chaste women who have left their husbands because they wanted them to take off the niqaab. So think about the great difference between your situation and theirs. Where now can we find a man who is keen to keep his family chaste and covered? There are very few of them. Should we disregard these few or should we appreciate their actions which spread good in society?
We remind you to fear Allaah, and we remind you of the actions of the believing women when they responded to the command of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning):
“and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms)”
[al-Noor 24:31]
al-Bukhaari (4481) narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “When this verse was revealed, the muhaajir women took their waist wrappers and tore them at the edges, and covered their faces with them.
See also the answer to question no. 21134, which explains the obligation of women covering their faces.
Your husband should also read question no. 20343, which explains the husband’s duty to offer sincere advice to his wife, and ways of doing that.
And Allaah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=4 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/20910/her-husband-is-forcing-her-to-wear-niqaab-and-she-wants-advice | 186 | 20,910 |
18,882 | He does not allow his wife to appear in front of his brothers | Question
My brother got married approximately two years ago, and during this time he has forbidden his wife to appear in front of his brothers, even in hijab, or to speak to them when they visit him. Until now we have no idea what she looks like and we have not spoken a single word to her. Is this permissible according to sharee’ah or is it extreme?. | Praise be to Allah.A woman has to cover her entire body, including the face, from men who are strangers to her (i.e., non-mahrams). She should observe hijab even more strictly in front of her husband’s male relatives who are not mahrams for her than in front of strangers. This is the opposite of what most careless people do nowadays. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, when one of his companions wanted an exception to allow the husband’s relatives to enter upon his wife: “The in-law is death.” So we must be more cautious with regard to the husband’s relatives – including his brothers – because of the carelessness that exists with regard to this matter.
Your brother has done well by not allowing his wife to appear in front of you, and she has done well by obeying the command of Allah and of her husband. This is not extremism at all; rather it is obedience to the command of Allah. There is no need for the husband’s brothers to see his wife, let alone sit with her and talk to her.
Those scholars who said it is permissible for a woman to sit with her husband’s relatives only allowed it on condition that there is no suspicion attached to that and that she does not sit alone with one of them, or there is no listening to songs or watching haraam things on the part of either of them. Unfortunately such things happen in most people’s gatherings. If the gathering is free of the above-mentioned evils and haraam things and the woman observes full hijab, then it is permissible for her to sit with them and speak to them, so long as she is not soft in speech. But it is still better and more on the safe side for her not to do that, and this is what your brother has done, so that hearts may remain pure and free of the traps by which the Shaytaan ensnares people.
What your brother has done should not have any effect on your relationship with him or on the relationship of your wives with his wife. They are doing something good and acting in accordance with Islam. You should try to get close to them and learn from them in the way they deal with people. You should note that your brothers’ criticizing their brother for concealing his wife from them and not letting her sit with them makes one have suspicions about them. In sha Allah they are not that type of people, but the Shaytaan may make something appear attractive to a man so that what is good becomes bad to him, and what is bad becomes good, so he regards covering and modesty as extremism and laxity as trust and progress.
We ask Allah to purify our hearts and bodies, and to bring you together in a good way, and to reconcile between you, and to make you a good example to other people.
See also the answer to question no. 13261
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=4 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/47764/he-does-not-allow-his-wife-to-appear-in-front-of-his-brothers | 186 | 47,764 |
18,883 | Is it permissible for a woman to uncover her face in order to seek knowledge? | Question
I heard on TV one day that it is permissible for girls or women to uncover their faces in order to seek knowledge. I do not remember which madhhab that was, but the speaker said that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The difference of opinion among the fuqaha’ of my ummah is a mercy.”
Especially since I am finding it difficult to move from being unveiled to wearing hijab and jilbaab. Please tell me what is right so that I can follow it. | Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
The hadeeth “The difference of opinion among the fuqaha’ of
my ummah is a mercy” is a fabricated hadeeth, as it says in Asraar
al-Marfoo’ah, 506 and Tanzeeh al-Sharee’ah, 2/402.
Shaykh al-Albaani said of this hadeeth in al-Silsilah
al-Da’eefah wa’l-Mawdoo’ah (hadeeth no. 57): It has no basis, and the
muhaddithoon (scholars of hadeeth) tried hard to find an isnaad for it but
without success.
Al-Manaawi narrated that al-Subki said: It is not known to
the muhaddithoon, and I could not find any isnaad for it, whether saheeh,
da’eef or mawdoo’. This was confirmed by Zakariya al-Ansaari in his
commentary on Tafseer al-Baydaawi.
End quote
It is not permissible for
a woman to uncover her face in front of non-mahram men, except in cases of
necessity, such as a medical doctor when no female doctor is available, so
long as she is not alone with him (khulwah), or when proposing marriage, or
when bearing witness in front of a qaadi (judge). In the cases mentioned
above, it should be limited only to that which is necessary, and no more
than that.
A woman’s hijab and niqab do not pose an obstacle to her
seeking knowledge. It is not correct to believe that there is a
contradiction between covering and seeking knowledge. May Allaah never bless
knowledge that is only acquired by means of sin and women neglecting
modesty. Women who wear hijab and are covered have reached the highest
levels of knowledge and have earned degrees and certificates without mixing
with men or uncovering their faces, whilst we see many of those who fail to
acquire knowledge wearing the minimum of clothing on their bodies. Since
when does neglecting modesty bring knowledge and hijab prevent it?
Covering the face is obligatory for Muslim women who have
reached the age of adolescence. In the answer to question no.
12525 you will find an explanation
that the face is ‘awrah.
We have discussed the evidence that it is obligatory to cover
the face in the answer to question no.
21134, 21536 and
11774.
The view that it is permissible for women to uncover their
faces in order to seek knowledge is not correct.
We ask Allaah to help you to do that which pleases Him, and
to reward you greatly for your question and your efforts to learn. Our
advice to you is to keep away from dubious places where mixing takes place.
We give you the glad tidings from the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) who said: “Whoever gives up a thing for the sake of
Allaah, Allaah will compensate him with something better than it.” So seek
the help of Allaah and be patient. The first Muslim women gave up their
(former) religion, their husbands and their homelands in order to enter
Islam, and this move from being uncovered to wearing hijab is insignificant
in comparison to what those women did. Be sure that you will find
encouragement from your veiled sisters who will make that transition easier
for you. Do not pay any attention to the obstacles put in your way by evil
and corrupt people, women and men alike, for they do not wish you well and
they do not want you to be happy or be rewarded, nor do they know the true
path to happiness and reward.
And Allaah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=4 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/46921/is-it-permissible-for-a-woman-to-uncover-her-face-in-order-to-seek-knowledge | 186 | 46,921 |
18,884 | Is Hijab Compulsory in Islam? | Question
Is hijab compulsory or something extra? If it is obligatory, is it obligatory for attractive and beautiful women only or for all Muslim women? | Praise be to Allah.Is hijab compulsory in Islam?
Hijab is obligatory for all Muslim women who have reached the age of puberty. In the answer to question no. 12525 you will find an explanation that the face is ‘awrah. We have already quoted the evidence that it is obligatory to cover it in the answer to question no. 21134 and 21536 . In the answer to question no. 11774 you will find detailed evidence stating that hijab is obligatory for all women. This general obligation is indicated by the verse in which Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e. screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way). That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [al-Ahzab 33:59]
The women of the Muhajirin and Ansar obeyed that command.
‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “May Allah have mercy on the first Muhajir women. When Allah revealed the words ‘and to draw their veils all over Juyubihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms)’ [al-Nur 24:31] they tore their aprons and covered their faces (ikhtamarna) with them.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 4480; Abu Dawud, 4102)
What is meant by ikhtamarna is covering the face, as al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar stated in al-Fath, 8/490.
It was narrated that Umm Salamah said: When the words ‘draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies’ were revealed, the women of the Ansar went out as if there were crows on their heads because of the way they covered themselves. (Narrated by Abu Dawud, 4101; classed as sahih by Shaykh al-Albani in Sahih Abu Dawud)
Is hijab for beautiful women only?
Undoubtedly many of the women of the Muhajirin and Ansar were known to be blessed with beauty, but no one thought that this ruling applied only to them and not to others.
These ahadith show that the women of the Muhajirin and Ansar obeyed the command to cover their faces and they did not understand the command as applying only to those who were beautiful.
The scholars have explained that this ruling is general in meaning and applies to all women.
In his commentary on the verse ‘draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies’, al-Jassas al-Hanafi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“This verse indicates that young women are commanded to cover their faces in front of strangers (non-mahram men) and to be modest when they go out lest people with suspicious minds raise their hopes when they see them.” (Ahkam al-Quran, 5/245)
Ibn Jazi al-Kalbi al-Maliki (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“The Arab women used to uncover their faces as slave women do, which was an invitation to men to look at them. So Allah commanded them to cover themselves with their jilbabs and cover their faces with them.” (Al-Tas-hil li ‘Uloom al-Tanzil, 3/144)
Shaykh al-Islam ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “It is not permissible for women to uncover their faces where non-mahrams can see them. The people in authority have to enjoin what is good and forbid this evil and others. Whoever does not obey should be punished for that in a way that will deter him (from doing it again).” (Majmu’ al-Fatawa, 24/382)
Al-Suyuti (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“This is the verse of hijab which applies to all women and shows that they are obliged to cover their heads and faces.” (‘Awn al-Ma'bud, 11/106)
See also the answer to question no. 13646
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=4 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/47569/is-hijab-compulsory-in-islam | 186 | 47,569 |
18,885 | Uncovering the face in order to establish the identity of a woman when travelling | Question
I am convinced about this that it is obligatory to cover the face and hands though there is ikhtilaf about this, but brother now i have a problem, currently i am doing my Alevels in a non coeducation college,but when i will be going for my exams in British council inshaAllah i have to show my face in order for them to recognise me.i didnt know before that i will be sinful to show my face, but what do i do now that i have done the registration, and what even about when i go to saudi or any other country i have to show my face in case they should be knowing me. | Praise be to Allah.A woman is obliged to cover
her face in front of non-mahram men according to the more correct of the two
scholarly opinions, because of evidence which has been explained in the
answer to question no. 11774.
It is permissible to
uncover the face in some situations where it is required by necessity or
need or interest, such as establishing identity, medical treatment,
testimony before a judge, and so on. Please see the answer to question no.
2198.
But you should understand
that necessity should be properly estimated and not exaggerated and you
should limit it only to that which will meet the need. So if you have to
uncover your face in order to prove your identity, then that should be
limited to the face only, and you should also avoid adornment and makeup. If
it is possible for a woman to establish your identity, then it is not
permissible to uncover it in front of a man. You should ask for that at the
British Council and in the airport, before you uncover your face.
If a woman cannot do that,
then it is permissible to uncover your face in front of a man, and there is
no sin on you in sha Allaah.
We ask Allaah to help and
guide you.
And Allaah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=5 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/115085/uncovering-the-face-in-order-to-establish-the-identity-of-a-woman-when-travelling | 186 | 115,085 |
18,886 | Woman uncovering part of her body in front of other women | Question
Is it permissible for a woman to uncover any part of her chest, or what is called the ribs or her forearms or legs in front of other women?. | Praise be to Allah.
As for the forearms, there is nothing wrong with uncovering
them in front of women, and there is also nothing wrong with showing the
neck and head in front of other women, but we offer some advice to our
womenfolk in the hope that Allaah may benefit them thereby. We say: the more
covering the clothes are, the better it is for them, and we tell them not to
follow whatever may be in these magazines and copy what is shown in them,
because that leads women to resemble kaafir women whether they want to or
not. The more covered women are, the better. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah
(may Allaah have mercy on him) stated that the women of the Sahaabah wore
garments that covered them from the hand to the ankle, and this is what is
best. There is nothing wrong if the calves show, but we are not suggesting
that she wear a dress that comes down only to the knees, because there may
be cause for concern about that, since may go further than that and shorten
their dresses to above the knee. But if a woman lifts up her garment to do
something and her sister sees her do that, there is nothing wrong with it.
But if the garment is designed to come down only to the knees, we do not
think that is right, rather we think that it should come down to the ankles.
End quote.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on
him). | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=5 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/112007/woman-uncovering-part-of-her-body-in-front-of-other-women | 186 | 112,007 |
18,887 | His wife does not think that niqaab is obligatory; should he force her to wear it? | Question
I read many fatwas regarding niqab, and that it is obligatory according to the better opinion of the scholars. My wife is convinced that it is preferable, taking other scholars’ opinions. She says that she might wear it in the future if Allah wills. My wife is religiously committed Alhamdulillah. My question is: Do I have to force her to wear it now or shall I let her choose and just keep advising her?. | Praise be to Allah.Women have to cover their faces in front of non-mahram men according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions, because of evidence that has been explained in the answer to question no. 11774.
Many of the fuqaha’ who do not think that the face is ‘awrah are of the view that it must be covered if there is the fear of fitnah, and when there is a great deal of corruption.
The husband is enjoined to protect his family and warn them against haraam things. Hence he should strive to convince his wife to cover her face, and if she refuses he should force her to do so and she is required to obey him, because he is telling her to do something that is permissible in her view, and it has to do with his right to protect his honour and she does not think it is haraam.
In the answer to question no. 97125, we explained how couples should deal with issues concerning which there is a difference of scholarly opinion. Among the things that we said there was: With regard to everything that is permissible for her, he has the right to prevent her from doing it or make her follow his opinion if he thinks it is haraam, and she must accept that if her doing it will cause harm to her husband and expose him to humiliation or disrespect. For example, covering the face is an issue concerning which the scholars differed, but there is no one who says that it is haraam to cover the face. If she thinks that it is acceptable to uncover the face, he has the right to prevent her from showing it before non-mahrams, and he has the right to make her follow his opinion, which is that it is obligatory to cover the face – which is the more correct view – and she does not have the right to go against him. She will be rewarded for doing that if she seeks reward for obeying her Lord by obeying her husband and does that which is more concealing.
Moreover we say: what is preventing the wife from covering her face and protecting herself from the gaze of those who would stare at her? It is well known that the face is the focus of beauty and the source of fitnah, and the first thing that attracts the gaze. If she thinks that it is mustahabb and not obligatory, there is nothing wrong with doing what is mustahabb and brings one closer to one’s Lord and pleases the husband, and makes her more like the believing women such as the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the wives of the Sahaabah.
Every believing woman should be keen to cover in this manner, and should hasten to do it, and to praise Allaah for having caused her husband to tell her and encourage her to do it.
We ask Allaah to enable us all to do that which He loves and is pleased with.
