The Arguement that Niqab (Face Covering) is Wajib (Obligatory)

The fight over whether or not a woman has to cover her face has been around for a long, long time, and it is something we should all research the daleel (evidence of) so we don't divide ourselves unnecessarily, one camp insulting niqabis sayings they give Islam a bad image, and the other saying the women who don't cover their faces are gonna have acid thrown on them in Jahanum. Umm, yeah, these are the two extremes. Scary one-eyed lady at the Saudi super-market, shame on you! telling the poor ex-pat woman her face was going to be burned off, and shame on all you hijabi sisters who don't support your niqabi sisters! Do not insult a sunnah--- EVER, until you know without question it was a bid'a, innovation, rather than a valid part of your deen, Islam.

This is the first argument I heard that pointed out to me that wearing a face covering was INDEED part of my religion, and not just a cultural innovation of the time. Please note, this is not my argument:

The Question:

Where is it from the most holy Quran and Sahih hadith that prove the Niqaab to be wajib?

The Answer:

There are many ayat from the Quran and Sahih Hadith that prove this. We will be reading the translation and tafseer of the most authentic Mufassireen (Ullima who made tafseer) like Ibn Kathir, Al-Qurtubi and At-Tabari, who are known for there great understanding of the Quran and recognized by the whole Muslim world. And all the hadith we will be citing are Authentic Sahih hadith.

Allah (SWT) says in the Quran "O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils all over their bodies (i.e. screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way)" (Surah Al-Ahzaab – Verse #59) and the Ayah is explained by Aisha (Radhiallaahu Ánha) herself in this hadith from Al Bukhari: "Narrated Safiya bint Shaiba: 'Aisha (Radhiallaahu Ánha) used to say: "When (the Verse): "They should draw their veils over their necks and bosoms," was revealed, (the ladies) cut their waist sheets at the edges and covered their faces with the cut pieces." [Sahih Al-Bukhari Volume 6, Book 60,Hadith # 282].

Allah (SWT) says in the most holy Quran "And Say to the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer palms of hands or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, head cover, apron), and to draw their veils all over Juyubihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms)" (Surah An-Nur, Verses #30 and #31) ' even for this ayah Aisha (Radhiallaahu Ánha) narrated: "May Allah bestow His Mercy on the first Muhajirat. When Allah revealed, '...and draw their Khumur over their Juyubihinna...', they (i.e. the women) tore their material and covered themselves with it." [Saheeh Al-Bukhari].

Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalanee, who is known as Ameer Al-Mu'mineen in the field of Hadith, said that the phrase, "Covered themselves", in the above Hadith means that they "Covered their faces". [FathAl-Bari]. Now you have to think who would understand these ayat better than Aisha (Radhiallaahu Ánha) the MOST knowledgeable women in the matters of deen and the wife of Rasulullah(saw)?

Ibn Abbas (Radhiallaahu Ánhu) is one of the most learned men from the Sahaba (Radhiallaahu Ánhumaa). Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) even made duwaa for him saying "O Allah, make him acquire a deep understanding of the religion of Islam and instruct him in the meaning and interpretation of things." He has been cited in Ma'riful Qur'an with reference to Surah Ahzaab on the authority of Ibn Jarir (RA) with a sahih chain of narrators, that "The Muslim women are ordered to cover their head and faces with outer garments except for one eye." Now this is the interpretation of the Quran from a sahabi for who Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) made duah to be able to understand the interpretation of Quran.

Imaam Qurtubi cites in his Tafseer of the Ayah on Jilbaab (Al-Ahzab 33:59), that the Jilbaab is: "a cloth which covers the entire body... Ibn 'Abbaas (Radhiallaahu Ánhu) and 'Ubaidah As-Salmaani (Radhiallaahu Ánhu) said that it is to be fully wrapped around the women's body, so that nothing appears but one eye with which she can see." [Tafseer Al-Qurtubi].

Some people make the false claim that this was only for the wives of the Prophet (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) but this has been proven wrong from the following hadith: 'Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn Urwa that Fatima bint al-Mundhir said, "We used to veil our faces when we were in ihram in the company of Asma bint Abi Bakr as-Siddiq." [Imaam Malik's MUWATTA Book 20 Hadith # 20.5.16] This again proves that not only the wives of Rasulullah(Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) wore the Niqaab and that even though in Ihram women are not supposed to wear Niqab but if men are there they still have to cover the face as it is supported by this next hadith from Aisha... Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: (Radhiallaahu Ánha) who said, "The riders would pass us while we were with the Messenger of Allah (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam). When they got close to us, we would draw our outer cloak from our heads over our faces. When they passed by, we would uncover our faces. ] Recorded by Abu Dawud Book 10, Hadith # 1829: Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah have all narrated it , Narrated 'Aisha. [In his work Jilbab al-Marah al-Muslimah, al-Albani states (p. 108) that it is hasan due to corroborating evidence. Also, in a narration from Asma {who was not the wife of Rasulullah(Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam)}, Asma also covered her face at all times in front of men.]

