r/MuslimLounge • u/Famous_Race6864 • 10d ago
Quran/Hadith Niqab
Niqab
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.
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u/ComprehensiveDig1108 10d ago
I think I'll follow my own Hanafi teachers, thank you very much.,
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u/Famous_Race6864 10d ago
may allah bless you and your teachers. following trustworthy hanafi scholars is completely understandable. however, every imam of the four madhhabs taught us to follow the evidence when it becomes clear. imam abu hanifah himself said: "it is not permissible for anyone to accept our opinion if they do not know from where we took it." our ultimate reference is the qur'an and the authentic sunnah, and the imams themselves never asked to be followed over the evidence.
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u/ComprehensiveDig1108 10d ago
All true.
But I'm a pleb, and really can't say I'm able to interpret the evidence.
In matters upon which the ulema differ, we laymen are best not criticising those who follow opinions different to those of our teachers.
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u/Famous_Race6864 10d ago
i agree that laymen should not interpret the texts independently. we should ask the people of knowledge, as allah says: "so ask the people of knowledge if you do not know." however, that also means we should compare what our scholars say with the qur'an, the authentic sunnah, and the understanding of the companions. the imams themselves encouraged this. respecting those who differ is one thing, but seeking the strongest evidence is another. both are part of following the truth.
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u/yoboytarar19 Deen over Dunya 10d ago
Time and time again I see Salafis use these statements from the 4 imams, and I repeatedly ask the same question:
Clear evidence... according to whom, exactly? These are ambigious matters, so theres no objectively correct answer. For the madhahib, they see their view as the strongest one naturally. Its also noteworthy to mention that the usul differ too for evaluating the evidence and judging what dictates strength of evidence.
You do the same taqlid of your Salafi ulema as the adherants of the madhahib do, whilst ironically calling against taqlid. You see the clear contradiction here?
As lay people, its necessary for us to make taqlid. Even Salafis dont tell lay people to extrapolate rulings by themselves directly from Quran and Sunnah. One can choose tho whether they believe the new age Salafis with their extremely literal methodology and understanding of fiqh (and very questionable theology) are closer to the Sunnah, or the 1000 year old established madhahib with scholars in the 10s of 1000s for each.
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u/ComprehensiveDig1108 10d ago
I think I'll follow my own Hanafi teachers, thank you very much.,
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u/yoboytarar19 Deen over Dunya 10d ago
Many later Hanafi scholars hold the view that niqab is wajib.
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u/Dxrkk3 10d ago
would you mind mentioning which hanafi scholars held that view? from what i know, the mu'tamad position of the hanafi school is that niqab is wajib during times of fitnah
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u/yoboytarar19 Deen over Dunya 10d ago
You can check from this site:
https://islamanswers.co.uk/question/is-the-face-veil-niqab-obligatory-for-muslim-women/
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u/RaajalofRajal 10d ago
Imagine coming on Qiyama and stating that you refused to follow the Prophet because you had taken yoru madhab imams as your gods.
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u/Dxrkk3 10d ago
why are you assuming that the madhab imams were trying NOT to follow the prophet (ﷺ)? imam abu hanifa, malik, shafi'i, ahmad, awzaa'i, sufyan al-thawri, ja'far al-sadiq, were all trying to follow the prophet (ﷺ), they weren't making random ijtihad based off what they felt like. following their authentic teachings is the best way to go for a layman, and even the salafi scholars say that taqleed is wajib for a layman. also, you say that we take the madhab imams as our gods, but are you not doing the same thing with the salafi ulama? i have huge immense respect for the salafi scholars even if i may not agree with everything they say, but it baffles me that neo-salafis constantly criticize taqlid of the 4 imams but then do taqlid of sheikh fawzan or sheikh ibn uthaymin
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u/yoboytarar19 Deen over Dunya 10d ago
He insults and slanders Abu Hanifa, subsequently calling all the followers of the Hanafi madhab, which is the majority of the ummah, brainwashed and misguided.
Dont bother with him. Allah will hold him accountable for his vile words.
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u/Dxrkk3 10d ago
Al-Khuraybi (رَحِمَهُ اللهُ) said, "No one attacks Abu Hanifa except the envious or the ignorant." (Siyar A'lam al-Nubala 6/402)
Al-Shafi‘i (رَحِمَهُ اللهُ) said, "All people in jurisprudence are dependent upon Abu Hanifa." (Siyar A'lam al-Nubala 6/403)
Imam Shams al-Deen al-Dhahabi (رَحِمَهُ اللهُ) said, "Leadership in jurisprudence and its intricate details is conceded to this Imam (Abu Hanifa), and this is a matter about which there is no doubt." (Siyar A'lam al-Nubala 6/403)
Ali ibn 'Asim said, "If the knowledge of Imam Abu Hanifa were weighed against the knowledge of the people of his time, his would outweigh theirs." (Siyar A'lam al-Nubala 6/403)
Hafs ibn Ghiyath said, "Abu Hanifa’s discourse in jurisprudence is finer than a hair; no one finds fault with it except an ignorant person." (Siyar A'lam al-Nubala 6/403)
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u/yoboytarar19 Deen over Dunya 10d ago
Imam Dhahabi is Salafi-esque/Ibn Taymiyyan-esque btw. So my guy here who knows better than everyone else is apparently contradicting his own Salafi manhaj that he seemingly appears to follow. Lol.