And Allaah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=5 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/117894/his-wife-does-not-think-that-niqaab-is-obligatory-should-he-force-her-to-wear-it | 186 | 117,894 |
18,888 | Can a husband permit his wife to uncover her face? | Question
What is the ruling on a husband who allows his wife to go out of the house with make-up on and big earings dangling from her ears, along with her kimaar worn in such a way that it exposes her ears and neck. | Praise be to Allah.The husband has to realize that he is responsible for his wife, sons and daughters. According to the hadeeth of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both), he said, “I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, Each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock. The ruler is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock. A man is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock. A woman is the shepherd of her husband’s household and is responsible for her flock. The servant is the shepherd of his master’s wealth and is responsible for his flock. A man is the shepherd of his father’s wealth and is responsible for his flock. Each of you is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 893; Muslim, 1829
So the husband will be accountable before Allaah on the Day of Resurrection for his wife and children if he fell short in advising them and teaching them properly.
Secondly:
The scholars have stated that women’s adornments fall into two categories:
Visible adornment, which is the woman’s outer dress
And hidden adornment, which no one should see except the husband, such as kohl, bangles and rings.
The evidence for that is the report narrated from Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) concerning the interpretation of the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent”
[al-Noor 24:31]
Ibn Mas’ood said: The adornment is of two types, visible adornment and hidden adornment which no one should see except the husband. With regard to the visible adornment, this is the dress. With regard to the hidden adornment, this is things such as kohl, bangles and rings.
According to another report, visible adornment includes clothes. That which is hidden includes anklets, earrings and bangles.
Narrated by Ibn Jareer in his Tafseer, 18/117
A similar interpretation was also narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas.
See Adwa’ al-Bayaan, 6/196
Therefore the scholars have said that it is obligatory for a woman to cover her face, hands and hidden adornments. This is what is regarded as more correct by a number of the scholars, including Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah.
Al-Shanqeeti (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, when discussing this issue and after quoting the views of the scholars and stating that the report narrated from Ibn Mas’ood is more likely to be correct -:
This view is the most correct opinion in our view; it is more on the safe side, farthest removed from suspicion and causes of fitnah.
Adwa’ al-Bayaan, 6/192
Make-up and the like, and henna, are kinds of adornment which it is not permissible for a Muslim woman to show to non-mahrams.
Shaykh Muhammad al-Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen said:
There is nothing wrong with using henna for adornment, especially for a married woman who adorns herself with it for her husband. As for unmarried women, the correct view is that it is permissible, but she should not show it to people because it is a kind of adornment.
Fataawa al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah, 1/477
But some doctors have said that using artificial make-up harms a woman’s skin. If this is proven then it should be avoided.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said:
If make-up beautifies a woman and does not cause her any harm, then there is nothing wrong with it, but I have heard that make-up damages the skin of the face, and that it therefore alters the skin of the face in an ugly way before the time when the skin changes as a result of ageing. I hope that women will ask their doctors about that. If that is proven, then using make-up is either haraam or makrooh at least, because everything that causes deformity in a person or makes him ugly is either haraam or makrooh.
Fataawa al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah, 1/474
Thirdly:
With regard to a woman’s neck and ears showing from under her khimaar, this is haraam, The ears and neck are among the areas which a woman is commanded to conceal from non-mahram men; they are part of the beauty which it is forbidden to uncover in front of anyone except one's husband and mahrams.
The fuqaha’ are agreed that a woman’s ears are ‘awrah and it is not permissible to show them to non-mahrams.
Any kind of adornment that is connected to them – such as earrings – is also part of the hidden adornment which it is not permissible to show.
Al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 2/376
Concerning the conditions of hijaab, see question no. 6991.
To sum up:
It is not permissible for a husband to allow his wife to show her hidden adornments. He must tell her to wear proper hijaab otherwise the husband will be included among those whom sharee’ah counts as not having the proper protective jealousy concerning their honour.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are three who will not enter Paradise and Allaah will not look at them on the Day of Resurrection: the one who disobeys his parents, the woman who imitates men, and the cuckold.”
(Narrated by Ahmad; Ahmad Shaakir (6180) said, its isnaad is saheeh).
His wife has to fear Allaah and observe proper hijaab. That will be good for her with regard to her religious commitment and before her Lord.
And Allaah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=5 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/9611/can-a-husband-permit-his-wife-to-uncover-her-face | 186 | 9,611 |
18,889 | Her father thinks that niqaab is mustahabb and tells her not to wear it, but she thinks it is obligatory | Question
A girl wants to wear niqab, has read the evidence, and believes it to be fardh but her father, who is very religious and practicing, feels that niqab is mustahabb (he has studied all the evidence and based his opinion on this. For his own reasons, perhaps he worries for her safety or doubts her intentions as being sincere, he forbids her from wearing niqab. He does, however, allow that she can wear niqab when she completes her memorization of Surah Baqarah (as he feels that this will prove her sincere), but she worries that this is too long and feels she is sinning by not wearing it. She has tried to demonstrate to her father that she is sincere, but it has not been enough. She does not disobey him because she worries for his health, he has heart issues that make him very ill under any stress and her wearing it against his will would cause him to fall sick. When she tries to bring this up to other women, they feel she is insulting them by implying that they are sinning by not covering their faces, though she does not judge them and tells them she is not trying to force her opinion on any of them and they do not understand because they all feel it is sunnah. What should she do? And because her father believes it is simply sunnah and not fardh, is he obtaining sin from preventing her? Is it haraam for him to do this? And can you give me som daleel for this?. | Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
It is obligatory for a woman to cover her face in front of
non-mahrams according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions,
because of a great deal of evidence that has been explained in the answer to
question no. 11774.
Secondly:
It is not permissible for a girl to obey her father or mother
by not covering her face, because there is no obedience to any created being
if it involves disobedience towards the Creator.
Similarly, it is not permissible for a father to tell his
daughter to uncover her face, even if he thinks that niqaab is mustahabb, so
long as she is convinced that it is obligatory, because she is obliged to do
what she knows and is convinced of, and she will be asked about that on the
Day of Resurrection. A person will not move on, on the Day of Resurrection,
until he is asked about his knowledge and what he did with it. She will not
be asked about her father’s opinion and what he believed. If she does not
wear niqaab, then she is disobeying her Lord, so what good will obeying her
father do her in that case?
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: “There is no obedience if it involves disobedience towards Allaah;
obedience is only in that which is right and proper.” Narrated by
al-Bukhaari (7257) and Muslim (1840).
Thirdly:
If we assume that it is mustahabb and not waajib for a Muslim
woman to cover her face before non-mahram men, neither the father nor anyone
else has any right to tell her to uncover her face, because by doing so he
is going against the ruling and command of Allaah. How can a Muslim man
allow himself to hear the command of Allaah and His Messenger then issue
instructions to the contrary, and tell someone not to do what Allaah and His
Messenger have enjoined? Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allaah and
His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in
their decision”
[al-Ahzaab 33:36]
“And let those who oppose the Messenger’s (Muhammad’s)
commandment (i.e. his Sunnah
legal ways, orders, acts of worship, statements) (among the sects) beware,
lest some Fitnah (disbelief, trials, afflictions, earthquakes, killing,
overpowered by a tyrant) should befall them or a painful torment be
inflicted on them”
[al-Noor 24:63]
The matter is more serious than whether the niqaab is
obligatory or mustahabb; the one who forbids what is enjoined by Allaah and
His Messenger must re-examine his faith.
Just imagine, O you who enjoins something that goes against
the command of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him), if the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told
your daughter to cover her face when you were sitting there, as something
that is mustahabb as you believe, and not as something obligatory. Would you
go against the command of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) or would you tell her to hear and obey?
