Answered by Shaykh Amjad Rasheed
What is ruling of hijab if a woman is at a women’s gathering? I know it is permissible for her to remove her scarf, but how much of her body can she expose?
If she is in the presence of trustworthy Muslim women, her nakedness is only between her navel and knees. As for what is above that, such as her chest, it is permissible for her to uncover it in front of them, as often happens with nursing women. As for if she is in the presence of:
- a non-Muslim woman, or
- a Muslim woman who is wicked through extramarital sexual intercourse (Ar. zina), or
- a Muslim woman who is wicked through lesbianism,
then it is not permissible for her to expose any of her body except that which shows during work, this being: her head, neck, arms up to the upper arms, and legs up to the knees (Tuhfa, 7.194,200). However, it is better for her to cover herself [m: more than what is strictly required] because a non-Muslim or wicked woman might describe her to a man who is not permitted to look at her.
Amjad Rasheed
Amman, Jordan
(Translated by Moustafa Elqabbany)