❖ General Ruling of Ḥijāb for Muslim Women ❖
Can a non-maḥram woman, without any necessity, expose her face, head, chest, or other parts of her body in front of a non-maḥram man?
The clear and unequivocal answer is: No.
This ruling is based on the following evidences:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُل لِّأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلَابِيبِهِنَّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰ أَن يُعْرَفْنَ فَلَا يُؤْذَيْنَ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّـهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا
(Sūrat al-Aḥzāb: 59)
“O Prophet! Tell your wives, your daughters, and the believing women to draw their cloaks (jilbāb) over themselves. That is more suitable so that they may be recognized and not harmed. And Allāh is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
① Direct Command to the Prophet ﷺ:
Allah commands the Prophet ﷺ directly to convey this ruling to the Ummah.
② Universality of the Command:
This directive includes the noble wives of the Prophet ﷺ, his daughters, and all believing women.
③ Face Covering through Jilbāb:
The verse instructs the use of Jilbāb, which is a large outer garment that covers the entire body, including the face.
"The Prophet ﷺ was instructed to tell his wives, daughters, and the believing women that when they go out, they should not appear like slave women with uncovered hair and face. Rather, they should cover their faces with a cloth, so that it becomes known they are free, dignified women, and no immoral man should harass them."
(Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī)
"Since Arab women used to leave their faces uncovered like slave women, it led to temptation. Allah commanded His Messenger ﷺ to instruct his wives, daughters, and believing women to lower a cloth over their faces when stepping outside to close the door to temptation."
(Tafsīr al-Qurṭubī)
✔ The obligation of Ḥijāb is not exclusive to the wives of the Prophet ﷺ.
✔ The ruling applies to all free Muslim women.
✔ Slave women had different legal rulings, which are discussed in books of Fiqh.
‘Ammār Khān Nāṣir claims that the command of Ḥijāb was specific to the wives of the Prophet ﷺ. However, this argument is flawed for the following reasons:
➤ The narrations he presents do not address the issue of whether ordinary women must cover their faces or not.
➤ Most of these narrations relate to specific rulings concerning the wives of the Prophet ﷺ or slave women.
① Ḥijāb was obligatory upon the Prophet’s wives, while it was not imposed on slave women.
② Looking at the face and hands of free women was allowed only in specific contexts, while looking at the wives of the Prophet ﷺ was prohibited in all circumstances.
➤ The nine narrations he cites relate only to the wives of the Prophet ﷺ and slave women, and are not relevant to the general obligation of Ḥijāb for free women.
➤ The views of Imām Ṭaḥāwī and Imām Ibrāhīm al-Nakhaʿī are in agreement with the majority of scholars, not against them.
✦ The command of Ḥijāb is not limited to the wives of the Prophet ﷺ, but rather it is obligatory upon all free Muslim women.
✦ It is incumbent upon believing women to cover their faces in front of non-maḥram men, based on clear Qur'anic evidence and the consensus of classical scholars.
❖ The Core Question of Ḥijāb:
Can a non-maḥram woman, without any necessity, expose her face, head, chest, or other parts of her body in front of a non-maḥram man?
The clear and unequivocal answer is: No.
This ruling is based on the following evidences:
✦ Qur'anic Evidence:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُل لِّأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلَابِيبِهِنَّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰ أَن يُعْرَفْنَ فَلَا يُؤْذَيْنَ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّـهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا
(Sūrat al-Aḥzāb: 59)
“O Prophet! Tell your wives, your daughters, and the believing women to draw their cloaks (jilbāb) over themselves. That is more suitable so that they may be recognized and not harmed. And Allāh is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
❖ Key Points from the Verse:
① Direct Command to the Prophet ﷺ:
Allah commands the Prophet ﷺ directly to convey this ruling to the Ummah.
② Universality of the Command:
This directive includes the noble wives of the Prophet ﷺ, his daughters, and all believing women.
③ Face Covering through Jilbāb:
The verse instructs the use of Jilbāb, which is a large outer garment that covers the entire body, including the face.
✦ Commentary by Classical Scholars:
➊ Imām Ibn Jarīr al-Ṭabarī (رحمه الله):
"The Prophet ﷺ was instructed to tell his wives, daughters, and the believing women that when they go out, they should not appear like slave women with uncovered hair and face. Rather, they should cover their faces with a cloth, so that it becomes known they are free, dignified women, and no immoral man should harass them."
(Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī)
➋ ‘Allāmah al-Qurṭubī (رحمه الله):
"Since Arab women used to leave their faces uncovered like slave women, it led to temptation. Allah commanded His Messenger ﷺ to instruct his wives, daughters, and believing women to lower a cloth over their faces when stepping outside to close the door to temptation."
(Tafsīr al-Qurṭubī)
✦ Conclusion from the Verse and Scholars:
✔ The obligation of Ḥijāb is not exclusive to the wives of the Prophet ﷺ.
✔ The ruling applies to all free Muslim women.
✔ Slave women had different legal rulings, which are discussed in books of Fiqh.
✦ Objection of ‘Ammār Khān Nāṣir and the Response:
‘Ammār Khān Nāṣir claims that the command of Ḥijāb was specific to the wives of the Prophet ﷺ. However, this argument is flawed for the following reasons:
➤ The narrations he presents do not address the issue of whether ordinary women must cover their faces or not.
➤ Most of these narrations relate to specific rulings concerning the wives of the Prophet ﷺ or slave women.
❖ Two Core Points:
① Ḥijāb was obligatory upon the Prophet’s wives, while it was not imposed on slave women.
② Looking at the face and hands of free women was allowed only in specific contexts, while looking at the wives of the Prophet ﷺ was prohibited in all circumstances.
❖ Clarification of ‘Ammār Khān Nāṣir’s Narrations:
➤ The nine narrations he cites relate only to the wives of the Prophet ﷺ and slave women, and are not relevant to the general obligation of Ḥijāb for free women.
➤ The views of Imām Ṭaḥāwī and Imām Ibrāhīm al-Nakhaʿī are in agreement with the majority of scholars, not against them.
❖ Conclusion:
✦ The command of Ḥijāb is not limited to the wives of the Prophet ﷺ, but rather it is obligatory upon all free Muslim women.
✦ It is incumbent upon believing women to cover their faces in front of non-maḥram men, based on clear Qur'anic evidence and the consensus of classical scholars.