No believer has any choice but to hear and obey, as Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
“The only saying of the faithful believers, when they are
called to Allaah (His Words, the Qur’aan) and His Messenger (صلى
الله عليه وسلم), to judge between them, is that they say: “We hear
and we obey.” And such are the successful (who will live forever in
Paradise)”
[al-Noor 24:51]
What is the difference between the Sunnah of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that is heard directly and the
Sunnah that has been transmitted to us via trustworthy men and proven
reports?
Why would we obey him in the first case and disobey him in
the second?
Fourthly:
If the father fears that his daughter may be harassed if she
wears niqaab, and this is a well-founded fear for obvious reasons, such as
the Muslim woman living in a place where women who wear niqaab are harassed,
there is nothing wrong with him telling her not to wear the niqaab, and in
that case she should obey him so as to ward off harm. But if his fear stems
from paranoia and worries that are not based on reality, then it is not
permissible for the girl to obey him by not wearing niqaab in that case.
Fifthly:
The girl should try to advise her father and convince him
that she has the freedom to choose the opinion that she believes to be
correct, whether that is by finding out the evidence for it or by following
scholars whom she trusts, and it is not permissible for her, according to
sharee’ah, to forsake this opinion because it is not in accordance with her
father’s view. Similarly, it is not permissible for him to make her follow
his view, and by not allowing her to wear niqaab he is causing her to fall
into sin and disobedience, whether that is by not wearing it once, twice or
more. Every time she goes out in front of non-mahrams with her face
uncovered, she is sinning thereby.
Perhaps she can seek the help of people who can convince her
father about that.
Perhaps it is clear from this answer that this issue is not
about convincing her father that wearing niqaab is obligatory. That may or
may not be achieved, based on how clear the evidence is and the means used
to convince him. Rather the issue that must be focused on is that the girl
is not obliged to follow her father’s opinion and it is not permissible for
her to forsake what she is convinced of for the sake of his opinion, and it
is not permissible for him to make her follow his opinion. There is no point
in making her fall into sin until she has memorized Soorat al-Baqarah, or
until he is certain of the sincerity of her intentions, for she is sinning
every time she goes out without niqaab, as stated above.
If the father understands this, and lets her do what she
wants, this is what is wanted. If he persists in not allowing her, then the
basic principle is that she should not obey him, as stated above. But if she
is afraid that he may become sick because of her going against his wishes,
then she may uncover her face when she is with him, and cover it when she
goes out on her own, without telling him about that.
We ask Allaah to help her and make her steadfast.
And Allaah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=5 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/98382/her-father-thinks-that-niqaab-is-mustahabb-and-tells-her-not-to-wear-it-but-she-thinks-it-is-obligatory | 186 | 98,382 |
18,890 | When do the rulings on an adolescent girl begin to apply to a little girl? | Question
With regard to little girls, when should we not greet them with salaam, and start to lower our gaze and not look at them – from what age?. | Praise be to Allah.The scholars are unanimously agreed that it is haram to look at a little girl or shake hands with her if that is accompanied by desire and pleasure. But if there is no desire, then some of the fuqaha’ stated a guideline of when the girl reaches an age at which she would normally become desirable. When she reaches this age, it becomes haram to look at her and shake hands with her. If she has not reached an age at which she has become desirable, then there is nothing wrong with shaking hands with her and looking at her. This is the view of the Maalikis, and is the more correct view according to the Shaafa’is.
The Hanafis and Hanbalis set as a guideline the age of ten years. They said that when the little girl reaches the age of ten, her ‘awrah becomes like that of a free adult woman, so it is not permissible to look at her or touch her or shake hands with her.
It says in al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kuwaitiyyah (31/52):
The Hanafis are of the view that up to the age of ten, the ‘awrah of the young boy or young girl is that which is regarded as the extreme ‘awrah of the adult, and after that age the ‘awrah is the same as an adult’s.
The Maalikis narrated that for a girl who is seen as desirable, her ‘awrah is the same as that of an adult woman with regard to looking and washing.
The more correct view according to the Shaafa’is is that it is permissible to look at a little girl who is not seen as desirable, apart from the private part, which it is not permissible to look at.
The Hanbalis said: if the small child is female and ten years old, then her ‘awrah with regard to non-mahram men is her entire body. End quote.
See: Haashiyat Ibn ‘Aabideen (1/407, 408); al-Bahr al-Raa’iq by Ibn Nujaym al-Hanafi (1/285); Mughni al-Muhtaaj (3/130); Haashiyat al-‘Adawi (1/185, 336); Kashshaaf al-Qinaa’ (1/266); al-Mughni (7/462).
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) favoured the view that she comes under the same ruling as an adult woman when she reaches an age at which she becomes desirable, even if she has not reached the age of ten.
He (may Allah have mercy on him) said: There is no ruling on the ‘awrah of a little girl, and she does not have to cover her face, neck, hands and feet, and the little girl should not be obliged to do that, but when the girl reaches an age where men may be attracted to her and desire her, then she should observe hijab so as to ward off fitnah and evil. That varies from one woman to another; some of them may develop quickly and look mature, and others may be the opposite. End quote.
See also the answer to question no. 20475 and 43485.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=5 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/110354/when-do-the-rulings-on-an-adolescent-girl-begin-to-apply-to-a-little-girl | 186 | 110,354 |
18,891 | Her parents refuse to let her wear niqaab because she is young | Question
I am a 14-year-old girl. Studying in the second year in secondary school. I wear hejab that covers my entire body. My clothes are very baggy and I cover my neck and chest by my khimar. Nothing appears of my body apart from my face and hands, as explained by many scholars that face and hands are not ‘awra. There is disagreement amongst scholars regarding hejab, yet I try my best to cover more of my body. I have tried so many times to convince my parents to allow me to wear niqab, but they refuse saying that I am still very young and that I just reached the age of puberty two years ago. What shall I do? Shall I obey them and they will bear the sin before Allah, or shall I disobey them and insist on wearing niqab in order to be closer to Allah? If I insist on wearing it, this will cause many problems to me and they will be displeased with me. What shall I do?. | Praise be to Allah.Firstly:
It is obligatory for a
woman to cover her face before non-mahram men, according to the more correct
of the two scholarly opinions, because of a great deal of evidence which we
have quoted in the answer to question no.
11774.
Secondly:
It is not permissible for a
girl to obey her father or mother by not covering the face if she is
convinced that it is obligatory, because there is no obedience to any living
being if it involves disobedience towards the Creator.
And it is not permissible
for the father to order his daughter to uncover her face, even if he thinks
that niqaab is mustahabb, because she is enjoined to do what she knows and
is convinced of, and she will be questioned about that, not about the
convictions of her father or his opinion. If she does not wear niqaab then
she is disobeying her Lord, so what benefit will she have from obeying her
father in that case?
The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no obedience if it involves
disobedience towards Allaah; obedience is only in that which is right and
proper.” Narrated by (al-Bukhaari (7257) and Muslim (1840).
Thirdly:
You should strive to advise
your parents and convince them that you are entitled to freedom in choosing
the opinion which you think is correct, whether it is on the basis of
knowing the evidence or by following a scholar whom you trust, and according
to sharee’ah it is not permissible for you to ignore this opinion just
because it goes against the opinion of your father or mother. Not covering
the face means that you are falling into sin and disobedience, whether you
do it once or twice or more. Every time you appear before non-mahrams with
your face uncovered, you are sinning thereby.
