Fatwa ID: 07658
Answered by Mufti Mohammed Dilwar Hussain
Question:
I want to start wearing a niqab because of Allah and my Love for the deen and Islam, however people are telling me that I’m too young and it’s going to make Islamophobes pick on me even more, and I was going to wear it and ignore the comments even though they were trying to help me but someone said once i wear a niqab i can’t go back and not wear it anymore and now I’m scared because wearing a niqab is a commitment and i really want to wear it but not knowing once it’s on i have to wear it and can’t ever remove it in public and that fact alone makes it difficult.
My question is is it haram to be a niqabi and take it off when i don’t feel like wearing it, because i can’t find that info anywhere?
In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
May Allāh Ta’ālā ease your affairs. Āmeen
Allāh Ta’ālā commands: “Tell the believing women that they must lower their gazes and guard their private parts, and must not expose their adornment, except that which appears thereof, and must wrap their bosoms with their shawls, and must not expose their adornment, except to their husbands or their fathers or the fathers of their husbands, or to their sons or the sons of their husbands, or to their brothers or the sons of their brothers or the sons of their sisters, or to their women, or to those owned by their right hands, or male attendants having no (sexual) urge, or to the children who are not yet conscious of the shames of women. And let them not stamp their feet in a way that the adornment they conceal is known. And repent to Allāh O believers, all of you, so that you may achieve success.” [Surah An-Noor; 24:31] [1]
The face being the pinnacle point of adornment and beauty. Under the Tafseer of this verse, Imām Qurtubi states: that previously, women used to cover their heads with the Khimār (a head cloth), the ending parts of which used to be kept on their backs, behind their ears without covering their necks and upper chest. This was common amongst the Christian women. But with the advent of Islām and the revelation of the verses of Hijāb, they started using the Khimār to cover their heads, necks and upper chest.
Allāh Ta’ālā further states: “O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves part of their Jalābīb (outer garments).” [Surah al-Aḥzāb; 33:59] [2]
In this ayah, Allāh commands the believing women to cover themselves with their Jalābīb. Imam al-Ṭabarī narrated in his Tafsīr that Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbās RA explained this verse: “bring down over themselves part of their Jalābīb” as they should bring down part of their Jalābīb over their heads to cover their faces. Umm ul-Mu’mineen, Sayyidah Āishah RA considered it to be a large sheet of cloth that covered the entire body including the face. This explanation is also found in the Tafseer of Ibn Katheer. [3]
The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ would order the young girls, the older women, those of Hijāb and the menstruating women to attend the two `Īds… One of them said: “O Messenger of Allāh! What if she does not have a Jilbāb?” He ﷺ said: “Then, let her sister lend her a Jilbāb.” [Sunan Al-Tirmizi: Hadith 539] [4]
In those times, not everyone could afford a large sheet to use as a Jilbāb. The Prophet ﷺ advised them to share with one another to increase the numbers in the `Īd gatherings.
Sayyidah Ā’ishah RA narrated: “While I was sitting, I fell asleep. Ṣafwān bin al-Mu`aṭṭal al-Sulamī al-Dhakwānī, who had lagged behind the army, came to where I was. He saw the body of a person who was asleep. He recognized me when he saw me as he had seen me before (the mandating of Hijāb). I awoke when he recited: “Innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rāji`ūn” after recognizing me. I then covered my face with my Jilbāb.” [Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Muslim: Hadith 2770] [5]
In this Hadith, Sayyidah Āishah RA narrates an incident in which she was inadvertently left alone in the desert. She fell asleep with her face uncovered. Firstly, she specifically mentions that Sayyiduna Ṣafwān RA saw her face before the mandating of Hijāb indicating that he could not have seen it afterwards. Secondly, upon awakening and realising his presence, she covered her face immediately.
Sayyidah Ā’ishah RA said: “While we were in Iḥrām with the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ, riders would pass by us. Whenever they rode alongside one of us women, she would lower her Jilbāb from her head over her face. Whenever they had passed on, we would uncover our faces.” [Sunan Abu Dawood; Hadith 1833] [6]
This incident happened during the Prophet’s ﷺ Hajj, which was near the end of his life, and so, it indicates that upon the Prophet’s ﷺ passing away, the Niqāb was an obligation. Sayyidah Ā’ishah RA clearly states how they covered their faces from those men passing by despite being in Iḥrām. Had this practice been unnecessary or contrary to the Sharī’ah, the Prophet ﷺ, whom was with them, would have instructed his wives otherwise.
