Islamic Laws Applying Only to Muslim Women

Assalâmu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullâhi wa barakâtuh respected Muftî.

I’ve been told that during the times of the Ottoman Khilâfah all women, Muslims and kuffâr, practiced on Hijâb. There was only a slight difference in dress, namely that the Muslim women were in niqâb while the kuffâr women had only their head covered and their face revealed.

We already discussed once about Sharî’ah and what of it applies solely for Muslims and what of it also applies for kuffâr, but I would like to make an additional short inquiry.

1) Does the Qur’ânic obligation of covering the female apply only for Muslims or also for kuffâr?

2) If it applies only for Muslims would the kuffâr women thus be allowed to walk around uncovered in an Islâmic state?

3) If it applies only for Muslims could an Islâmic state pass a law prohibiting the kuffâr women to walk around uncovered and thus make it obligatory for them to cover too?

Jazâk Allâhu khayran.

Wa’alaykum as Salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,

1) The ruling applies only for Muslims.

2) If the court does not issue an order, it will be permissible from an Islamic point of view.

3) Yes, it is permissible for the court to issue such a verdict.

لأن النصرانية غير مخاطبة بالاغتسال (المبسوط للسرخسي – (2 / 254)

(وإذا طلق الذمي الذمية) أو مات عنها (فلا عدة عليها) عند أبي حنيفة، إذا كان ذلك في دينهم، لأنها إنما تجب لحق اللّه تعالى وحق الزوج، وهي غير مخاطبة بحقوق اللّه تعالى كالصلاة والصومولا إحداد على كافرة) لأنها غير مخاطبة بحقوق الشرع (اللباب في شرح الكتاب – (1 / 289)