What Is the Awrah of a Woman? 3 Must Read Answers
C.J Ahmed-14.03.2023
The awrah for a woman who has attained puberty is only her private parts if it is front of another woman and mahram men and for non mahram men, she can uncover her face, hands and feet in general b ut under necessity she can uncover more if she wants. The word "awrah" generally means nakedness and every form of society has some rule or regulation with regards to nakedness. The awrah of a woman differs according to the situation, age and people she presents herself with. The awrah mentioned in Islam is the area that needs to be covered and it differs among men and women according to the situation or whether the person is a Muslim or not.
Like all the other issues pertaining to religious rulings, scholars are divided on how much a man should cover in front of a man and how much a woman should cover in front of a woman. In the teaching of Islam according to the Quran and authentic hadiths, the awrah for a man in front of a man is only his private parts and the awrah for a woman in front of a woman is also her private parts only and anything else can be uncovered.
Below are the three main types of awrah for a Muslim woman based on the situation.
1. Awrah for a woman in front of a woman
Awrah for women in front of women is only the private parts. A girl who has attained puberty need not cover any other area apart from the private parts. The evidence for this is in the below hadiths.
Narrated AbuSa'id al-Khudri:
The Prophet (sal) said: A man should not look at the private parts of another man, and a woman should not look at the private parts of another woman. A man should not lie with another man without wearing lower garment under one cover; and a woman should not be lie with another woman without wearing lower garment under one cover.
(Abu Dawud-authenticated by Albani)
Abd al-Rahman, the son of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, reported from his father:
The Messenger of Allah (sal) said: A man should not see the private parts of another man, and a woman should not see the private parts of another woman, and a man should not lie with another man under one covering, and a woman should not lie with another woman under one covering.
( Sahih Muslim)
Some scholars say by using the above hadiths that the awrah of a women is between the naval and the knee but this is not what is mentioned in these hadiths. Its only the private parts that are mentioned. Sheikh Salih Al Uthaymin said:
"With regard to her mahrams what she may uncover is the same as that which she may uncover in front of other women, so she may uncover her head, neck, feet, hands, forearms and calves, etc. But she should not make her clothes short".
(Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 12/276, 277)
The above fatwa of Imam Uthaymin is only his opinion and there is no evidence from the Quran and the Sunnah to prove that a women cannot wear a short dress in front of other women.
2. The awrah for a woman in front of mahram men such as father, brother etc.
As for what need to be shown for a women among the mahram men such as her father, brothers etc, Allah says n the Quran
'and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent , and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their (Muslim) women”
(24:31).
based on the above verse a women can show her adornment to her mahram men. the word Juyubihinna in the above verse means to cover the bossoms.
There is debate on upto which part she can show her body to her mahram. But there is a hadith which clarifies this below.
Narrated by Muawiah ibn Haydah,
" I said : Apostle of Allah, from whom should we conceal our private parts and to whom can we show? He replied : conceal your private parts except from your wife and from whom your right hand possesses (concubines). I then asked: Apostle of Allah, (what should we do), if the people are assembled together? He replied: If it is within your power then no one will look at it, then you should try that no one can look it. I then asked: Apostle of Allah, if one of us is alone? He replied: Allah is more entitled than people that bashfulness should be shown to him (feel shy more to Allah than to people)."
(Abu Dawud and Tirmidihi and others and authenticated by Albani)
Based on the above hadith t i clear that the awrah for a women or man in front of the mahram is the private parts. Some scholars are of the view that a women may show her neck,hands, head to this category as mentioned in the verse mentioned above and not anything else but there is no sound evidence from the sunnah of our messenger (sal) stating such a thing and what is evident from the authentic hadith is that her private parts is what she should conceal. Another important thing that needs to be mentioned is that slave women need not cover their heads because hijab is only for the free believing women.
Anas (rali) reported: ‘Umar (rali) once saw a slave-girl that belonged to us (to Anas) wearing a scarf, so Umar poked her and told her: ‘Don’t assume the manners of free woman.”
(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah-Graded Sahih by Albani in irwa al ghaleel)
Anas (rali) narrated:
“The slaves of `Umar (rali) used to serve us with their hair uncovered and hitting their breasts.”
(Baihaqi Sunan wal Kubra-authenticated by Albani in al irwa)
3. Elderly women who have passed child bearing age need not wear the hijab.
Allah says in the Quran
“And as for women past childbearing who do not expect wedlock, it is no sin on them if they discard their clothing in such a way as not to show their adornment. But to refrain is better for them. And Allaah is All‑Hearer, All‑Knower”
(24:60)
From the above verse a women who has passed the childbearing age and has no intention to marry can uncover her head and not wear the hijab in front of non mahram men. This also includes for women with or without husbands.
Apart from this a women can be naked in front of a blind man or a child who is not mature enough to know about nudity. 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; that they should draw their Khimār over their breasts and not display their beauty except to their husband, their fathers, their husband's 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"
( 24:31)
The prophet (sal) told Fathima bint Qays(rali) to observe her iddah in Ummu Makthoum (rali)'s house by saying:
"for he is a blind man and you can take off your garment.”