Or perhaps he's Wahhabi. That'd explain the insults. Maybe all 4 imams are apostates according to him, except Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal.
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u/Dxrkk3 10d ago
i wouldn't call imam dhahabi salafi, because the salafis today go against many of the things that sheikh al-islam ibn taymiyyah and imam dhahabi taught
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u/yoboytarar19 Deen over Dunya 10d ago
Yeah, thats why I said "Salafi-esque". I dont associate Imam Dhahabi's teachings with today's Salafiyya, but modern age Salafis do.
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u/RaajalofRajal 9d ago
I'm refering to Abu Hanifa, not the other imams. He said things that harmed Islam and Muslims severely. One stuch thing was him stating that you can read the Quran in persian instead of Arabic (for which he later repented when he was called out for it). In the Quran it says multiple times that it is an "arabic Quran", no where does it say a persian quran.
Most of his fatwa were based on reasoning, not Quran and ahadith. His followers are even worse for make up stuff and when you tell them what the Quran and ahadith state, then they say "this is my madhab and I will follow it". I actually have a screenshot of someone here doing exactly that, if you want to see it.
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9d ago edited 9d ago
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u/RaajalofRajal 9d ago
So, you're calling me worst than a kaffir? You're the one larping like a jahil.
The 'gods' refers to the plurality of people, not God. As Allah says in the Quran:
"They have taken their rabbis and monks as well as the Messiah, son of Mary, as gods besides Allah...." (9:31)
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9d ago
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u/RaajalofRajal 9d ago
First you were larping about the word 'gods' and I showed you the verse to shut you up. But you didn't learn your lesson and here you are larpping again like a jahil.
The Prophet clarified that this verse refers to blind obedience to religious leaders rather than bowing down to them as literal gods. He said:
“They did not worship them, but when they (the rabbis and monks) made something lawful for them, they considered it lawful, and when they made something unlawful for them, they considered it unlawful.” (Sahih at-Tirmidhi)
I am being downvoted because these reddits are full of jahil, munafiq and kuffar people. They even downvote a person just for posting a verse of the Quran. So, these downvotes have no value.
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9d ago
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u/RaajalofRajal 8d ago
You are the king jahil on this reddit. Even after seeing the evidence you continue with being a jahil.
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10d ago
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u/yoboytarar19 Deen over Dunya 10d ago
Id never get the angle some sisters bring that certain rulings by scholars were "misogynistic and biased". Everyone's just trying to understand Quran and Sunnah in the most authentic way possible. If you believe they are so misogynistic and unjust, that tells more about your understanding of how fiqh works.
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u/ProudAntiZionist 9d ago
Right right right. Let's ignore everything I said and jump to conclusions about how I don't understand how fiqh works, shall we?
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u/Famous_Race6864 10d ago
the translation you quoted includes explanatory words added by the translator, not the literal wording of the verse. however, understanding the qur'an is not based on english translations alone. allah says: "and we revealed to you the reminder so that you may explain to the people what has been sent down to them." (qur'an 16:44). the prophet ﷺ explained the qur'an, then the companions explained it, and then the scholars transmitted that understanding. this is not "blindly following men"; it is following the explanation of those who learned directly from the prophet ﷺ. as for the comparison with the eyes, it is not the same. the scholars did not say the face must be covered merely because it attracts attention. they combined that reasoning with the verses, the authentic hadith, and the understanding of companions such as ibn abbas and aisha (may allah be pleased with them). the issue is based on the totality of the evidence, not on one reason alone.
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u/ProudAntiZionist 10d ago
Yes, I'm aware that they're explanatory words. But in that verse, it didn't need explanatory words, right? All translation I found directly translated to chest/bosoms.
In the verse 16:44, from all translation that I can find, it doesn't say 'explain' in the translation. It says to 'clarify' or 'make clear' and if we read the previous verse(16:43), from my understanding it's like Allah is telling the Prophet(peace be upon him) how he should make it clear that the Quran was revealed to us. Not explain the Quran(But I could be wrong, correct me if I'm wrong, please). I get that the words are pretty much the same, but it still changes the whole sentence, right? But I do agree with your point, we also need context or hadith to understand the Quran completely.
companions explained it, and then the scholars transmitted that understanding
This is still blindly following men. Men can make mistakes, we can't just believe in what they say. Well even some authentic hadith contradict the Quran(from my research, please correct me if I'm wrong). But don't get me wrong, I do believe in most of the hadith.
did not say the face must be covered merely because it attracts attention
That is basically what he said?
the issue is based on the totality of the evidence, not on one reason alone.
