Looking at Women and Issue of Jilbaab Salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh Innal Hamda Lillah - Was salatu wa salam ala rasuulillah. To proceed: Shaykh Muhammad Salih Al-Munajjid said: "Muslim (338) narrated from Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No man should look at the ‘awrah of another man, and no woman should look at the ‘awrah of another woman.” Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: This shows that it is haraam for a man to look at the ‘awrah of another man and for a woman to look at the ‘awrah of another woman. There is no scholarly dispute on this point. Similarly it is haraam for a man to look at the ‘awrah of a woman and for a woman to look at the ‘awrah of a man, according to scholarly consensus.” The prohibition on looking at a woman when she is in this state does not apply to the husband, because each spouse may look at the ‘awrah of the other, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And those who guard their chastity (i.e. private parts, from illegal sexual acts)Except from their wives or (the slaves) that their right hands possess, * for then, they are free from blame” [al-Mu’minoon 23:5-6] And Allaah knows best." {Islam Q&A - www.islam-qa.com - Question #23329 - http://63.175.194.25/index.php?ln=eng&ds=qa&lv=browse&QR=23329&dgn=4} ================================================== Allah subhana wa Ta'ala said: “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts). That is purer for them. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what they do.” [al-Noor 24:30] Narrated Abu Saeed that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) said: “Beware of gathering upon Page 1 the streets.” They said: It is a necessity and we just gather and speak there. He said: “So if you come to those gatherings then give the road its right” They said: And what is its right? He said: “Lowering the gaze, keeping back harm, returning salaams, enjoining the good and forbidding the evil.” [Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud] Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) said: “Indeed Allah has decreed for the descendants of Adam his portion of Zina (fornication or adultery). He will attain it inevitably, the zina of the eyes is looking, the zina of the tongue is speech, and the soul craves and desires, and the private parts consent or disprove it.” [Bukhari, Muslim and Abu Dawud] The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) also said: "O Ali, do not follow a glance with another, for you will be forgiven for the first, but not for the second." [Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 2701; see Saheeh al-Jaami’, 7953] And know that Allah subhana wa Ta'ala said: “It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed into a plain error” [Al- Ahzab 33:36] Question #45869: Ruling on covering the hands in the presence of non-mahram men The evil consequences of mixing include men and women looking at one another, which is haraam. Allaah has commanded the believing men and women to lower their gaze and avoid looking at that which is not permissible for them. It is not permissible for non-mahrams to see anything of her, or for her to be careless about how she dresses so that anything appears of her that it is not permissible for her to show. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: The truth of the matter is that Allaah has made two types of adornment: visible and invisible. It is permissible for a woman to show her visible, outward adornment to people other than her husband and mahrams. Before the verse of hijab was revealed the women used to go out without a jilbaab and the men could see their faces and hands. When it was permissible for a woman to show her face and hands, it was permissible to look at them because it was permissible for a woman to show them. Then when Allaah revealed the verse of hijab and said (interpretation of the meaning): “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). That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. And Allaah is Ever Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful” [al-Ahzaab 33:59] Page 2 then the women began to observe hijab in front of men. The jilaab is a wrapper, which Ibn Mas’ood and others called the rida’ (cloak), and which the common folk [i.e. at the time of Ibn Taymiyah] call the izaar. It is a large izaar with which a woman covers her head and the rest of her body. Moreover it may be said that when they were commanded to wear the jilbaab lest they be recognized, this refers to covering the face, or covering the face with a niqaab (face veil), hence it may be understood that the face and hands are part of the beautify which women are commanded not to show to non-mahrams. So there is nothing left that it is permissible for non-mahrams to see except the outer garments. So the face, hands and feet are not to be shown to non-mahrams according to the more sound of the two scholarly opinions, unlike what used to happen before the abrogation, indeed nothing is to be seen but the garment. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 22/110-114. {Extract from Islam-qa.com - Question #45869: Ruling on covering the hands in the presence of non-mahram men - http://63.175.194.25/index.php?ln=eng&ds=qa&lv=browse&QR=45869&dgn=4} JILBAB – COVERING THE BODY, HEAD TO TOE INCLUDING THE FACE PROOF IN THE QURAN Allah subhana wa Ta'ala said: "O Prophet! Enjoin your wives, daughters and the believing women that they should draw their outer garments over their person. That is more proper, so that they may be recognized and not bothered. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful." {Surah Al-Ahzab 33:59} Allah Ta'ala also said: "Enjoin the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their modesty; not to display their beauty and ornaments except what normally appears thereof; let them draw their veils over their bosoms (Juyubihinna)" {Surah An-Nur 24:30-31} PROOF IN THE SUNNAH Page 3 It was narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The woman is ‘awrah and when she goes out the Shaytaan gets his hopes up.” {Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 1173 - Al-Albaani said in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi (936): It is saheeh} Narrated Safiya bint Shaiba (radhi Allahu anha) "Aisha (radhi Allahu anhu) 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 No. 282} Narrated 'Aisha (radhi Allahu anha) Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) used to offer the Fajr prayer and some believing women covered with their veiling sheets used to attend the Fajr prayer with him and then they would return to their homes unrecognized . {Sahih Al-Bukhari Volume 1, Book 8, Hadith No. 368} Shaikh Ibn Uthaimin in tafseer of this hadith explains "This hadith makes it clear that the Islamic dress is concealing of the entire body as explained in this hadith. Only with the complete cover including the face and hands can a woman not be recognized. This was the understanding and practice of the Sahaba and they were the best of group, the noblest in the sight of Allah (swt) with the most complete Imaan and noblest of characters. so if the practice of the women of the sahaba was to wear the complete veil then how can we deviate from their path? (Ibn Uthaimin in the book "Hijaab" page No. 12 and 13) PROOF IN THE OPINION OF THE COMPANIONS Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (radhi Allahu anhu) explained, the word Jilbaab (as mentioned in the Quran Surah Ahzaab ayah No. 59 ) means a cloak which covering the entire body including the head, face and hands. (Quoted from Ibn Taymiyyah (Rahimahullah) in his book on fatwaas Page No. 110 Vol No. 2 and By Shaikh Ibn Uthamin in the book Hijaab Page No. 15) Abu Ubaidah Salmani (radhi Allahu anhu), an other well known Sahabi is quoted saying "Jilbaab should fully cover the women's body, so that nothing appears but one eye with which she can see." (Tafseer Al-Qurtubi) Ibn Jarir (Rahimahullah) Quotes the opinion of Ibn Abbas (radhi Allahu anhu) "Allah has enjoined upon all Muslim Women that when they go out of their homes under necessity, they should cover their faces by drawing a part of their outer garments over their heads." (Tafseer Ibn Jarir, VOL 22, pg.29) PROOF IN THE OPINION OF THE TABI’EEN (THOSE WHO CAME AFTER THE COMPANIONS) Page 4 The Tabi'ee Ali bin Abu Talha (Rahimahullah) Quotes from Ibn Abbaas (Radhiallaahu Ánhu) that he used to say it was allowed to show the hands and face when Surah Nur ayah No.