(Sahih Muslim and others)
The awrah for a woman who has attained puberty is only her private parts if it is front of another woman and mahram men and for non mahram men, she can uncover her face, hands and feet in general b ut under necessity she can uncover more if she wants. The word "awrah" generally means nakedness and every form of society has some rule or regulation with regards to nakedness. The awrah of a woman differs according to the situation, age and people she presents herself with. The awrah mentioned in Islam is the area that needs to be covered and it differs among men and women according to the situation or whether the person is a Muslim or not.
Like all the other issues pertaining to religious rulings, scholars are divided on how much a man should cover in front of a man and how much a woman should cover in front of a woman. In the teaching of Islam according to the Quran and authentic hadiths, the awrah for a man in front of a man is only his private parts and the awrah for a woman in front of a woman is also her private parts only and anything else can be uncovered.
Below are the three main types of awrah for a Muslim woman based on the situation.
1. Awrah for a woman in front of a woman
Awrah for women in front of women is only the private parts. A girl who has attained puberty need not cover any other area apart from the private parts. The evidence for this is in the below hadiths.
Narrated AbuSa'id al-Khudri:
The Prophet (sal) said: A man should not look at the private parts of another man, and a woman should not look at the private parts of another woman. A man should not lie with another man without wearing lower garment under one cover; and a woman should not be lie with another woman without wearing lower garment under one cover.
(Abu Dawud-authenticated by Albani)
Abd al-Rahman, the son of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, reported from his father:
The Messenger of Allah (sal) said: A man should not see the private parts of another man, and a woman should not see the private parts of another woman, and a man should not lie with another man under one covering, and a woman should not lie with another woman under one covering.
( Sahih Muslim)
Some scholars say by using the above hadiths that the awrah of a women is between the naval and the knee but this is not what is mentioned in these hadiths. Its only the private parts that are mentioned. Sheikh Salih Al Uthaymin said:
"With regard to her mahrams what she may uncover is the same as that which she may uncover in front of other women, so she may uncover her head, neck, feet, hands, forearms and calves, etc. But she should not make her clothes short".
(Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 12/276, 277)
The above fatwa of Imam Uthaymin is only his opinion and there is no evidence from the Quran and the Sunnah to prove that a women cannot wear a short dress in front of other women.
2. The awrah for a woman in front of mahram men such as father, brother etc.
As for what need to be shown for a women among the mahram men such as her father, brothers etc, Allah says n the Quran
'and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent , and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their (Muslim) women”
(24:31).
based on the above verse a women can show her adornment to her mahram men. the word Juyubihinna in the above verse means to cover the bossoms.
There is debate on upto which part she can show her body to her mahram. But there is a hadith which clarifies this below.
Narrated by Muawiah ibn Haydah,
" I said : Apostle of Allah, from whom should we conceal our private parts and to whom can we show? He replied : conceal your private parts except from your wife and from whom your right hand possesses (concubines). I then asked: Apostle of Allah, (what should we do), if the people are assembled together? He replied: If it is within your power then no one will look at it, then you should try that no one can look it. I then asked: Apostle of Allah, if one of us is alone? He replied: Allah is more entitled than people that bashfulness should be shown to him (feel shy more to Allah than to people)."
(Abu Dawud and Tirmidihi and others and authenticated by Albani)
Based on the above hadith t i clear that the awrah for a women or man in front of the mahram is the private parts. Some scholars are of the view that a women may show her neck,hands, head to this category as mentioned in the verse mentioned above and not anything else but there is no sound evidence from the sunnah of our messenger (sal) stating such a thing and what is evident from the authentic hadith is that her private parts is what she should conceal. Another important thing that needs to be mentioned is that slave women need not cover their heads because hijab is only for the free believing women.
Anas (rali) reported: ‘Umar (rali) once saw a slave-girl that belonged to us (to Anas) wearing a scarf, so Umar poked her and told her: ‘Don’t assume the manners of free woman.”
(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah-Graded Sahih by Albani in irwa al ghaleel)
Anas (rali) narrated:
“The slaves of `Umar (rali) used to serve us with their hair uncovered and hitting their breasts.”
(Baihaqi Sunan wal Kubra-authenticated by Albani in al irwa)
3. Elderly women who have passed child bearing age need not wear the hijab.
Allah says in the Quran
“And as for women past childbearing who do not expect wedlock, it is no sin on them if they discard their clothing in such a way as not to show their adornment. But to refrain is better for them. And Allaah is All‑Hearer, All‑Knower”
(24:60)
From the above verse a women who has passed the childbearing age and has no intention to marry can uncover her head and not wear the hijab in front of non mahram men. This also includes for women with or without husbands.
Apart from this a women can be naked in front of a blind man or a child who is not mature enough to know about nudity. 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; that they should draw their Khimār over their breasts and not display their beauty except to their husband, their fathers, their husband's 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"
( 24:31)
The prophet (sal) told Fathima bint Qays(rali) to observe her iddah in Ummu Makthoum (rali)'s house by saying:
"for he is a blind man and you can take off your garment.”
(Sahih Muslim and others)