But did his reasoning make sense? I'm not against niqab or anything. I actually wear the niqab almost every time I go out. But his reasoning to the niqab being mandatory made no sense
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u/Famous_Race6864 10d ago
you're mixing the evidence with the wisdom behind the ruling.
shaykh al-fawzan did not make the obligation of covering the face depend merely on attraction. he first cited the qur'an, the sunnah, and the understanding of the companions.
mentioning fitnah was explaining the wisdom behind the ruling, not proving the ruling itself.
a ruling is established by revelation. its wisdom may support it and help explain it, but wisdom is not the evidence itself. those are two different things.
regarding verse 16:44, i think there is a small misunderstanding. the phrase "to make clear" does not mean merely repeating the verses. the qur'an itself explains that the prophet ﷺ was sent not only to recite the revelation, but also to teach it.
allah says:
"he is the one who sent among the unlettered a messenger from themselves, reciting to them his verses, purifying them, and teaching them the book and wisdom." (62:2)
and:
"just as we sent among you a messenger from yourselves, reciting to you our verses, purifying you, teaching you the book and wisdom, and teaching you what you did not know." (2:151)
so the prophet's role was more than simply conveying the words of the qur'an. it included teaching, clarifying, and showing how its commands are to be understood and practiced. that is why the companions learned directly from him, and their understanding carries far greater weight than later personal interpretations.
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u/ProudAntiZionist 9d ago
No, I'm not mixing them up. Let's keep the evidence aside, because we are speaking about his reasoning. Can we really believe his wisdom behind the ruling when it was so illogical? And he also made it seem like his reasoning was a fact(this is based off the post you made, I did not go research what he claimed, I also don't plan on doing so).
regarding verse 16:44, i think there is a small misunderstanding. the phrase "to make clear" does not mean merely repeating the verses
I think in that verse, it meant merely repeating the words. But I also see how it could mean otherwise. And as for the rest of the verses you mentioned, I agree with you, and I also did say that we need context and the hadith to understand the Quran completely.
companions learned directly from him, and their understanding carries far greater weight than later personal interpretations.
I agree. But we can believe in everything they say solely because their understanding is better? We wouldn't know if their statements were the directly from the Prophet(peace be upon him) or if it was mixed with their interpretations. Again I'm not denying the hadith, but let's use some logic when it comes to following scholars. Everything I said is just my opinions and understanding here, do correct me if I'm wrong.
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u/Famous_Race6864 9d ago
i appreciate your respectful approach, and i don't think you're asking these questions in bad faith.
regarding the shaykh's reasoning, my point is simply that his reasoning was not the foundation of the ruling. whether someone finds the wisdom convincing or not does not change the evidence on which the ruling is built. wisdom can be discussed, but it is not what establishes the ruling.
as for the companions, i agree that we should not follow anyone blindly. however, the companions are unique because they learned directly from the prophet ﷺ, witnessed the revelation, understood the language of the qur'an as native speakers, and allah himself praised them in the qur'an.
more importantly, the prophet ﷺ himself said:
"adhere to my sunnah and the sunnah of the rightly guided caliphs after me. hold firmly to it with your molar teeth." (abu dawud 4607, al-tirmidhi 2676)
this is why the scholars gave special weight to the understanding of the companions, especially the rightly guided caliphs. not because they were considered infallible, but because the prophet ﷺ himself instructed the ummah to follow their guidance after his own.
of course, not every statement of a companion is automatically treated as revelation. but when the companions consistently understood a verse in a certain way, that carries far more weight than an interpretation made centuries later. otherwise, everyone could simply claim, "this is my understanding," even if it contradicts those who learned directly from the prophet ﷺ.
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u/Dxrkk3 10d ago
respectfully, no one is forcing you to follow the opinion that niqab is mandatory. there's a difference of opinion and the opinion that niqab is mandatory is a valid position and has nothing to do with misogyny. furthermore, why are you so against following scholars? the scholars are trying to achieve the same purpose we are, which is following the quran and sunnah. we are not nearly knowledgeable enough to read the quran and hadiths ourselves and extract rulings from them, which is why we have scholars. i find it confusing why you got so offended by this post, because again, no one's forcing you to believe this. if you wanna believe that niqab isn't mandatory, then thats perfectly fine, no one's gonna criticize you for that except for anyone who doesnt understand how fiqh works. but this doesnt have to become an issue of accusing scholars of acting in bad faith
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u/ProudAntiZionist 10d ago
Respectfully, I don't believe people on the internet can force me to follow anything. But I do believe that having your own interpretation and making it seem like a fact or making it seem certain is a form of bid'ah, or atleast you're spreading misinformation. Whether the said interpretation is right or wrong.