Allāh Ta’ālā further states: “When you ask (the Prophet’s wives) for something, ask them from behind a Hijāb (curtain). That is purer for your hearts and their hearts.” [Surah Al-Aḥzāb; 33:53) [7]
This ayah instructs the wives of the Prophet ﷺ to remain behind a curtain whenever they are questioned by non-Maḥram men. Here, Hijāb is being used in the broader meaning of a screen or a curtain and not simply a head covering. The intent being that her face and body should not be visible. This indicates that the face should be covered in public. For it would not make sense to remain behind a screen when questioned, but then walk about in public with the face uncovered. Allāh Ta’ālā mandated Hijāb between the male Companions, whose hearts the Prophet ﷺ was tasked with purifying, and the wives of the Prophet ﷺ, whose hearts Allāh Ta’ālā Himself took responsibility to purify. If Hijāb was mandated between the most pure-hearted of humanity, it follows that it be mandated even more so on the rest of the believers.
A woman called Sayyidah Umm Khallād came to the Prophet ﷺ wearing a Niqāb. She was searching for her son, who had been killed (during a battle). Some of the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ said to her: “You have come here asking for your son while veiling your face?” She said: “If I am afflicted with the loss of my son, I will not also suffer the loss of my modesty.” [Sunan Abu Dawood: Hadith 2488] [8]
As per the culture at the time, when a woman suffered a tragic loss, she would grieve loudly, wailing and uncover her face and head. When seeing this dignified woman cover her face despite such a loss, the Companions inquired about the reason. In fact, it was her Islām that prevented these ignorant practices. Although she may have lost her son, her modesty remained intact.
Numerous other narrations and verses can be used to prove the necessity of the Niqāb. Sometimes, we find some who try to argue that it is the responsibility of the men to lower the gaze and they (being women) should not be tasked with Niqāb just to prevent them from sinning. This is a valid point, nonetheless we find;
Sayyidah Umm Salamah RA narrated, that she and Sayyidah Maimunah RA were with the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ. She said: “So, when we were with him, Sayyidah Ibn Umm Maktum RA came, and he entered upon Him, and that was after veiling had been ordered for us. So, the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: “Veil yourselves from him.” So, I said: “O Messenger of Allāh! Is he not blind, such that he cannot see us or recognize us?” So, the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ responded: “Are you two blind such that you cannot see him?”” [Sunan Al-Tirmizi: Hadith 2778] [9]
The four schools of Fiqh, which comprise of the overwhelming majority of scholars, mandate the Niqāb of a woman in front of a non-Maḥram men. Many have added the condition: “If there is fear of fitnah (temptation or lust),” while some have not. However, those that have added the condition contend that this is almost universally found in our times. Hence, in practice, the schools unanimously agree on the obligation of Niqāb.
We find in Radd ul-Muhtār (a Hanafi reference book) that a woman will be restricted to covering her face, not because it is part of the Awrah (private parts) but out of fear of temptation due to the shear level of fitnah which is apparent in our time. [Radd Ul-Muhtār: vol. 9, pg. 532] [10]
In conclusion, due to the of fear of temptation and lust being widespread in our times, wearing the Niqāb would be obligatory, and therefore to wear the Niqāb and later take it off would be impermissible, just as not wearing it in the first place would be impermissible. Where the fear of fitnah is minimal, e.g. you are in front of Mahram men whom it is Harām to marry, old men whom are passed the age of desire, or other women, then you would not need to do Hijāb infront of them.
Only Allāh Ta’ālā knows best.
