5 Points Why the Niqab Is Not Compulsory for a Muslim
C.J Ahmed-14.03.2023
The Niqab is a face veil for covering the face for a woman. It is common among many Muslim women to wear the face veil but it is not compulsory to do so in Islam. Some Muslim women are forced to wear the face veil and some others think ignorantly that it is a must in Islam. Below are five points explaining why the Niqab is not compulsory for a Muslim woman.
Point-1-Asma (rali) was told only to cover the Head
There are several hadiths which prove that the face veil for women is not wajib (obligatory).
Narrated by al-Waleed from Sa’eed Ibn Basheer from Qataadah from Khalid Ibn Durayk from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), that Asma’ bint Abi Bakr entered upon the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wearing a thin dress. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) turned away from her and said, “O Asma’, when a woman reaches the age of puberty, nothing should be seen of her except this and this” – and he pointed to his face and hands. (Abu Dawud-authenticated by Albani using collaborating reports)
This authentic hadith is clear evidence that the face veil is not wajib.
Some scholars try to give the impression of the hadith that it was narrated before the revealing of the Quran verse 33:53. This argument has no basis because there is no evidence to prove this. Surah 33: verse 53 has nothing to do as explained above with the covering of the face being wajib. There is no evidence whatsoever to prove that this hadith itself was narrated before the revelation of verse no: 53 of Surah 33.
Point-2-Hadith of a Woman Who Had a Dark Spot
Once while the Prophet (pbuh) was admonishing and preaching to a group of women after having admonished the men on the Id day, “...a woman having a dark spot on her cheek stood up...” seeking clarification on the subject the Prophet was discussing. (Sahih Muslim)
From the above hadith it is evident that the woman was not covering her face and if it was an obligation, the prophet (sal) would have told her to cover her face.
Proof-5-Hadith of the Prophet (sal) Looking at a Woman Who Proposed
In a long hadith Narrated by Sahl b. Sa`d as-Saa`idee (rali): A women came to the Prophet (Sallallaahu `alayhi Wasallam) and said:
“O Allaah’s Messenger, I have come to offer myself in marriage to you.” So Allaah’s Messenger (Sallallaahu `alayhi Wasallam) looked her up and down carefully. After that he lowered his head. When the woman saw that he had not decided anything regarding her, she sat down. Then a man from his Companions stood and said: “O Messenger of Allaah, if you have no need for her marry her to me.”
(Bukhari and Muslim)
This hadith clearly proves that a lady had come to the gathering un-covering her face. If it was wajib, the prophet (sal) would have commanded her to cover her face.
Point-3-The Hadith of the Beautiful Woman Who Came To Pray In the Mosque
Ibn Abbas (rali) narrated:
"A beautiful woman, from among the most beautiful of women, used to pray behind the Prophet. Some of the people used to go to pray in the first row to ensure they would not be able to see her. Others would pray in the last row of the men, and they would look from underneath their armpits [in rukoo’ and sujood] to see her. Because of this act, in regard to her, Allah revealed,
“Verily we know the eager among you to be first, and verily we know the eager among you to be behind.” (Qur’an 15: 24)"
(Ibn Majah, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Tayalisi, Baihaqi, Ahmad, Tirmidhi, and Nasai and it are judged sahih by Albani. He includes it as no-2472 in his Silsilat al-Ahadith as-Sahih)
In this hadith it is very clear that women used to come uncovered in the mosques and the men used to look at this beautiful lady. Even in such a scenario the prophet (sal) never told her that she should cover her face unlike foolish Muslims nowadays who give the wrong reason that women should cover their faces if the it is causing fitna. Some try to use logic t disapprove the uncovering of the face by saying that the women’s face is the most beautiful thing in her. This argument is wrong in two angles.