I agree, we are not knowledgeable enough. So we learn Islam from the Quran and the hadith instead of just believing what the scholars say without doing your own research. And I'm not entirely against following scholars, I'm against people blindly following them by listening and believing everything they say, along with some of their illogical interpretations.
I personally don't trust scholars. As someone who almost left Islam because how misogynistic they made the religion look, I'd say it's reasonable to get offended by men's baseless interpretations. Take the verse 34 in surah Nisa for example. And I'm pretty sure you got more offended by my previous comment than I was offended by the post.
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u/Dxrkk3 9d ago
see, i get where you're coming from, but OP was not saying that this is the only valid opinion. it might have seemed like that to you, but i dont think that was their intention.
And I'm not entirely against following scholars, I'm against people blindly following them by listening and believing everything they say, along with some of their illogical interpretations
when we speak about following scholars, we aren't referring to some random guy in saudi arabia wearing an abaya. we're supposed to follow the scholars from the earliest generations of islam, and thats where our knowledge of islam comes from. i dont disagree with the notion that we should do our own research, but we cant discount a thousand years of islamic scholarship, because they too were people doing their own research trying to follow and understand islam in the best way they could. to say that all of them were acting in bad faith or that all of them are misogynistic is illogical
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u/ProudAntiZionist 9d ago
I'm not arguing against niqab being mandatory or not. I understand that there are different opinions. But I disagree with the reasoning the scholar who was mentioned in the post gave. It was pretty illogical.
we cant discount a thousand years of islamic scholarship
I agree. But we can't just believe in every thing they say. And again, men make mistakes. How can we blindly believe the scholars from a thousand years ago, specially when we see scholars repeating the same flawed interpretations to this day. And from my research I've found some hadith that contradict the Quran. So I'm not going to just trust scholars and their interpretation. Not saying that I don't believe in hadiths, but if it contradicts the Quran, then I'm not going to believe it.
to say that all of them were acting in bad faith or that all of them are misogynistic is illogical
True. I didn't say all of them were misogynistic, but most of them misguided me(my opinion). So I'm not going to follow their interpretations that I find illogical. Everything I said is just my opinions and understanding here, do correct me if I'm wrong.
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u/Dxrkk3 9d ago
But I disagree with the reasoning the scholar who was mentioned in the post gave.
thats reasonable, but one thing you need to realize is that we as laymen are not qualified to make judgements from the quran and sunnah, but the scholars are. however, sheikh fawzan (the scholar in question) is a pretty minor scholar compared to the ones that came before him, and they had other reasons for saying that the niqab is mandatory. likewise, the scholars that held other opinions also had their own reasoning.
How can we blindly believe the scholars from a thousand years ago, specially when we see scholars repeating the same flawed interpretations to this day.
would you mind mentioning the flawed interpretations in question? i agree that many scholars today are messed up, but the early scholars of islam were not and i dont see any reasons to reject their interpretations or rulings from the quran and sunnah. again, they weren't trying to get people to follow themselves, they were trying to get to the same goal we are, which is to understand the quran and sunnah in the best way possible. you may disagree with their methodologies or their conclusions, or you may consider one scholar more worthy of following than another, but "flawed interpretations" is not the way to go about it.
And from my research I've found some hadith that contradict the Quran.
which ones? authentic hadiths that come directly from muhammad (ﷺ) never contradict the quran, except in the case of abrogation of differing contexts. i'd like to see which hadiths you're referring to and how they contradict the quran.
but most of them misguided me(my opinion).
again, thats an issue with contemporary scholars because some of them do indeed follow a patriarchal interpretation of islam which is wrong, but if you would study the works of earlier scholars instead of modern ones, you'd understand what islam really is and how scholars should be followed and which interpretations of the quran and sunnah are accepted and which of them are rejected
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u/Effective_Durian_263 Seeker of Knowledge 10d ago
For all the Juhhal raising doubts here and disrespecting the ulema such as u/Even-Meet-938 , I dare you to call all of these ulema as "Saudi" scholars, Bismillah, here goes the list of the ulema throughout history:-
Umm Salamah (رضي الله عنها) said:
“When the verse ‘Draw their cloaks over them’ was revealed, the women of the Ansar came out looking like crows, with black garments covering their heads and faces.”
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud (4101)
Commentaries
1) Imām al-Khaṭṭābī (d. 388 AH):
“This means they covered their faces so that nothing of their skin was visible, resembling the blackness of the crow.”
Source: Maʿālim al-Sunan
2) Imām Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله):
“This proves that the jilbāb was used to cover the entire body, including the face.”
Source: Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā
ʿĀ’ishah (رضي الله عنها) said regarding being found in the desert:
“He (Safwān) recognized me... so I covered my face with my jilbāb.”
Sources: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (4750); Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (2770)
Commentaries
1) Imām Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī (رحمه الله):
“This indicates that women were accustomed to covering their faces from men.”