Written by Mufti Mohammed Dilwar Hussain
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
}[1]وَقُل لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتِ يَغۡضُضۡنَ مِنۡ أَبۡصَٰرِهِنَّ وَيَحۡفَظۡنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبۡدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنۡهَاۖ وَلۡيَضۡرِبۡنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّۖ وَلَا يُبۡدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوۡ ءَابَآئِهِنَّ أَوۡ ءَابَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوۡ أَبۡنَآئِهِنَّ أَوۡ أَبۡنَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوۡ إِخۡوَٰنِهِنَّ أَوۡ بَنِيٓ إِخۡوَٰنِهِنَّ أَوۡ بَنِيٓ أَخَوَٰتِهِنَّ أَوۡ نِسَآئِهِنَّ أَوۡ مَا مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَٰنُهُنَّ أَوِ ٱلتَّٰبِعِينَ غَيۡرِ أُوْلِي ٱلۡإِرۡبَةِ مِنَ ٱلرِّجَالِ أَوِ ٱلطِّفۡلِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمۡ يَظۡهَرُواْ عَلَىٰ عَوۡرَٰتِ ٱلنِّسَآءِۖ وَلَا يَضۡرِبۡنَ بِأَرۡجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعۡلَمَ مَا يُخۡفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّۚ وَتُوبُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ {
}[2]يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِيُّ قُل لِّأَزۡوَٰجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَآءِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ يُدۡنِينَ عَلَيۡهِنَّ مِن جَلَٰبِيبِهِنَّۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدۡنَىٰٓ أَن يُعۡرَفۡنَ فَلَا يُؤۡذَيۡنَۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورا رَّحِيما {
[3]ثم اختلف أهل التأويل في صفة الإدناء الذي أمرهن الله به فقال بعضهم: هو أن يغطين وجوههن ورءوسهن فلا يبدين منهن إلا عينا واحدة. ذكر من قال ذلك حدثني عليّ، قال: ثنا أَبو صالح قال ثني معاوية عن علي عن ابن عباس، قوله ﴿يَاأَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُلْ لأزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ جَلابِيبِهِنَّ﴾ أمر الله نساء المؤمنين إذا خرجن من بيوتهن في حاجة أن يغطين وجوههن من فوق رءوسهن بالجلابيب ويبدين عينا واحدة.
[4]حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مَنِيعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَنْصُورٌ، وَهُوَ ابْنُ زَاذَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ سِيرِينَ، عَنْ أُمِّ عَطِيَّةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يُخْرِجُ الأَبْكَارَ وَالْعَوَاتِقَ وَذَوَاتِ الْخُدُورِ وَالْحُيَّضَ فِي الْعِيدَيْنِ فَأَمَّا الْحُيَّضُ فَيَعْتَزِلْنَ الْمُصَلَّى وَيَشْهَدْنَ دَعْوَةَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ قَالَتْ إِحْدَاهُنَّ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهَا جِلْبَابٌ قَالَ “ فَلْتُعِرْهَا أُخْتُهَا مِنْ جَلاَبِيبِهَا ” .
[5]حَدَّثَنَا حَبَّانُ بْنُ مُوسَى، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، أَخْبَرَنَا يُونُسُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ، الأَيْلِيُّ ح وَحَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْحَنْظَلِيُّ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، قَالَ ابْنُ رَافِعٍ حَدَّثَنَا وَقَالَ الآخَرَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، وَالسِّيَاقُ، حَدِيثُ مَعْمَرٍ مِنْ رِوَايَةِ عَبْدٍ وَابْنِ رَافِعٍ قَالَ يُونُسُ وَمَعْمَرٌ جَمِيعًا عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ أَخْبَرَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ الْمُسَيَّبِ وَعُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ وَعَلْقَمَةُ بْنِ وَقَّاصٍ وَعُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ عَنْ حَدِيثِ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم حِينَ قَالَ لَهَا أَهْلُ الإِفْكِ…فَبَيْنَا أَنَا جَالِسَةٌ فِي مَنْزِلِي غَلَبَتْنِي عَيْنِي فَنِمْتُ وَكَانَ صَفْوَانُ بْنُ الْمُعَطَّلِ السُّلَمِيُّ ثُمَّ الذَّكْوَانِيُّ قَدْ عَرَّسَ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْجَيْشِ فَادَّلَجَ فَأَصْبَحَ عِنْدَ مَنْزِلِي فَرَأَى سَوَادَ إِنْسَانٍ نَائِمٍ فَأَتَانِي فَعَرَفَنِي حِينَ رَآنِي وَقَدْ كَانَ يَرَانِي قَبْلَ أَنْ يُضْرَبَ الْحِجَابُ عَلَىَّ فَاسْتَيْقَظْتُ بِاسْتِرْجَاعِهِ حِينَ عَرَفَنِي فَخَمَّرْتُ وَجْهِي بِجِلْبَابِي…
[6]حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي زِيَادٍ، عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ كَانَ الرُّكْبَانُ يَمُرُّونَ بِنَا وَنَحْنُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مُحْرِمَاتٌ فَإِذَا حَاذَوْا بِنَا سَدَلَتْ إِحْدَانَا جِلْبَابَهَا مِنْ رَأْسِهَا إِلَى وَجْهِهَا فَإِذَا جَاوَزُونَا كَشَفْنَاهُ .
