Fatwa ID: 06843

 

Answered by: Alimah Saleha Bukhari Islam

 

Question:

 

How much portion of the back is awrah of a woman in front of her mahram males? Is the whole portion of the back awrah in front of mahram males?

 

 

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer:

 

Allah informs us in the Qur’an in Surah al-Nur:

 

They (believing women) must not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husband’s sons, their brothers, their brother’s sons, their sister’s sons or their women, or to those owned by their right hands.” (v24-31).

 

In this verse, we come to learn that Allah ﷻ has allowed women to ‘expose their adornment’ only to those relatives who come under the category of being Mahārim. The Awrah of a woman in front of her Mahārim (men with whom marriage is permanently unlawful) is the area between the navel and knees and includes the stomach and back. Mahārim of a woman includes her father, brother, son, paternal uncle (father’s brother), maternal uncle (mother’s brother), father-in-law, grandson, husband’s son (from another marriage), son-in-law, etc.

 

Thus, it will be permissible for a woman to expose the following parts of her body in front of male Mahārim; head, hair, face, neck, chest, shoulders, hands, forearms, and legs from below the knees. It will not be permissible to expose the stomach, back or any area which is between the navel and knees.

(Al-Hidayah fi sharhi bidayatul mubtadi, 4/370).[1]

 

Parts of the body which are permissible for a Mahram to see will also be permissible for a Mahram to touch, provided the action is free from temptation or desire. [2]

 

Imam Ibn Abidin (rh) states that the back (rear area) which is parallel to the stomach from the navel to below the chest and parallel to the chest (including breasts) is not part of the nakedness (Awrah). Only the stomach, that which is below the navel and the back parallel to that area is considered Awrah. In other words, the chest and the area which is parallel to it from the back are not included in the Awrah, and the breasts are also not included in the Awrah. Strictly speaking, it is permitted for the chest and breasts of a female Mahram to be exposed in the presence of her male mahram. (Radd al-Muhtar 1/404-405) [3]

 

 

Strictly speaking, we can understand that the chest and breasts of a woman are not considered to be part of her Awrah, likewise, neither is her back (rear area) parallel to her chest (including breasts). This makes sense when we think of a scenario where a woman may be breastfeeding her child. There would be much hardship (Mashaqqah) in trying to conceal herself in the presence of Mahārim within her home, and so in the event there is exposure, no harm is done. Similarly, when a woman is sick in hospital and visited by a male Mahārim then the hardship is removed with the understanding of the ruling. If the woman is exposed, no harm is done. We need to understand, that Sharia rulings are there to provide a strict boundary of rulings and what’s beyond this boundary is observing customs/norms (Urf), manners and etiquette (Adab) prescribed by Quran and Sunnah.

 

Imran ibn Husayn reported: The Prophet said,

“Modesty does not bring anything but goodness.” [4]

[Sahih Al-Bukhari: Kitab Al-Adab, Bab Al-Haya, 6117]

 

In conclusion, only the stomach which is below the navel and the back (rear area) parallel to that area is considered as Awrah. The rest of the back is not part of her Awrah. However, a woman does not ordinarily expose the areas excluded in her Awrah (such as the upper back) unless there is a genuine need. If there is a risk or fear of any sexual desire, then it will become necessary for her to cover up even in front of male Mahārim.

 

 

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Alimah Saleha Bukhari Islam

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

 

 

 

 

 

[1] قال: “وينظر الرجل من ذوات محارمه إلى الوجه والرأس والصدر والساقين والعضدين. ولا ينظر إلى ظهرها وبطنها وفخذها”. والأصل فيه قوله تعالى: {وَلاَ يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلاَّ لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ} [النور:٣١] الآية، والمراد والله أعلم مواضع الزينة وهي ما ذكر في الكتاب، ويدخل في ذلك الساعد والأذن والعنق والقدم؛ لأن كل ذلك موضع الزينة، بخلاف الظهر والبطن والفخذ؛ لأنها ليست من مواضع الزينة، ولأن البعض يدخل على البعض من غير استئذان واحتشام والمرأة في بيتها في ثياب مهنتها عادة، فلو حرم النظر إلى هذه المواضع أدى إلى الحرج، وكذا الرغبة تقل للحرمة المؤبدة فقلما تشتهى، بخلاف ما وراءها، لأنها لا تنكشف عادة. والمحرم من لا تجوز المناكحة بينه وبينها على التأبيد بنسب كان أو بسبب كالرضاع والمصاهرة لوجود المعنيين فيه، وسواء كانت المصاهرة بنكاح أو سفاح في الأصح لما بينا.

 

 

[2]  قال: “ولا بأس بأن يمس ما جاز أن ينظر إليه منها” لتحقق الحاجة إلى ذلك في المسافرة وقلة الشهوة للمحرمية، بخلاف وجه الأجنبية وكفيها حيث لا يباح المس وإن أبيح النظر؛ لأن الشهوة متكاملة “إلا إذا كان يخاف عليها أو على نفسه الشهوة” فحينئذ لا ينظر ولا يمس لقوله عليه الصلاة والسلام: “العينان تزنيان وزناهما النظر، واليدان تزنيان وزناهما البطش”، وحرمة الزنا بذوات المحارم أغلظ فيجتنب.

 

 

[3]  الَّذِي هُوَ عَوْرَةٌ. اهـ. وَمُقْتَضَى هَذَا أَنَّ الصَّدْرَ وَمَا قَابَلَهُ مِنْ الْخَلْفِ لَيْسَ مِنْ الْعَوْرَةِ وَأَنَّ الثَّدْيَ أَيْضًا غَيْرُ عَوْرَةٍ وَسَيَأْتِي فِي الْحَظْرِ وَالْإِبَاحَةِ أَنَّهُ يَجُوزُ أَنْ يَنْظُرَ مِنْ أَمَةِ غَيْرِهِ مَا يَنْظُرُ مِنْ مَحْرَمِهِ، وَلَا شُبْهَةَ أَنَّهُ يَجُوزُ النَّظَرُ إلَى صَدْرِ مَحْرَمِهِ وَثَدْيِهَا، فَلَا يَكُونُ عَوْرَةً مِنْهَا وَلَا مِنْ الْأَمَةِ، وَمُقْتَضَى ذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ لَا يَكُونُ عَوْرَةً فِي الصَّلَاةِ أَيْضًا، لَكِنْ فِي التَّتَارْخَانِيَّة: لَوْ صَلَّتْ الْأَمَةُ وَرَأْسُهَا مَكْشُوفَةٌ جَازَتْ بِالِاتِّفَاقِ، وَلَوْ صَلَّتْ وَصَدْرُهَا وَثَدْيُهَا مَكْشُوفٌ لَا يَجُوزُ عِنْدَ أَكْثَرِ مَشَايِخِنَا. اهـ. وَقَدْ يُقَالُ: إنَّ صَدْرَ الْأَمَةِ عَوْرَةٌ فِي الصَّلَاةِ لَا خَارِجَهَا، لَكِنَّهُ مُخَالِفٌ لِلْمَذْكُورِ فِي عَامَّةِ الْكُتُبِ مِنْ الِاقْتِصَارِ عَلَى ذِكْرِ الْبَطْنِ وَالظَّهْرِ، وَقَدْ مَرَّ تَفْسِيرُهُمَا، وَلَا يَخْفَى أَنَّ الصَّدْرَ غَيْرُهُمَا فَيَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَكُونَ الْمُعْتَمَدُ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ بِعَوْرَةٍ مُطْلَقًا (قَوْلُهُ وَأَمَّا جَنْبُهَا) مَجْرُورٌ فِي الْمَتْنِ، فَجَعَلَهُ الشَّارِحُ بِإِدْخَالِ أَمَّا مَرْفُوعًا عَلَى أَنَّهُ مُبْتَدَأٌ وَحِينَئِذٍ فَهُوَ مُفْرَدٌ لَا مُثَنًّى كَمَا فِي بَعْضِ النُّسَخِ وَإِلَّا لَقَالَ الشَّارِحُ وَأَمَّا جَنْبَاهَا. اهـ. ح (قَوْلُهُ فَتَبَعٌ لَهُمَا) قَالَ فِي الْقُنْيَةِ: الْجَنْبُ تَبَعُ الْبَطْنِ، ثُمَّ رَمَزَ وَقَالَ: الْأَوْجَهُ أَنَّ مَا يَلِي الْبَطْنَ تَبَعٌ لَهُ، وَمَا يَلِي الظَّهْرَ تَبَعٌ لَهُ اهـ

 

 

[4]  عن عمران بن حصين عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ الْحَيَاءُ لَا يَأْتِي إِلَّا بِخَيْرٍ