Perhaps it seems to you
from this answer that the issue is not about convincing your parents that
niqaab is obligatory, because you may or may not succeed, depending on
whether you present the evidence clearly or nor and whether you are able to
convince them or not. But the issue that you should focus on is the idea
that a girl should follow her father’s opinion, and it is not permissible
for her to give up something that she is convinced of because of his
opinion, and it is not permissible for him to force her to follow his
opinion.
This is an issue concerning
which there is a difference of scholarly opinion, and the difference
concerning it is to be respected. In such cases we must be gentle when
speaking to parents about it, and be patient in dealing with them, and not
think of them as sinning and disobeying Allaah, or turning away from His
laws. Perhaps they are convinced that it is not obligatory, just as you are
convinced that it is obligatory, and because it is their duty to care for
you and bring you up, they may think that preventing you from doing
something that is not obligatory is their right.
It seems from your question
that your parents are not opposed to the principle of covering the face, but
they think that you are too young for it. This is something that it will be
easy to convince them about, because if covering the face is obligatory,
then the girl who has reached adolescence is required to do it, and she is
sinning by going against it, and it makes no difference whether she is 14
years old or 20.
As for the problems that
are expected if you insist on following your opinion and going against your
parents, these are regular problems which will ease with the passage of time
and as your parents get used to seeing the niqaab. It needs patience and
sacrifice, and it is sufficient for the believing woman if her Lord is
pleased with her, even if people are not pleased.
Some fathers are afraid
that if their daughters start to wear niqaab at a young age, they may be put
off after that and will take it off. Hence we say: Show how convinced you
are of the niqaab and how keen you are to wear it and adhere to it, and try
to dispel their fears. And some of them are afraid that if she puts on
niqaab, no one will see her properly and that may affect her chances of
marriage later on.
To sum up: what we advise
with regard to this problem is to be patient in dealing with your parents
and seek the intervention of someone who can convince them, if possible.
Bring them some tapes of scholars who speak of that, and tell them again
about what has convinced you that it is obligatory, so long as you are sure
that the source is trusted by your parents. But if you think it most likely
that the problems with your family caused by your wearing niqaab will be
more than you can bear, then perhaps you can delay it for a little while
until they are convinced, or until their objections have died down, but you
should avoid going out of the house or mixing with non-mahram men as much as
possible. If you can put it on in the street, where they cannot see you,
that is also good, in sha Allaah. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=5 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/104165/her-parents-refuse-to-let-her-wear-niqaab-because-she-is-young | 186 | 104,165 |
18,892 | Are Women Permitted to Pray in front of Non-Mahrams? | Question
During Ramadan the Masajid here becomes full, Alhamdulillah. So they have to prepare additional places outside the Masjid. Some women may not be able to find a place within this additional place, which is nearly covered, so they pray outside. I used to return without performing the prayer if I find that there is no concealed place, and pray, instead, at home. Today I was discussing this matter with a sister who said to me that there is no evidence to prove that a woman cannot pray in a place where she might be seen by others. She added that as long as you go out and talk to the sellers and drivers, why can’t you pray in front of them as well. She said that women pray beside men in the Haram (Sacred Masjid). Unfortunately I did not have a Hadith as evidence to prove that she is wrong and I am right. I promised to bring her a detailed answer after searching, if Allah wills. Please clarify this matter to me, and tell me why women are allowed to pray beside men in the Haram. | Praise be to Allah.Can a woman go out and pray in the mosque?
It is permissible for a woman to go out and pray in the mosque with the congregation, whether that is an obligatory prayer or Tarawih, but praying in her house is better for her.
Ahmad (27135) narrated from Umm Humayd (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of Abu Humayd As-Sa`idi (may Allah be pleased with him), that she came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I love to pray with you." He said: "I know that you love to pray with me, but praying in your house is better for you than praying in your courtyard, and praying in your courtyard is better for you than praying in the mosque of your people, and praying in the mosque of your people is better for you than praying in my mosque." (Classed as sound by Al-Albani in Sahih At-Targhib wat-Tarhib and by Shu`ayb Al-Arna’ut in Tahqiq Al-Musnad)
Which rows are best for women in prayer?
If a woman prays in the mosque, it is better for her to be far away from the men, hence the back rows for women are preferable to the front rows , because they are further away from the men. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said Salam at the end of the prayer, he would stay where he was for a little while and would not move, to let the women leave so that the men would not mix with them.
Muslim (440) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The best rows for men are at the front and the worst are at the back; and the best rows for women are at the back and the worst are at the front.”
Can a woman pray in front of non-Mahrams?
There is nothing wrong with a woman praying in a place where men can see her , such as Al-Masjid Al-Haram (in Makkah) or the courtyard of a mosque, or wherever she needs to pray in the countryside and so on, so long as she covers all of her body, even her face and hands , according to the more correct view. That is because women are enjoined to cover their faces and hands in front of non-Mahram men.
The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas were asked:
Question: How should a woman pray if there are non-Mahram men with her, for example in Al-Masjid Al-Haram, and when travelling if there is no mosque on the road where women can pray?
They replied:
“A woman is required to cover all of her body when praying, except the face and hands, but if she is praying where there are non-Mahram men who can see her, then she has to cover all of her body including the face and hands.” (Fatawa Al-Lajnah Ad-Daimah (7/339)
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=5 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/95577/are-women-permitted-to-pray-in-front-of-non-mahrams | 186 | 95,577 |
18,893 | Shar’i description of hijab and niqaab, and should the principal tell the teachers and students to wear it? | Question
I am a manager of Quran memorizing school. I have ordered the teachers not to wear the see through niqab or the two layer see through one. But they refused and said that it is not haram. How shall I stop the students wearing it; as they intentionally raise one of the two layers up after they leave school, and also in transportation. When I ask the students to wear the full covering niqab they refuse because the teachers are not doing this themselves. I wish I receive a detailed answer from you. | Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
May Allaah reward you with good for your eagerness to cover
and remain chaste, and to make precautions, and to advise and guide the
teachers and students. This comes under the heading of fulfilling the
trust.
Secondly:
We cannot say that it is obligatory for a Muslim woman to
cover the face with a multi-layered khimar. What is required is for her to
cover the face, whether it is with a single layer or several layers.
Islam allows the khimaar and the niqaab. Those scholars who
disallow the niqaab do not do so because it is not prescribed in principle,
rather it is because some women choose a type of niqaab that does not meet
the shar’i conditions, such as making the opening for the eyes too big. The
same may also be said of the khimaar. It is not disallowed in and of itself,
but because of its nature, if the fabric is too thin and the face can be
seen through it.
The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked about the
Islamic ruling on the niqaab. They replied:
As for the niqaab, Abu ‘Ubayd said, concerning the definition
of niqaab among the Arabs: It is that from which the socket of the eye
appears, and they used to call it al-waswasah or al-burqa’. As for the
ruling concerning it: it is permissible. It was originally mentioned in the
report narrated by ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him)
who said: “A woman in ihraam should not wear niqaab or gloves.” According to
another report he said: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) forbid women to wear gloves when in ihraam.
The fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) forbade the woman in ihraam to wear niqaab indicates that it is
permissible to wear it when not in ihraam. Moreover it cannot be understood
from this hadeeth that it is permissible for the woman in ihraam to uncover
her face if non-mahram men can see her; rather she must lower the khimaar or
niqaab (over her face) until they have passed her. The basic principle
concerning that is the report narrated by Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawood and Ibn
Majaah from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said: The riders
would pass by when we were with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) in ihraam. When they drew near to us one of
us would lower her jilbab from her head over her face, and when they had
passed by we would uncover (our faces). End quote.