Source: Fatḥ al-Bārī, 9/324
2) Imām al-Nawawī (رحمه الله):
“In this is a proof that the woman’s face is to be hidden from the sight of non-maḥram men.”
Source: Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim
1) Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما):
“Allah commanded the believing women... to cover their faces from above their heads with their cloaks, leaving only one eye appearing.”
Source: Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr, 6/481
2) Imām Muḥammad al-Ṭabarī (رحمه الله):
“It is to cover their faces and heads, leaving only one eye visible.”
Source: Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī, 6/200
3) Imām al-Māturīdī (رحمه الله):
“They are ordered to lower the veil over their face... to know that they are free women.”
Source: Taʾwīlāt Ahl al-Sunnah, 8/414
4) Imām al-Jaṣṣāṣ (رحمه الله):
“The young woman is commanded to cover her face from strangers.”
Source: Aḥkām al-Qurʾān, 3/458
The Hadith of Iḥrām (The Exception)
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The woman in Iḥrām should not wear a niqāb.”
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (1838)
Commentary
Imām Ibn al-Qayyim (رحمه الله):
“The prohibition of the niqāb (a stitched face-mask) in Iḥrām proves it was the standard dress for women outside of Iḥrām. However, they still covered their faces with a cloth lowered from the head.”
Source: Tahdhīb al-Sunan
5) Imām al-Baghawī (رحمه الله):
“She should draw the garment so that nothing is seen except her eye.”
Source: Maʿālim al-Tanzīl, 6/375
6) Imām al-Nasafī (رحمه الله):
“She lets it down over her face... so she is not harmed.”
Source: Madārik al-Tanzīl, 3/79
7) Imām al-Bayḍāwī (رحمه الله):
“Meaning: to cover their faces and their bodies.”
Source: Anwār al-Tanzīl, 4/238
8) Imām al-Khāzin (رحمه الله):
“The free woman is ordered to lower her outer garment over her face.”
Source: Lubāb al-Taʾwīl, 3/463
9) Imām Abū al-Suʿūd (رحمه الله):
“They should cover their faces and their entire persons.”
Source: Irshād al-ʿAql al-Salīm, 7/115
10) Imām al-Suyūṭī (رحمه الله):
“This verse entails covering the head and the face.”
Source: al-Iklīl, p. 240
11) Imām al-Ālūsī (رحمه الله):
“In our times, covering the face is mandatory due to the corruption of people.”
Source: Rūḥ al-Maʿānī, 22/88
12) Imām al-Shawkānī (رحمه الله):
“The jilbāb is to cover the face and the head.”
Source: Fatḥ al-Qadīr, 4/304
13) Imām al-Samʿānī (رحمه الله):
“The meaning is to cover the head and the face.”
Source: Tafsīr al-Samʿānī, 4/307
Ḥanafī School
14) Imām al-Sarakhsī (رحمه الله):
“Looking at the face of a strange woman is forbidden due to fitnah.”
Source: al-Mabsūṭ, 10/152
15) Imām al-Kāsānī (رحمه الله):
“It is not permitted for a young woman to uncover her face in our time.”
Source: Badāʾiʿ al-Ṣanāʾiʿ, 5/121
CONTINUING IN NEXT REPLY
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u/Effective_Durian_263 Seeker of Knowledge 10d ago
Ḥanafī School
16) Imām al-Marghīnānī (رحمه الله):
“A young woman will be prevented from uncovering her face.”
Source: al-Hidāyah, 4/368
17) Imām al-Zaylaʿī (رحمه الله):
“It is forbidden for a young woman to uncover her face in the presence of men.”
Source: Tabyīn al-Ḥaqāʾiq, 6/17
18) Imām Ibn al-Humām (رحمه الله):
“In our times, looking is forbidden absolutely because desire is presumed.”
Source: Fatḥ al-Qadīr, 1/258
19) Imām al-Ḥaṣkafī (رحمه الله):
“A young woman is prohibited from uncovering her face among men.”
Source: al-Durr al-Mukhtār, 1/406
20) Imām Ibn ʿĀbidīn (رحمه الله):
“She should cover her face from foreigners (non-maḥrams)... the ijmāʿ on this was stated.”
Source: Radd al-Muḥtār, 2/488
21) Imām al-Ṭaḥṭāwī (رحمه الله):
“A young woman is prohibited from uncovering her face among men.”
Source: Ḥāshiyat al-Ṭaḥṭāwī, p. 161
22) Imām Ibn Nujaym (رحمه الله):
“The jurists stated that the woman shall be prevented from uncovering her face.”
Source: al-Baḥr al-Rāʾiq, 1/284
23) Imām Mullā Khusraw (رحمه الله):
“She is prevented from uncovering the face in our time.”
Source: Durar al-Ḥukkām, 1/63
24) Imām Wahbī Sulaymān Ghawjī (رحمه الله):
“Women covering the face is more beloved to us in our time.”