Nowhere does the Quran or the authentic hadiths state that the women’s face is the most beautiful thing in her. Beauty is relative. For one person beauty could mean the face and for another it could mean sin colour and for another person it could mean something different. Based on this simple fact it is clear that trying to force fit one opinion on beauty by stating that the face is the most beautiful thing is nothing but a fabricated argument to legitimize the extreme view that the face is the most beautiful thing n a woman.
Point-4-The Hadith of Fadl Ibn Abbas (rali) Looking at a Beautiful Woman
During the day of Nahr (10th Dhul-Hijjah), when Al-Fadl bin ‘Abbas was riding behind the Prophet on his she -camel, “...a beautiful woman from the tribe of Khath’am came, asking the verdict of Allah’s Messenger. Al-Fadl started looking at her as her beauty attracted him. The Prophet looked behind while Al-Fadl was looking at her; so the Prophet held out his hand backwards and caught the chin of Al-Fadl and turned his face (to the other side) in order that he should not gaze at her...” (Sahih Bukhari)
The above hadith clearly shows that when Fadl bin Abbas (rali) started looking at a beautiful girl who came to ask for a verdict from the prophet (sal), the prophet (sal) did not tell the girl to cover her face. Instead, he turned away fadl's face. If it was an obligation for women to cover their faces, the prophet (sal) would have ordered this young woman to cover her face.
Point-5-Explanation of verse 31 of Surah 24
Allah (swt) says:
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 what (must ordinarily) appear thereof... (24:31)
When Ibn Abbas (RA), the leading commentator of the Qur’an was asked about the verse mentioned above as to what it meant, he replied, “It refers to the face and hands”.
(Collected by Ibn Abee Shay bah in al-Musannaf, Vol. 3, p. 540 & 541, hadith no. 16997 & 17012 and al-Baihaqi in Sunan al- Kubraa. Al-Albani ruled in Jilbaab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah, pp 59-60, that the isnad of this statement is sahih.)
Wearing the Niqab was never made compulsory and it is modern day extremism that has caused some Muslim ladies to be brainwashed in to adopting the Niqab thinking it is a must. Although some women did wear the Niqab during the time of the prophet (sal), it was only based on choice and not due to it being compulsory.
The Niqab is a face veil for covering the face for a woman. It is common among many Muslim women to wear the face veil but it is not compulsory to do so in Islam. Some Muslim women are forced to wear the face veil and some others think ignorantly that it is a must in Islam. Below are five points explaining why the Niqab is not compulsory for a Muslim woman.
Point-1-Asma (rali) was told only to cover the Head
There are several hadiths which prove that the face veil for women is not wajib (obligatory).
Narrated by al-Waleed from Sa’eed Ibn Basheer from Qataadah from Khalid Ibn Durayk from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), that Asma’ bint Abi Bakr entered upon the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wearing a thin dress. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) turned away from her and said, “O Asma’, when a woman reaches the age of puberty, nothing should be seen of her except this and this” – and he pointed to his face and hands. (Abu Dawud-authenticated by Albani using collaborating reports)
This authentic hadith is clear evidence that the face veil is not wajib.
Some scholars try to give the impression of the hadith that it was narrated before the revealing of the Quran verse 33:53. This argument has no basis because there is no evidence to prove this. Surah 33: verse 53 has nothing to do as explained above with the covering of the face being wajib. There is no evidence whatsoever to prove that this hadith itself was narrated before the revelation of verse no: 53 of Surah 33.
Point-2-Hadith of a Woman Who Had a Dark Spot
Once while the Prophet (pbuh) was admonishing and preaching to a group of women after having admonished the men on the Id day, “...a woman having a dark spot on her cheek stood up...” seeking clarification on the subject the Prophet was discussing. (Sahih Muslim)
From the above hadith it is evident that the woman was not covering her face and if it was an obligation, the prophet (sal) would have told her to cover her face.