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Razzaaq
‘Afeefi, Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Ghadyaan, Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Qa’ood.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah
(17/171, 172).
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have
mercy on him) was asked:
What is the ruling on the burqa’ (niqaab) if it is not worn
for adornment, but for covering, and also wearing a cover (on top of it).
He replied:
There is nothing wrong with it, because it will not be seen,
as it is going to be covered with something over it. But as for the burqa’
that is on the face and is not covered, we do not say that it is
permissible, because it is fitnah and because women do not limit themselves
to that. If women would stick to the eye opening then we would say that this
is niqaab, which was known at the time of the Messenger (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) and there is nothing wrong with it. But
believe me, if you say that it is permissible for women to wear niqab up to
the eyes and look out from behind the niqab, within a short time the hole in
this niqab would widen to include the forehead and cheeks, then the cover
would decrease until the whole face is exposed. This is well known to be the
way of women, so shutting the door to that is the best way. End quote.
Liqa’aat al-Baab il-Maftooh
(14/question 43)
Based on that:
We say to the teachers, sisters and all Muslim women: whoever
among you wants to cover her face has chosen that which is most concealing
for herself, and that which is better for religious commitment. But she has
to adhere to the prescribed shar’i form of khimaar or niqaab. It is not
permissible to make the opening of the niqab to show more than the eyes, and
it is not permissible to make the khimaar so thin that it shows the face.
It was narrated from ‘Alqamah ibn Abi ‘Alqamah that his
mother said: Hafsah bint ‘Abd al-Rahmaan entered upon ‘Aa’ishah the Mother
of the Believers, and Hafsah was wearing a thin khimaar. ‘Aa’ishah tore it
and gave her a thick khimaar to wear.
Narrated by Maalik in al-Muwatta’ (1693) and
al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan (2/235). Its isnaad is hasan.
Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said:
Any garment that shows the shape and does not conceal, it is
not permissible to wear it under any circumstances, except with another
garment that does conceal and does not show the shape, for the one who wears
it is in effect naked, as Abu Hurayrah said, and this is narrated from the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in the hadeeth of
Abu Hurayrah. End quote.
Al-Istidhkaar (8/307).
One other thing: Your responsibility in the Qur’aan
memorization centre is to make the teachers and students observe the
covering that is required of them inside the centre. As for what happens
after they leave the centre, or before they get there, is not your
responsibility, but you should advise them and teach them, without forcing
them to wear something in particular.
We ask Allaah to guide you to all that is good, and to guide
the teachers and students to that which is good and proper.
And Allaah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=5 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/100719/shari-description-of-hijab-and-niqaab-and-should-the-principal-tell-the-teachers-and-students-to-wear-it | 186 | 100,719 |
18,894 | Ruling on putting a zipper on a woman’s dress | Question
Is it permissible to put a zip on any part of a woman’s wear; on the back, the side, or on the chest?. | Praise be to Allah.
There is nothing wrong with putting a zipper on a woman’s
dress, and there is no limit to where it may be placed on the dress. It
depends on where you think is best for it and what is concealing. End
quote. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=5 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/105397/ruling-on-putting-a-zipper-on-a-womans-dress | 186 | 105,397 |
18,895 | Her husband is asking her to take off her hijab | Question
What should a wife do if her husband asks her to take off her hijab, knowing that she has tried hard to convince him that it is obligatory, and that there is no obedience to any created being if it involves disobedience towards the Creator?. | Praise be to Allah.If what is meant is that he is ordering her to uncover her hair and neck, etc, this is a command to disobey Allaah, and there is no obedience to any created being if it involves disobedience towards the Creator. There is no difference of opinion among the Muslim scholars that it is obligatory for a woman to cover her hair, neck and arms, and it is not permissible for her to take off her hijab in obedience to her husband or father, rather she should stand firm and seek help in that from righteous people in his family and hers, and those who have some influence on her husband.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allaah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed into a plain error”
[al-Ahzaab 33:36]
“But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission”
[al-Nisa’ 4:65]
This husband has to submit to the command of Allaah, and accept His decree and not object to His commands. He should help his wife to follow the path of guidance and righteousness, and not prevent her from following the path of Allaah or call her to disobey Him.
But if what is meant by taking off hijab as mentioned in the question is that he is telling her to uncover her face and hands only, and to cover everything else, and she is afraid that the matter may lead to divorce, and she will be harmed by divorce, then we hope that there will be no sin on her if she uncovers her face and hands, if she is forced to do so.
And Allaah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=5 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/95575/her-husband-is-asking-her-to-take-off-her-hijab | 186 | 95,575 |
18,896 | She lives in a mixed family home – should she wear the niqaab all day? | Question
My husband and I live in one house with his family, which is composed of one brother and his mother. Because we do not have a servant, the women usually serve the household, which involves hard work sometimes, and that means that the woman needs to reduce her hijab and wear regular house clothes.
The problem here is that the door of the house is always open, and there is nothing to stop one of the husband’s relatives, such as his paternal uncle or maternal uncle, coming in without permission. Moreover, when we clean the balcony, the neighbours and everyone in the street can see us. Is it correct for us to wear the niqaab only when going out, or should we wear it in the house from morning until evening, knowing that this will cause a great deal of hardship for us?
Please note that we have our own apartment, but we only go there to sleep.
Please note that this is not only my problem; it is faced by many of the woman who want to wear shar’i hijab, the niqaab.
What should we do?
Please advise us, may Allah reward you. | Praise be to Allah.Firstly:
This problem, as you say, is not only your problem, rather it is a problem that comes up over and over again in countries where the society allows mixed living, where a man stays with his family after he gets married, which means that the wife is living in the same house as her husband’s relatives, his brothers or his nephews, and so on.
Whilst we agree with you that this situation leads to a lot of hardship and problems, and that adhering to hijab and proper Islamic etiquette in the face of this mixing involves a great deal of hardship and difficulty, we also say to you that many Muslim woman who are keen to observe hijab and to adhere to the limits set by their Lord, have managed to overcome this difficult situation and have adhered to the limits set by Allah, despite the hardship that they faced and of which we are also aware.
If this difficult situation with shared living space is one from which there is no way out for the foreseeable future, as is the case in many situations, then you can live with it by keeping the door of the house locked from the inside, so that you can cover yourself and put on your hijab when any non-mahram men want to enter, or wearing proper hijab when they are in the house, and making sure that you are not with them in the same room or enclosed space as much as possible, even when you are wearing hijab.
Your husband also has an important role to play with regard to this problem. He should advise his brother, and his male relatives in general, to observe this etiquette, as it is one of the limits set by Allah, and we have no right to transgress it, and it is not permissible for anyone to toy with it.
There is a warning against being lenient with regard to the husband’s relatives entering upon his wife, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Beware of entering upon women.” One of the Ansaar said: O Messenger of Allah, what do you think about the in-law? He said: “The in-law is death.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5232) and Muslim (2172). Al-Layth ibn Sa’d said: The in-law is the brother of the husband and similar relatives of the husband, his cousins etc.
Although we agree that it will be difficult to do at first, because many people love to go against the rulings and are reluctant to adhere to the limits and proper etiquette, we assure you that it will soon become a habit and something that they get used to. But in the beginning it will require serious effort and patience. It will help you and your husband to be patient if you remember that the reward is commensurate with the level of difficulty faced.