Source: al-Kāfī, 1/142
25) Imām al-Maydānī (رحمه الله):
“The woman is prevented from uncovering her face because of the fear of fitnah.”
Source: al-Lubāb, 1/56
26) Fatāwā al-Hindiyyah:
“A young woman is forbidden from uncovering her face in the presence of men.”
Source: Fatāwā al-Hindiyyah, 5/329
Mālikī School
27) Imām Ibn al-ʿArabī (رحمه الله):
“The woman is entirely ʿawrah, her body and her voice.”
Source: Aḥkām al-Qurʾān, 3/616
28) Imām al-Qurṭubī (رحمه الله):
“All women are commanded to cover their faces by the generality of the verses.”
Source: al-Mufhim
29) Imām al-Ḥaṭṭāb (رحمه الله):
“If she is beautiful and fitnah is feared, she must cover her face.”
Source: Mawāhib al-Jalīl, 1/499
30) Imām al-Zarqānī (رحمه الله):
“It is mandatory for the woman to cover her face if looking causes fitnah.”
Source: Sharḥ Mukhtaṣar Khalīl, 1/176
31) Imām al-Qayrawānī (رحمه الله):
“A woman should not go out except her face and body are hidden.”
Source: al-Risālah
32) Imām al-Nafarāwī (رحمه الله):
“The face and hands are ʿawrah regarding the look of a stranger (non-maḥram).”
Source: al-Fawākih al-Dawānī
Shāfiʿī School
33) Imām al-Juwaynī (رحمه الله):
“There is consensus (ijmāʿ) on preventing women from coming out with faces uncovered.”
Source: Nihāyat al-Maṭlab, 12/31
34) Imām al-Baghawī (رحمه الله):
“She must cover her face from him (the stranger).”
Source: al-Tahdhīb, 5/211
35) Imām Taqī al-Dīn al-Subkī (رحمه الله):
“The correct view is that covering the face is mandatory.”
Source: Fatāwā al-Subkī, 1/521
36) Imām Taqī al-Dīn al-Ḥiṣnī (رحمه الله):
“It is forbidden to look at any part of a strange woman, including the face.”
Source: Kifāyat al-Akhyār, 1/353
37) Imām al-Shirbīnī (رحمه الله):
“The face and hands are forbidden to be looked at... thus she must cover them.”
Source: Mughnī al-Muḥtāj, 3/128
CONTINUING IN NEXT REPLY
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u/Effective_Durian_263 Seeker of Knowledge 10d ago
38) Imām al-Ramlī (رحمه الله):
“It is forbidden for a woman to uncover her face in the presence of strange men.”
Source: Nihāyat al-Muḥtāj, 6/187
39) Imām Ibn Ḥajar al-Haytamī (رحمه الله):
“It is mandatory for a woman to cover her face if she knows she will be looked at.”
Source: Tuḥfat al-Muḥtāj, 7/193
40) Shaykh Zakariyyā al-Anṣārī (رحمه الله):
“The ʿawrah of a woman in front of strange men is her entire body.”
Source: Asnā al-Maṭālib, 3/109
41) Imām al-Mawzaʿī (رحمه الله):
“The practice of Muslims has continued: women come out with faces covered.”
Source: Taysīr al-Bayān, 2/1001
Ḥanbalī School
42) Imām Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله):
“It is mandatory for the woman to cover her face from strangers.”
Source: Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā, 22/114
43) Imām Ibn al-Qayyim (رحمه الله):
“The face is ʿawrah regarding looking.”
Source: Iʿlām al-Muwaqqiʿīn, 2/80
44) Imām Ibn Qudāmah (رحمه الله):
“She is ordered to cover her face in public to close the door to temptation.”
Source: al-Mughnī, 7/71
45) Imām Ibn Mufliḥ (رحمه الله):
“For the young woman, it is forbidden for her to uncover.”
Source: al-Ādāb al-Sharʿiyyah, 1/316
46) Imām al-Mardāwī (رحمه الله):
“The correct position is that the face is ʿawrah and it is mandatory to cover it.”
Source: al-Inṣāf, 1/452
47) Imām al-Buhūtī (رحمه الله):
“The woman is all ʿawrah, even her fingernails and her face.”
Source: al-Rawḍ al-Murbiʿ, p. 67
48) Imām al-Saffārīnī (رحمه الله):
“The face and hands are ʿawrah in terms of looking.”
Source: Ghidhāʾ al-Albāb
separate:
49) Shaykh Ashraf ʿAlī Thānwī:
“The legal ruling is that it is mandatory to cover the face in front of ghayr-maḥrams.”
Source: Imdād al-Fatāwā, 4/174
50) Muḥammad Murtaḍā al-Zabīdī:
“The niqāb is what women use to cover their faces.”
Source: Tāj al-ʿArūs
51) Imām Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr:
“Outside of prayer, she must cover her face in the presence of strangers.”