Proof-5-Hadith of the Prophet (sal) Looking at a Woman Who Proposed
In a long hadith Narrated by Sahl b. Sa`d as-Saa`idee (rali): A women came to the Prophet (Sallallaahu `alayhi Wasallam) and said:
“O Allaah’s Messenger, I have come to offer myself in marriage to you.” So Allaah’s Messenger (Sallallaahu `alayhi Wasallam) looked her up and down carefully. After that he lowered his head. When the woman saw that he had not decided anything regarding her, she sat down. Then a man from his Companions stood and said: “O Messenger of Allaah, if you have no need for her marry her to me.”
(Bukhari and Muslim)
This hadith clearly proves that a lady had come to the gathering un-covering her face. If it was wajib, the prophet (sal) would have commanded her to cover her face.
Point-3-The Hadith of the Beautiful Woman Who Came To Pray In the Mosque
Ibn Abbas (rali) narrated:
"A beautiful woman, from among the most beautiful of women, used to pray behind the Prophet. Some of the people used to go to pray in the first row to ensure they would not be able to see her. Others would pray in the last row of the men, and they would look from underneath their armpits [in rukoo’ and sujood] to see her. Because of this act, in regard to her, Allah revealed,
“Verily we know the eager among you to be first, and verily we know the eager among you to be behind.” (Qur’an 15: 24)"
(Ibn Majah, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Tayalisi, Baihaqi, Ahmad, Tirmidhi, and Nasai and it are judged sahih by Albani. He includes it as no-2472 in his Silsilat al-Ahadith as-Sahih)
In this hadith it is very clear that women used to come uncovered in the mosques and the men used to look at this beautiful lady. Even in such a scenario the prophet (sal) never told her that she should cover her face unlike foolish Muslims nowadays who give the wrong reason that women should cover their faces if the it is causing fitna. Some try to use logic t disapprove the uncovering of the face by saying that the women’s face is the most beautiful thing in her. This argument is wrong in two angles.
Nowhere does the Quran or the authentic hadiths state that the women’s face is the most beautiful thing in her. Beauty is relative. For one person beauty could mean the face and for another it could mean sin colour and for another person it could mean something different. Based on this simple fact it is clear that trying to force fit one opinion on beauty by stating that the face is the most beautiful thing is nothing but a fabricated argument to legitimize the extreme view that the face is the most beautiful thing n a woman.
Point-4-The Hadith of Fadl Ibn Abbas (rali) Looking at a Beautiful Woman
During the day of Nahr (10th Dhul-Hijjah), when Al-Fadl bin ‘Abbas was riding behind the Prophet on his she -camel, “...a beautiful woman from the tribe of Khath’am came, asking the verdict of Allah’s Messenger. Al-Fadl started looking at her as her beauty attracted him. The Prophet looked behind while Al-Fadl was looking at her; so the Prophet held out his hand backwards and caught the chin of Al-Fadl and turned his face (to the other side) in order that he should not gaze at her...” (Sahih Bukhari)
The above hadith clearly shows that when Fadl bin Abbas (rali) started looking at a beautiful girl who came to ask for a verdict from the prophet (sal), the prophet (sal) did not tell the girl to cover her face. Instead, he turned away fadl's face. If it was an obligation for women to cover their faces, the prophet (sal) would have ordered this young woman to cover her face.
Point-5-Explanation of verse 31 of Surah 24
Allah (swt) says:
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 what (must ordinarily) appear thereof... (24:31)
When Ibn Abbas (RA), the leading commentator of the Qur’an was asked about the verse mentioned above as to what it meant, he replied, “It refers to the face and hands”.
(Collected by Ibn Abee Shay bah in al-Musannaf, Vol. 3, p. 540 & 541, hadith no. 16997 & 17012 and al-Baihaqi in Sunan al- Kubraa. Al-Albani ruled in Jilbaab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah, pp 59-60, that the isnad of this statement is sahih.)
Wearing the Niqab was never made compulsory and it is modern day extremism that has caused some Muslim ladies to be brainwashed in to adopting the Niqab thinking it is a must. Although some women did wear the Niqab during the time of the prophet (sal), it was only based on choice and not due to it being compulsory.