Secondly:
What you have mentioned about having a separate apartment offers a way out and a clear solution to this problem. As for your husband, he has two options.
1 – Either he may agree to your living in this separate apartment, and for you to stay there most of the day, as is usually the case for wives, so long as the family home is open and men who are not your mahrams can enter from time to time, and so long as there are other men living with you, which causes you hardship as you have mentioned in your question, otherwise he will be taking the matter of hijab and mixing lightly which will result in sin and fitnah.
2 – If your circumstances prevent that and these is no hope of moving to separate accommodation in the foreseeable future, for one reason or another, then he and his family have to help you to adhere to your hijab and your religious commitment, as we have suggested above. It is not so hard or difficult; many people adhere to that and do just fine.
Thirdly:
It is obligatory for a woman to cover her face in front of non-mahram men, according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions. We have explained the evidence for that in the answer to question no. 11774. And we have explained the evidence for the prohibition on mixing in the answer to question no. 12525.
Included among “non-mahram men” are the husband’s brother, paternal uncle, and maternal uncle. The wife cannot uncover her face in front of them.
Based on that, you have to cover your face and all of your body when you go out on the balcony and can be seen by men in the street and elsewhere. This should not cause any hardship because it is not something that you do all the time. You can also put a screen around the balcony so that other people will not be able to see the one who is standing there.
Remember that the rulings of Islam are easy, not hard, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Allah does not want to place you in difficulty, but He wants to purify you, and to complete His Favour to you that you may be thankful”
[al-Maa'idah 5:6]
Islam came to achieve that which is in the interests of both men and woman, and to protect all of society against the causes of corruption and deviation. Difficulty arises because of a mistake in application or a failure to benefit from the blessings bestowed by Allah. Hence we repeat that you should make use of the separate apartment, and try to live there, away from any mixing and crowding, and you will find happiness and comfort in sha Allah.
May Allah help us and you to do that which He loves and which pleases Him.
And Allah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=5 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/85163/she-lives-in-a-mixed-family-home-should-she-wear-the-niqaab-all-day | 186 | 85,163 |
18,897 | Does a woman have to cover her hands in front of non-mahram males? | Question
With regards to applying henna and hiding the beauty of a woman: How often is it necessary to apply henna and must it be covered in public? Is it necessary or forbidden for women to cover their hands in public, considering what this involves of inconvenience in handling objects with gloves and wearing gloves in hot weather?. | Praise be to Allah.Yes, a woman has to cover
her hands, because the hand is part of the ‘awrah. Al-‘Allaamah Ibn
al-Qudaamah said in al-Muqni’, as was quoted by al-Mardaawi in
al-Insaaf (1/452): The free woman is entirely ‘awrah, even her
fingernails and hair. End quote.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn
Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: It is proven in al-Saheeh
that the woman in ihraam is not allowed to wear niqaab and gloves. This is
one of the things that indicate that niqaab and gloves were customary among
women who were not in ihraam. This implies that they covered their faces and
hands. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (15/371-372). Thus you may know that the
woman is enjoined to cover her hands in front of non-mahram men, but it does
not mean that she has to cover them with gloves. She may let part of her
garment hang down over them, and if she needs to wear gloves sometimes and
it is a little hard for her but she can put up with it, then she should put
up with it and seek reward for that, because the reward will be commensurate
with the degree of hardship involved, as it says in the hadeeth from the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
And Allaah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=5 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/103669/does-a-woman-have-to-cover-her-hands-in-front-of-non-mahram-males | 186 | 103,669 |
18,898 | She is not allowed to wear hijab, so how can she go out to work and meet her needs? | Question
My question is about hijab. Women here are forbidden to wear hijab and they are treated badly in addition to the fact that they are not allowed to enter their workplaces or other places such as police stations, so they have no choice but to take off their hijab. What is the solution, especially since we have to meet our own needs and especially at work?. | Praise be to Allah.For a woman to wear hijab
in front of non-mahram men is an obligation that is indicated in the Qur’aan
and Sunnah and by scholarly consensus. It is not permissible for anyone to
enjoin otherwise or to prevent those who want to follow this command,
otherwise he is going against the command and laws of Allaah. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
“It is not for a
believer, man or woman, when Allaah and His Messenger have decreed a matter
that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys
Allaah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed into a plain error”
[al-Ahzaab 33:36]
“And whoever contradicts
and opposes the Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله
عليه وسلم) after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and
follows other than the believers’ way, We shall keep him in the path he has
chosen, and burn him in Hell — what an evil destination!”
[al-Nisa’ 4:115]
“But
no, by your Lord, they can have no
Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad
صلى الله عليه وسلم) judge in all
disputes between them, and find
in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with
full submission”
[al-Nisa’ 4:65]
Secondly:
It is not permissible for a
woman to be careless about this obligation or to go out of her house with
any part of her body uncovered, unless she is forced to do so in a case of
necessity that makes that which is haraam permissible, such as if she is
summoned to a police-station, and she cannot avoid going there because that
would result in harm to herself or her property.
As for going out to work,
if she does not have to do that because what she is given by her husband or
father or other relative who is obliged to support her is sufficient for
her, then it is not permissible for her to go out to work if that will
result in her taking off her hijab.
The Muslims have to
cooperate with regard to this matter and ensure that Muslim women are
independent of means so that they are not compelled to go out in ways that
involve sin. That may be achieved by calling on fathers and relatives to
spend generously on them and to provide some useful work that women can do
in their homes, so that they will have no need to go out for any reason that
may lead to them taking off their hijab and exposing them to harm because of
wearing it.
This depends on convincing
the men that hijaab is obligatory, because many of them do not care about
that, and some of them are keen for their wives and daughters to go out and
work, and some of them will not agree to marry a woman who does not work,
even if her work means that she has to take off the hijaab. This ignorance
and shortcoming on the part of the men is one of the greatest causes of this
problem, and one of the reasons why the matter is not being resolved. We
should strive to spread this knowledge, remind people of it and train them
to follow it, so that every man will be keen to protect his family and
dependents, and will realize that he will be questioned tomorrow about this
trust – did he take care of it or not? The Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no person to whom Allaah entrusts the
care of others and he does not take care of them sincerely, but he will not
even smell the fragrance of Paradise.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (7150) and
Muslim (142).
In fact, Muslims are
individually obliged to strive to remove this evil, and to adopt all the
necessary means of achieving that, through organizations and associations
etc., so as to relieve their women of hardship and enable every Muslim woman
to wear her hijab. They should not despair and give up on doing this duty.
How many rights have been restored to people by means of patience, effort
and striving.
Thirdly:
If a woman is in dire
straits and cannot find any alternative to going out to work because she has
no one to support her, and she is also forced to take off the hijab, then if
she is able to migrate to a land where she will be able to practise her
religion openly and obey the commands of her Lord, she is obliged to do so.
Ibn al-‘Arabi said in
Ahkaam al-Qur’aan (1/612):
Migration (hijrah) from dar
al-kufr (kaafir lands) to dar al-Islam (Muslim lands) is obligatory.
And from a land where
innovation is widespread. Imam Maalik (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
It is not permissible for anyone to settle in a land in which the salaf are
reviled.
And from a land in which
haraam things are prevalent, for seeking halaal is an obligation for every
Muslim.
But not everyone may be
able to migrate, and it cannot be regarded as a solution for all Muslim
women.
If a women really needs to
go out of her house to work or do some errands etc, and the matter is
limited to uncovering the face only, then we hope that there is nothing
wrong with her doing that.