And scholars of the past and many of the contemporary scholars of today also hold this opinion. Ibn Kathir (RA) wrote "Women must not display any part of their beauty and charms to strangers except what cannot possibly be concealed." And Imaam Ghazaali (RA) mentions in his famous book of Fiqh Ihyaal Uloom "Woman emerged (during the time of Rasulullah 'Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam') with NIQAABS on their Faces."

 

Shaikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid mentioned in his fatwaa "The most correct opinion, which is supported by evidence, is that it is obligatory to cover the face, therefore young women are forbidden to uncover their faces in front of non-mahram men in order to avoid any mischief, and they should certainly do so when there is fear of fitnah (temptation)."

Jamiatul Ulama Junbi Africa sate in the book Islamic Hijab by Jamiatul Ulama P.12: that the proper opinion for the Hanafi madhab is that "A woman must be properly and thoroughly covered in a loose outer cloak which totally conceals her entire body including her face!"

Modern scholars of also think like this, such as Shaikh AbdulAziz Bin Bazz who writes in his book Islamic Fatwas regarding Women " It is compulsory for a woman to cover her face in front of non mahram men" and Shaikh ibn Uthaimin writes in the same book on page # 289 "The Islamic hijab is for the women to cover everything that is forbidden for her to expose. That is, she covers everything that she must cover. The first of those bodily parts that she must cover is her face." Other  noted scholars that agree with the niqaab being wajib are Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalanee, Shaikh Jamaal Zarabozo, Shaikh ibn Jibreen, Hakimul Ummah Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi, Mufti Ebrahim Desai and many more.

There are many more hadith and many Islamic scholars of Islam who have agreed upon this, but if we were to quote all of them it would take me writing a book. And Allah(SWT) knows best.

-Uthman Ibn Farooq

Also, I would like to add, there are more sahih hadith that describe the veiling of the Prophet's wives (may Allah be pleased with them) and the early women of the Sahaba. This is one opinion and ruling. It is not my own, but thought I would share it anyways:)

Abu Darda's Wife: A Hadith from Bukhari about dress/fashion's role in Islam

ONE FASHIONISTA CONFRONTS THE VALUE OF FASHION IN ISLAM:

(Please note, this article was written by another sister and I did not save the link for it. If you know who I should credit, please share.)

"Life goes on and bumps happen and marriages end and fashion matters not in the grand scheme of things. But appearance does matter. The downs of life had me thinking for a while that it didn’t. That’s where the word balance comes in - a word which is very au courant now but which has a history with Islam. My father often likes to relate a bit about the beautiful story of the bond between Salman Al-Farsi and Abu Darda’ to highlight the importance of maintaining a balance with all the spheres in our lives:

On Leading a Balanced Way of Life: 

The Prophet (sa) had established the bond of brotherhood between Salman and Abu Darda’ (sp). Salman went to see Abu Darda’ and found his wife looking disheveled (her appearance was not that of a married woman). He asked her: ‘What’s wrong?’ She replied: ‘Your brother, Abu Darda’ has no worldly desires.’ Then Abu Darda’ arrived and prepared some food for Salman and said: ‘Go ahead and eat, I am fasting.’ Salman said: ‘I shall not eat unless you eat with me.’ So Abu Darda’ ate with him. At night Abu Darda’ arose for the voluntary prayer. Salman told him to go to sleep, so he slept. This happened again. Towards the latter part of the night Salman said to him: ‘Wake up’ and both offered the prayer together. Then Salman said: ‘It is true that you owe your duty to your Lord, but you also owe a duty to yourself and to your wife. So you should carry out your duty to everyone.’ Then they went to the Prophet (sa) and related all that transpired to him. He said: ‘Salman was right.’” - Bukhari

Somehow the downs of life had shifted my mind into thinking that a woman’s appearance should be un-remarkable, un-commentable to the outside world - i.e., Islamically, she should be so blah if she were really God-fearing that her blahness indicated her level of piety. Warped, I know. On discussing the issue with friends, I found out I wasn’t the only one whose mind had shifted this way. There were a whole bunch of us walking around looking like Abu-Darda’s wife yet there was no Salman Al-Farsi [who was a non-maharam male witnessing her appearence] to ask what was wrong. This is where discussions with a Dad who happens to be an Islamic scholar is handy. He patiently explained that following hijab/dressing modestly does not automatically cancel out a pleasing and agreeable, even fashionable (!) outer appearance. In fact, the Qur’an acknowledges clothing as “a thing of beauty” - but we are also reminded in the same verse that the best garment is God-consciousness (Surah 7, verse 26). What a beautiful reminder of balance! So hijabi fashionistas - look for “things of beauty” on the racks at H&M and Zara and Precious Modesty, but while you’re looking, remember to be wearing your best outfit: God-consciousness."

Please again note: this little bit was taken from another sister, and my father is a non-muslim, NOT an Islamic scholar. I totally agree with the article. As long as you are obeying the commandments of hijab (modesty for both MEN and women) you can do what you like with it. Of course it is often culture that tries to pass itself off as Islam that gets us all into a little mess with suppression, or a debasement of the standards of hijab and has everyone running around all confused