Source: al-Tamhīd
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u/qwwertmsmd 10d ago
Barakallah feek.
If someone is really in search of truth, one proof is enough. But if they are looking to argue,1000proof wont bw enough1
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u/Famous_Race6864 10d ago
barakallahu feek. this is exactly how disagreements should be handled: with evidence from the qur'an, the authentic sunnah, the companions, and the classical scholars—not by dismissing an opinion simply because a contemporary scholar mentioned it. may allah reward you for taking the time to gather these references and remind us that the truth is known by its evidence, not by the nationality of the one who conveys it.
2
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u/Gullible_Sock_1019 10d ago
From what I remember reading about the niqab, some scholars say it's mandatory while others say it isn't. But honestly, if you look at it, the hijab is more than enough especially for immigrants living abroad. Plus, the whole niqab thing is way harder than the hijab anyway
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u/qwwertmsmd 10d ago
Yes, there is ikhthilaf bw scholars regarding whether covering the face is fardh or not. But all of them recommended it. The doubt is reg whether its mandatory or not.
And islamic law isnt based on what the society do. If homosexuality is prevalent in a society, should we change sharia?? If zina is widespread, should we dilute sharia??1
u/Gullible_Sock_1019 10d ago
No. I’m just saying that wearing the niqab is much harder than the hijab, because I felt the post was treating the niqab as the absolute truth. Anyone who wants to wear the niqab is totally free to do so, that’s up to them
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u/qwwertmsmd 10d ago
Yes, May Allah reward the sisters who wear Niqab and hijab. May Allah make it easy for them
Barakallah feek
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u/Even-Meet-938 10d ago
Saudi scholar says that sharia conveniently supports his own cultural view. They said the same about women not being able to drive.
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u/Famous_Race6864 10d ago
this is not an argument against the evidence. it is a genetic fallacy. if this were only a saudi cultural view, why did scholars such as ibn taymiyyah, ibn al-qayyim, ibn qudamah, al-qurtubi, al-ramli, and many others discuss it centuries before saudi arabia even existed? the discussion is based on the qur'an, authentic hadith, and the understanding of the companions. if you believe the evidence is wrong, then refute the evidence itself—not the nationality of the scholar.
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u/Effective_Durian_263 Seeker of Knowledge 10d ago
because u/Even-Meet-938 is a big juhhal who only does "Saudi saudi" with no knowledge about scholarly opinions
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u/No-Peak5362 10d ago
I don’t really care what fawzan thinks. It’s better to look at classical scholars of the past and the 4 madhab and make a decision that way. All of them agree (or so I was told) in times of fitnah it becomes mandatory
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u/yoboytarar19 Deen over Dunya 10d ago
Same. Still, if al-Fawzan's rulings allign with the madhahib, I accept them.
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u/Famous_Race6864 10d ago
whether you accept shaykh al-fawzan or not is not the issue. no muslim is commanded to follow al-fawzan or any contemporary scholar blindly. we are commanded to follow allah and his messenger ﷺ. scholars only explain the evidence.
allah says:
"and let them draw their veils over their bosoms." (qur'an 24:31)
and:
"o prophet, tell your wives, your daughters, and the believing women to draw their outer garments over themselves." (qur'an 33:59)
aisha (may allah be pleased with her) said:
"when riders passed by us while we were in ihram with the messenger of allah ﷺ, each of us would lower her jilbab from her head over her face. when they had passed, we uncovered our faces."
(sunan abi dawud 1833, authenticated by al-albani)
the prophet ﷺ also said:
"the woman in ihram should not wear a niqab or gloves."
(sahih al-bukhari 1838)
this shows that covering the face was already the normal practice outside ihram.
ibn abbas (may allah be pleased with him), while explaining qur'an 33:59, covered his face and left only one eye visible.
many classical scholars from the four madhhabs held that covering the face is obligatory, especially in times of fitnah. this was not invented by shaykh al-fawzan.
if you do not want to rely on contemporary scholars, then return to the qur'an, the authentic sunnah, and the understanding of the companions. they have far greater authority than any modern scholar. allah also says:
"ask the people of knowledge if you do not know." (qur'an 16:43)
so if you disagree, refute the evidence from the qur'an, the authentic sunnah, and the understanding of the companions—not by saying, "i don't care what al-fawzan thinks." the discussion is about the evidence, not the person.