But we must strive to solve
this problem completely, as stated above, by advising those who are in
positions of responsibility and asking them for this religious and personal
right. The daa’iyahs who call people to Allaah and the scholars have to
explain to the people that hijab is an obligation that Allaah has enjoined
upon the Muslim women.
It is very strange that we
see this intense war against hijab, the symbol of chastity and purity, and
at the same time we see that the door is wide open for immoral and
promiscuous women.
Be patient, O believing
women, for the reward of Allaah is precious and there will come a day in
which the religion of Allaah will prevail over all other religions.
“It is He Who has sent
His Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم)
with guidance and the religion of truth (Islam), to make it superior over
all religions even though the Mushrikoon (polytheists, pagans, idolaters,
disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah) hate (it)”
[al-Tawbah 9:33]
“And Allaah has full
power and control over His Affairs, but most of men know not” [Yoosuf 12:21
We ask Allaah to guide this
ummah so that people of obedience will be honoured and people of
disobedience will be humiliated, , and to help you and all the Muslim women
to adhere to hijab and give up wanton display and unveiling.
And Allaah knows best. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=5 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/93145/she-is-not-allowed-to-wear-hijab-so-how-can-she-go-out-to-work-and-meet-her-needs | 186 | 93,145 |
18,899 | Rulings on women imitating men | Question
What is the ruling on women buying from stores which only sell men’s clothing, where they sell shirts that are usually worn by people who come to the Kingdom from outside, and which look like women’s clothing? Is this counted as imitating men? | Praise be to Allah.If a woman buys men’s clothes to wear them, this is a kind of imitation of men, if these clothes are distinctive and are usually worn by men, such as the regular thobe (“galabiyah” or “dishdasha”) or shirts. But if it is a garment that is worn by both men and women, there is nothing wrong with that at all, such as sleepwear and other garments that are worn by both men and women.
In general, I would say that everything that is only for men is not permissible for women to wear, and everything that is only for women is not permissible for men to wear.
But if it is a garment that is common to both sexes, there is nothing wrong with that, or if a woman is forced by necessity, such as in some Muslim countries where there is extreme poverty – if a woman finds a garment that is not see-through and does not show the shape of her body, and covers her properly, and it is regarded as a man's garment in some Muslim countries, there is nothing wrong with her wearing it because of necessity and the need to cover the ‘awrah, because this is a case of necessity, not ordinary circumstances. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=5 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/11083/rulings-on-women-imitating-men | 186 | 11,083 |
18,900 | Should she take off her hijab because of the harassment that she is faced with after the London bombings? | Question
Following the bombings on July 7th, many Muslim women in Britain were faced with harassment which may lead to killing by extremists in some cases. Is it permissible for a Muslim woman living there in those circumstances to take off her hijab so as to avoid possible harassment?. | Praise be to Allah.
Before issuing a general fatwa in such cases it is essential
to have a complete picture of the situation and find out whether or not it
has reached the degree of necessity which would make it permissible to do a
haraam deed on which there is consensus that it is haraam.
It seems that it has not reached this stage, rather these are
the actions of a few fools and extremists, and it is not a general trend in
that country. Rather as some of them have said, it is just a few instances
of provocation and harassment which can be dealt with without such a serious
compromise. Based on that, the Muslims have to ask for their rights to
protection, and they should not be blamed for the actions of others, or
compromise on practising their religion which is the source of their pride
and distinction.
We must remember that hijab is an obligation that Allaah has
enjoined on the Muslim woman, which is proven in the Qur’aan and the saheeh
Sunnah, and the ummah is agreed upon it despite the differences in their
madhhabs and schools of thought. No madhhab has deviated from this view, and
no faqeeh has gone against it, and this is what the practice of the ummah
has been throughout the centuries. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
“O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the
women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies
(i.e. screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the
way). That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable
women) so as not tobe
annoyed. And Allaah is Ever Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful”
[al-Ahzaab 33:59]
“and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna (i.e. their
bodies, faces, necks and bosoms) and not to reveal their adornment”
[al-Noor 24:31]
It is the duty of every Muslim to adhere to the obligations
of his religion, and to strive to please his Lord and obey His commands, and
no one should force him by any means to give that up.
You would be surprised to see people who advocate freedom and
the protection of human rights taking away the freedom of others because of
some actions that they had nothing to do with.
With regard to a Muslim woman taking off her hijab because of
her being faced with harassment, we may sum up this issue in the following
points:
·It is not permissible for a
Muslim woman to stay in a land where she cannot practise her faith openly.
Based on that, every Muslim woman who lives there and is not able to
practise her faith openly must migrate to a land where she can practice her
faith openly with complete freedom.
·If she is not able to migrate,
then the Muslim woman in such circumstances should stay home, especially if
she has a guardian who can look after her and meet her needs, and she should
not go out except in cases of necessity, for fear of the fitnah (turmoil) to
which she may be exposed.
·It is not necessary for her to
go out to work and study if there is someone who can support her and she can
delay her study until the next semester or take a leave of absence from
work, until things calm down, because this harassment only happens in the
days following an incident, then it soon calms down and things go back to
normal.
·But if she goes out for some
necessary reason and she is afraid that she may face harassment, then she
should look at what kind of harassment it is. If it is something that can be
put up with, such as swearing or insults, or just hostile looks from some
people, this does not mean that it becomes permissible for her to take off
her hijab, because one can put up with this kind of harassment. It is false
to say to a woman: give up your hijab because of some words that you hear on
the street; rather she should be patient and put up with it. This comes
under the heading of testing the faith of the believing woman. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
“Do people think that they will be left alone because they
say: “We believe,” and will not be tested.
3. And We indeed tested those who were before them. And
Allaah will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and
will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars,
(although Allaah knows all that before putting them to test)”
[al-‘Ankaboot 29:2-3]
So she should put up with any harassment or mockery that
comes for the sake of Allaah, and keep in mind what Allaah has promised of
reward to the one who adheres to His religion, as the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Ahead of you there is a time of
patience when the one who adheres to Islam will have the reward of fifty
martyrs among you.” Narrated by al-Tabaraani from Ibn Mas’ood and classed as
saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’.
·Another means of warding off
harassment is not to go out alone, but only in the company of her guardian
(wali) or as part of a group, so that the foolish will not harass her when
she is alone.
·If she is going to be faced
with unbearable harassment, such as being beaten or killed or having her
honour tarnished, and she has to go out for some necessary reason, then in
this case it is permissible for her to reduce her hijab to a lesser kind,
such as covering the head and neck only. She may give up only as much of her
hijab as will protect her from being exposed to harm, because necessity
should not be exaggerated. Or she may cover herself without the kind of
hijab that people are used to, so that the Muslim woman will not appear as a
target for harassment in the eyes of those people. Among the winter clothing
etc of non-Muslim women there are garments which cover all or most of the
parts that are required to be covered by sharee’ah.
·If her hijab is taken from her
by force, then she is being put to trial and she will be rewarded, but she
must go back to her proper dress when the problem comes to an end.
Such a fatwa must be issued with caution and in a gradual
fashion, according to the situation, so that it will not lead to a loss of
Islamic identity in societies that are not conservative. | Womens clothing | https://islamqa.info/en/categories/topics/186/womens-clothing?page=6 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/69432/should-she-take-off-her-hijab-because-of-the-harassment-that-she-is-faced-with-after-the-london-bombings | 186 | 69,432 |
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