What are the Theological Views of Muslim Women Covering Their Hands and Faces?

Answered by Shaykh Omar Subedār

Question:

I was wondering what the opinions in the 4 schools are regarding covering of the hands and the face. What were the opinions of the imams regarding this? Bārak Allāh fīkum

Answer:

In respect to this issue Shaykh Muḥammad ‘Alī Al Ṣābūni has written in ‘Tafsīr Ᾱyāt Al Aḥkām min Al Qur’ān,

“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 Shāfi’ī  and the Ḥanbalī scholars. Imam Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal stated, “Every portion of a woman’s body is an ‘awrah’; even her nail.”

Imam Mālik and Imam Abū Ḥanīfa are of the opinion that a woman’s entire body is an ‘awrah excluding her face and hands.

Supporting Evidence for the Mālikī and Ḥanafī view

1. Allāh 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 Ṣahābās and Tābi’īn.

2. ‘Ā’isha (may Allāh be pleased with her) reported, “Asmā bint Abū Bakr entered upon Allāh’s Messenger (peace and blessings upon him) with thin clothes on. Allāh’s Messenger (peace and blessings upon him) turned away and told her, “O Asmā, 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 Abū Dāwūd:4104]

3. A woman exposes her face and hands during prayer and whilst in the state of ritual consecration (iḥrām). 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 Shāfi’ī and Ḥanbalī view

1. Allāh 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 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.

2. Jarīr ibn ‘Abdullāh reported, “I asked Allāh’s Messenger (peace and blessings upon him) about unexpectedly looking [at a woman]. He replied, “Turn away your gaze.” [Saḥīḥ Muslim: 5644]

3. The Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) instructed ‘Alī, “O ‘Alī do not follow the [first] gaze with a [second] gaze, for only the first is permissible for you but not the second.” [Sunan Abū Dāwūd: 2149]

4. Ibn ‘Abbās narrated, “The Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) seated Fadhl ibn ‘Abbās behind him on his mount on the ‘Day of the Sacrifice’. Fadhl was a handsome man with nice hair and a white complexion. A woman from the Khat’am tribe came to the Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) to ask a question. Fadhl began to look at her and she began to look at him. Allāh’s Messenger (peace and blessings upon him) then turned Fadhl’s face to the other side…” [Saḥīḥ Bukhāri]

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

5. Allāh 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 (peace and blessings upon him) wives, the order encompasses all other women on the bases of analogy.

… Ibn Al Jawzī 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 as 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 Sunnah 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 Shaytān are many and sin and transgression has become widespread, no one agrees to the permissibility of revealing them, neither the scholars nor the intellectuals.”

(Tafsīr Ᾱyāt Al Aḥkām min Al Qur’ān, p.111-114 vol. 2, Muḥammad ‘Alī Al Sābūnī)

And Allāh Knows Best