}[7]يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَدۡخُلُواْ بُيُوتَ ٱلنَّبِيِّ إِلَّآ أَن يُؤۡذَنَ لَكُمۡ إِلَىٰ طَعَامٍ غَيۡرَ نَٰظِرِينَ إِنَىٰهُ وَلَٰكِنۡ إِذَا دُعِيتُمۡ فَٱدۡخُلُواْ فَإِذَا طَعِمۡتُمۡ فَٱنتَشِرُواْ وَلَا مُسۡتَـٔۡنِسِينَ لِحَدِيثٍۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكُمۡ كَانَ يُؤۡذِي ٱلنَّبِيَّ فَيَسۡتَحۡيِۦ مِنكُمۡۖ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَسۡتَحۡيِۦ مِنَ ٱلۡحَقِّۚ وَإِذَا سَأَلۡتُمُوهُنَّ مَتَٰعا فَسۡـَٔلُوهُنَّ مِن وَرَآءِ حِجَاب ذَٰلِكُمۡ أَطۡهَرُ لِقُلُوبِكُمۡ وَقُلُوبِهِنَّۚ وَمَا كَانَ لَكُمۡ أَن تُؤۡذُواْ رَسُولَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَآ أَن تَنكِحُوٓاْ أَزۡوَٰجَهُۥ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦٓ أَبَدًاۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكُمۡ كَانَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ عَظِيمًا {
[8]حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ سَلاَّمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ فَرَجِ بْنِ فَضَالَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْخَبِيرِ بْنِ ثَابِتِ بْنِ قَيْسِ بْنِ شَمَّاسٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، قَالَ جَاءَتِ امْرَأَةٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُقَالُ لَهَا أُمُّ خَلاَّدٍ وَهِيَ مُنْتَقِبَةٌ تَسْأَلُ عَنِ ابْنِهَا وَهُوَ مَقْتُولٌ فَقَالَ لَهَا بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم جِئْتِ تَسْأَلِينَ عَنِ ابْنِكِ وَأَنْتِ مُنْتَقِبَةٌ فَقَالَتْ إِنْ أُرْزَإِ ابْنِي فَلَنْ أُرْزَأَ حَيَائِي . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” ابْنُكِ لَهُ أَجْرُ شَهِيدَيْنِ ” . قَالَتْ وَلِمَ ذَاكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ ” لأَنَّهُ قَتَلَهُ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ ” .
[9]حَدَّثَنَا سُوَيْدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَنَا يُونُسُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ نَبْهَانَ، مَوْلَى أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ أَنَّهُ حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّ أُمَّ سَلَمَةَ حَدَّثَتْهُ أَنَّهَا، كَانَتْ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَمَيْمُونَةُ قَالَتْ فَبَيْنَا نَحْنُ عِنْدَهُ أَقْبَلَ ابْنُ أُمِّ مَكْتُومٍ فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ وَذَلِكَ بَعْدَ مَا أُمِرْنَا بِالْحِجَابِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” احْتَجِبَا مِنْهُ ” . فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَلَيْسَ هُوَ أَعْمَى لاَ يُبْصِرُنَا وَلاَ يَعْرِفُنَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” أَفَعَمْيَاوَانِ أَنْتُمَا أَلَسْتُمَا تُبْصِرَانِهِ ” . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
[10]أي ما حل نظره )إذا أراد الشراء وإن خاف شهوته( للضرورة، وقيل لا في زماننا…
إتقاني قوله: )في زماننا( لعل وجه التقييد به أنه لغلبة الشر في زماننا ربما يؤدي المس إلى ما فوقه. بخلافه في زمن السلف.