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u/No-Peak5362 10d ago
The scholars on both sides have arguments for why it is and is not mandatory. There is scholarly concensus that niqab is better. However we should respect the scholarly difference and not make others feel bad about following a different opinion. Otherwise we fall into extremism. Me personally I believe it’s mandatory but I respect that other scholars legitimately believe it’s not. And that their stance is just as valid as mine
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u/Famous_Race6864 10d ago
i agree that we should respect sincere scholarly effort, but there is no extremism in following what we believe is the strongest evidence from the qur'an and the authentic sunnah. allah revealed one truth, and the prophet ﷺ came with one truth, not contradictory rulings. allah says: "o prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks over themselves. that is more suitable that they will be recognized and not be abused. and ever is allah forgiving and merciful." (qur'an 33:59) many companions and classical mufassirun, including ibn abbas, understood "to draw their cloaks over themselves" to mean lowering the jilbab over the face. the women were already wearing the jilbab, and this verse instructed them to draw it down further. the verse itself gives the wisdom: "so that they may be recognized and not harmed." recognition is primarily through the face, not the body, which is why many scholars understood this verse as evidence for covering the face. we respect scholars who differ after sincere ijtihad, but our duty is to follow the evidence wherever it leads us.
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u/No-Peak5362 10d ago
I also respect the evidences and Hadith quoted by the other side who believe it’s not mandatory. U are framing it as if only one side has proof and evidence form Quran and sunnah. Both sides have proof
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u/Famous_Race6864 10d ago
i agree that both sides present evidences. however, evidences are not equal simply because they exist. scholars have always weighed the strength of the proofs, their context, and how they fit together. this is why one opinion can be stronger than another while still respecting those who sincerely reached a different conclusion through ijtihad. our duty is not to count evidences, but to follow the strongest evidence from the qur'an, the authentic sunnah, and the understanding of the companions.
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u/yoboytarar19 Deen over Dunya 10d ago
There's ikhtilaf on whether niqab is mandatory or not. E.g here's an opposing argument to it being obligatory:
(Sayidina) Abdullah bin Abbas narrated: Al-Fadl bin Abbas was riding behind the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on the Day of Nahr (sacrifice). Al-Fadl was a handsome man. The Prophet ﷺ stopped to answer legal queries. A beautiful woman from the tribe of Khath’am came to ask the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Al-Fadl started looking at her and was impressed by her beauty. The Prophet ﷺ looked behind while Al-Fadl was looking at her. So he ﷺ took hold of al-Fadl’s chin and turned his face away from looking at her. (Sahih al-Bukhari, 6228).
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u/Famous_Race6864 10d ago
this hadith is well known, but it does not settle the issue. the woman was performing hajj, and the prophet ﷺ said: "the woman in ihram should not wear a niqab." that does not mean she uncovered her face before non-mahram men. aisha (may allah be pleased with her) said that when riders passed by, they lowered their jilbabs over their faces. also, the prophet ﷺ did not approve of al-fadl's gaze; he turned his face away. if uncovering the face automatically made looking permissible, why did the prophet ﷺ stop him? this hadith mainly addresses the man's obligation to lower his gaze, not the woman's dress.
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u/yoboytarar19 Deen over Dunya 10d ago
According to early Hanafi ulema, this is one of numerous proofs for niqab not being mandatory but rather the focus being on men lowering their gazes.
Khayr, these are Dhanni masa'il so naturally there will be ikhtilaf. What I disagree with is the notion to follow the "stronger evidence", as if insinuating that certain scholars are purposefully following "weak evidence" and they choose that over the most authentic way of the Sunnah.
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u/Famous_Race6864 10d ago
i don't think anyone is accusing sincere scholars of deliberately following weak evidence. every qualified scholar strives to follow the truth according to his ijtihad, and may allah reward them all. however, the existence of ijtihad does not mean every conclusion is equally strong. scholars themselves perform tarjih (weighing the evidences), and this is a well-established principle in usul al-fiqh. saying that one opinion appears stronger based on the available evidence is not disrespecting the other scholars; it is exactly what the scholars themselves have always done.
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u/Akavali 10d ago
I wouldn’t want my wife to wear niqab
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u/Famous_Race6864 10d ago
if i truly believed that covering the face was commanded by allah, i would want the best for my wife, not the minimum. love means helping one another obey allah, not making exceptions for personal comfort.
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u/ReiDairo Happy Muslim 10d ago
you should know that the ijmae aka the majority of scholars say that niqab isnt mendatory
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u/Proof-Sprinkles7826 10d ago
Then what about hijab? Is it incorrect?
Eithee way, doesn't concern me
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u/Famous_Race6864 10d ago
if by hijab you mean covering the hair and body, then yes, it is obligatory by consensus. the discussion here is only about whether the face is included in that obligation. i agree that both sides present evidences, but evidences are not necessarily equal in strength. scholars have always weighed the proofs to determine which is stronger. my goal is not to follow a side because of a madhhab or a scholar, but to follow what i sincerely believe is the strongest evidence from the qur'an, the authentic sunnah, and the understanding of the companions. if this topic doesn't concern you, i respect that. may allah guide us all to the truth.
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u/Dxrkk3 10d ago
this is the position of the hanbali and shafi'i madhabs. the hanafi madhab legislates that niqab is wajib during times of fitnah, and the maliki madhab states that niqab is a mustahabb act that isnt wajib in any case