Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother Burhan,

I have come to Pakistan from Canada after 6 years and I have found lot of changes in our ladies in our close family like sister-in-laws. They are covering their faces except eyes even when visiting with husband and when all her and our family members are present. Taking off face covers when talking to other family members and putting back face covers when talking to others, looks very unpleasant. Based on this I have a few questions and seek your answer based on Quran and Hadith:

1) What is the dress code for a women in Islam.

2) When to wear Veil or cover face except eyes - I mean only when going out or even when at home with all family members.

3) When Mahram and Non-Mahram comes into play - at all times or under special conditions.

4) For family function or wedding what dress code applies with regard to face or head covering.

5) Does the same dress code particularly face covering applies when going outside, seeing stranger and seeing family relatives.

Your early feedback would be appreciated.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Dress code of women hijab veil niqaab

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Q-1) What is the dress code for a women in Islam.

Allah and His Messenger (saws) have neither specified nor limited the believers to a particular Islamic dress, but rather gave some conditions which the dress one adorns himself/herself with must be fulfilled:

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verse 26:

26 O ye children of Adam! We have bestowed clothing upon you to cover your shame as well as to be an adornment to you; but the clothing of ‘taqwa’ (piety, righteousness, etc.) that is the best. Such are among the Signs of Allah that they may receive admonition!

Provided that the below five conditions of apparel are not violated, there is absolutely no restriction on the type or color of clothing the believers are allowed to wear in Islam:

1. Clothes worn should not announce arrogance.
2. The ‘satr’ of the person (man or woman) must be covered in the presence of their non-mehrams.
3. The clothes worn must not be tight so as to display ones figure and curves, and should not be transparent.
4. The clothes worn must not be an imitation of the pagans or disbelievers.
5. Men should not imitate women in their clothing; nor should women imitate men in their clothing.

Thus regardless of what type of outfit one chooses to wear, if it does not violate any of the above restrictions, then it would be deemed appropriate clothing in Islam.

The dress code for a believing woman in Shariah is not prescribed for what is lawful to wear inside/outside one’s home; but rather Islam guides towards the attire of the believing women she is to adorn when in the presence of mehrams and non-mehram members of the opposite sex.

Ref: Dress code of the believing women when in the presence of adult non-mehram members of the opposite sex:

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 59:

O Prophet, enjoin your wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons. It is expected that they will thus be recognized, and not molested. Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 24 Surah Noor verse 31:

31 And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except that which is displayed of itself; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves, whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! Turn ye all together towards Allah that ye may attain Bliss.

There are two opinions amongst the scholars in Islam as to what does the phrase ‘except that which is displayed of itself’ mean and include. One opinion is that it means the face and the hands may be left uncovered, and the other opinion is that the face also has to be covered, and only the hands may be left uncovered.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4092 Narrated by Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin

Asma, daughter of AbuBakr, entered upon the Messenger of Allah (saws) wearing thin clothes. The Messenger of Allah (saws) turned his attention from her and said: ‘O Asma, when a woman reaches the age of menstruation, it does not suit her that she displays her parts of body except this and this’, and he (saws) pointed to her face and hands.

The most accepted opinion is that if the women covers everything except her face and her hands, she would be following the Command of Allah; and if she chooses to cover her face, then it would be considered purest and closest to the Command of Allah Subhanah.

The difference between the covering and leaving uncovered the face of a believing woman in ‘hijaab’ when in the presence of non-mehram adult males is not one between right and wrong, but rather between what is best and what is good. If the believing woman covers her whole body and chooses to leave her face uncovered, it is good, acceptable and in accordance with the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah; but if she covers her whole body including her face with a ‘niqaab’, it would be best, purest, and closest to the Command of her Lord.

Ref: Dress code of the believing women when in the presence of her mehrams:

There is absolutely no ‘satr’ or ‘hijaab’ between a husband and a wife united in the sacred bond of marriage in Islam; and there is absolutely no restriction in Shariah regarding which parts of her body she may expose in the presence of her husband.

If the believing woman is in a gathering of only womenfolk or her other mehram relatives, they should still maintain and obey the Command of their Lord to guard their modesty. The absolute minimum ‘satr’ of a believing woman when in the company of her mehrams (except her husband) is that all her body parts from the beginning of her breasts to her knees inclusive should be absolutely covered.

One should not take the absolute minimum ‘satr’ guidance as a license to dress inappropriately when in the company of mehrams (except her husband), but they should fear their Lord and still maintain and obey His Command to guard their modesty and dress and behave appropriately.

Q-2) When to wear Veil or cover face except eyes - I mean only when going out or even when at home with all family members.

We reiterate again that the dress code for a believing woman in Shariah is not prescribed for what is lawful to wear inside/outside one’s home; but rather Islam guides towards the attire of the believing women she is to adorn when in the presence of mehrams and non-mehram members of the opposite sex.

If the believing woman is amongst only womenfolk, and/or children, and/or her mehram male relatives, regardless of whether she is at home or outside her home, she is not obliged to cover herself in the ‘hijaab’.

But if the believing woman is amongst non-mehram members of the opposite sex, regardless of whether she is at her home or outside, she is Commanded by her Lord to cover herself completely in the prescribed ‘hijaab’.

Q-3) When Mahram and Non-Mahram comes into play - at all times or under special conditions.
The believing woman is obliged to cover herself completely in the ‘hijaab’ when in the presence of non-mehram members of the opposite sex at absolutely all times.

Q-4) For family function or wedding what dress code applies with regard to face or head covering.
Absolutely regardless of the place or the occasion, if the believing woman is amongst non-mehram members of the opposite sex, she is obliged to adorn herself with the ‘hijaab’.

Q-5) Does the same dress code particularly face covering applies when going outside, seeing stranger and seeing family relatives.

Respected brother, absolutely regardless of whether the non-mehram member of the opposite sex happens to be a total stranger or a close family relative…..as long as the man is a non-mehram, the believing woman who sincerely fears Allah and the Last Day must observe the ‘hijaab’ in his presence.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan