Covering the Face and Hands

Answered By Shaykh Omar Subedar

Question:

Salaam aleykum I was wondering what the opinions in the 4 schools are regarding covering of the hands and the face for Muslim women. What was the opinions of the imams regarding this? BarakAllahu feekum.

Answer

Assalamu Alaikum. Thank you for contacting the Mathabah Foundation for your concern.

In respect to this issue Shaykh Muhammad ‘Ali Al Säbōni has written in ‘Tafseer Aayät Al Ahkäm min Al Qur’än,

“A woman’s ‘awrah (private areas) in front of a man is her entire body according to the correct view. This is the opinion of the Shäfi’ë and the Hanbali scholars. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal stated, “Every portion of a woman’s body is an ‘awrah’; even her nail.”

Imam Malik and Imam Abu Hanëfa are of the opinion that a woman’s entire body is an ‘awrah excluding her face and hands.

Supporting Evidence for the Mäliki and Hanafi view

• Allah the Exalted says, “...and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof...” [24:31]. Here the verse has excluded ‘that which [necessarily] appears thereof’ and that is the face and hands. This interpretation has been reported by certain Sahäbäs and Täbi’ën.
•  ‘Ä’isha رضى الله عنها reported, “Asmä bint Abu Bakr entered upon Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم with thin clothes on. Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم turned away and told her, “O Asmä, when a woman reaches the age of puberty, it is inappropriate that anything of her is seen except this and this...” He pointed to his face and hands.” [Sunan Abu Däwōd:4104]
• A woman exposes her face and hands during prayer and whilst in the state of ritual consecration (ihräm). Had the two been part of her ‘awrah it would have been impermissible [for her] to expose them because concealing the ‘awrah is mandatory. A person’s prayer is invalid when [the] ‘awrah is visible.

Supporting Evidence for the Shäfi’ë and Hanbali view

• Allah the Exalted says, “...and not expose their adornment...” [24:31]. This verse has prohibited the exposure of beauty, which is of two types; natural and artificial. The face is naturally beautiful, rather it is the foundation of beauty and the source of corruption and temptation. As for artificial beauty, this refers to things that a woman does in order to enhance her physical appearance such as [putting on] clothes, jewellery, eyeliner and hair dye etc.

This verse has categorically prohibited women from displaying [their] beauty. It has prevented her from revealing any of her extremities in front of men.

As for the verse; and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof [24:31], this refers to whatever is exposed unintentionally. For example the wind blew and exposed a woman’s neck or shin or some other part of her body.

• Jarër ibn Abdullah reported, “I asked Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم about unexpectedly looking [at a woman]. He replied, “Turn away your gaze.” [Sahëh Muslim: 5644 ]
• The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم  instructed ‘Ali, “O ‘Ali do not follow the [first] gaze with a [second] gaze, for only the first is permissible for you but not the second.” [Sunan Abu Däwōd: 2149]
• Ibn ‘Abbäs narrated, “The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم seated Faźhl ibn ‘Abbäs behind him on his mount on the ‘Day of the Sacrifice’. Faźhl was a handsome man with nice hair and a white complexion. A woman from the Khat’am tribe came to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to ask a question. Faźhl began to look at her and she began to look at him. Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم then turned Faźhl’s face to the other side...” [Sahëh Bukhäri: ]

All of these narrations prove that looking at women who are strangers is prohibited. There’s no doubt that the face is among those things that are prohibited to look at and thus it should be considered an ‘awrah.

• Allah the Exalted said, “And when you ask [his wives] for something, ask them from behind a partition” [33:53]. This verse is clear on the impermissibility of looking [at women]. Although the verse was revealed in connection to the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم wives, the order encompasses all other women on the bases of analogy.

... Ibn Al Jawzë said, “This prohibition of looking at any portion of a woman who is a stranger is in respect to looking at them for no [valid] reason. If there is a [valid] reason such intending to marry the woman or giving a testimony against her [in court] the man in both circumstances will specifically look at her face. As for looking at a woman for no [valid] reason, this is impermissible irrespective of whether it is on the bases of lust or any other reason. In such cases [it is prohibited to look at their] faces, hands or any other part of their body.

... [Bear in mind that] the Imams who have claimed that the face and hands are not ‘awrah have stipulated that they cannot be beautified [whilst exposing them outdoors] and that there cannot be any potential for temptation [towards them] in that area. As for the dyes and cosmetics women use today on their faces and hands for the sake of enhancing their beauty, and the way they expose themselves in front of men on the streets, there is doubt in this conduct being prohibited according to all the Imams. The statement, ‘the face and hands are not ‘awrah,’ does not imply that it is compulsory to reveal them or that it is Sunna and to conceal them is an innovation (Bid’ah). This is something that no Muslim would ever say. The implication rather is that there is no problem in revealing them when required provided there is no possibility of corruption.

As for the likes of this era in which the assistants of Shaytän are many and sin and transgression has become widespread, no one agrees to the permissibility of revealing them, neither the scholars nor the intellectuals.”

(Tafseer Aayät Al Ahkäm min Al Qur’än, p.111-114 vol. 2, Muhammad ‘Ali Al Säbōni, Muassasa Al Rayan, Beirut, Lebanon 1999) 

And Allah Knows Best.