Hijaab by sheikh muhammad bin salem bin uthaimeen translated by hafez zaheer essack

1. Sheikh Muhammad bin Saleh bin Uthalmeen

2. HIJAAB
By
Sheikh Muhammad Lin Salem Lin Uthaimeen
Translated by:
Hafez ZaLeer EssacL
lidara]IDARAISHAAT-E-DINIYAT (P) LTD.

3. © Idara Isha'at-E-Diniyat(p) Ltd.
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Hijaab
By: Sheikh Muhammad tun Saleh tin Uthaimeen
Transhtd by: Hafez Zateer Essach
Edition: 2003
ISBN: 81-7101-252-3
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4. Introduction
AU praises are due to Allah whom we glorify, whose help we beseech, whose
forgiveness we seek, whom we seek refuge in, from the evil of our souls and
from the evil effect of our actions. Whomsoever Allah has guided, no one can
lead astray and whomsoever Allah has misled, no one can guide. We bear
witness that there is no other deity besides Allah, who is alone, who has no
partner and that Mohammed Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam is His servant and
messenger. May Allah Ta'aala's mercy and blessings descend upon him, his
companions and those who follow them.
Allah Ta'aala has definitely sent Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam with
guidance and a true Deen (religion), to take people out of darkness into light
with the command of Allah, to lead people towards the path of Allah. Allah
sent Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam to establish His worship only, and this
will only happen with complete submission to Allah Ta'aala i.e. by canying out
His commandments and refraining from the prohibitions, refraining from
f following our camal desires. Allah sent Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam to
'I perfect good character by calling towards it and to destroy evil character by
using all means to prevent it, hence the Shariah (religion) which Nabi
Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam brought is perfect in all aspects and is not
dependent on the creation for its perfection, as it comes from the Wise, the All
Knowing, the Knower of what is good for His bondsmen, the Merciful.
Also, amongst the noble character traits which Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi
Wasallam was sent with was the great and noble quality of haya (modesty,
bashfulness). Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam stipulated modesty as part of
Iman (i.e.'from the different parts of Iman). Modesty is an integral part and no
one can deny the fact that the modesty of a woman and her endeavour to
inculcate such qualities, which will keep her away from places of evil, is part
of that "haya" (shame) which is required by the Shariah.
There is no shadow of doubt that the concealment of her face and the
concealment of the places of temptation are one of the greatest aspects of
modesty which we will undertake, because in this lies her chastity and her
remoteness from evil.
The people in the blessed towns of Saudi Arabia i.e. the towns of revelation,
the towns of shame and modesty, were steadfast on Hijaab, (the Islamic dress
donned by women), hence women used to go out fully covered with cloaks,
staying aloof from mixed gatherings and all praises are due to Allah that this
condition ofmodesty was prevalent in many a place, until certain doubts arose
concerning "Hijaab" (women's covering the entire body). Some people never
deemed it necessary during travel. Hence questions arose concerning "Hijaab":
is it compulsory, preferable or just a ritual which is neither compulsory nor
preferable? Therefore, in order to remove this doubt and to clarify this matter
I intended to write such a booklet which explained in a simple and easy
manner, the Islamic ruling of "Hijaab" (purdah) hoping (from Allah) that by
means ofthis booklet the truth becomes manifest and that Allah makes us from
amongst the rightly guided and those who see falsehood and stay away from
it. 1 seek help to do good from Allah alone.
Know well, 0 Muslim that the veiling ofwomen and the covering of the face
from strange men, is a command which is Wajib (compulsory). This is derived
from the Quraan, the Sunnah ofNabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam and correct
analogy (Qiyaas)
PROOFS FROM THE QURAAN:
Proof: 1
“And say (0 Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) to the believing women that
they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty (protect their private
parts); that they should not display their beauty except that which (co­
incidentally) appears thereof; that they should draw their veils over their
bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers,
their husbands' fathers (fathers in law), their sons, their husband's sons from
another woman i.e. their step sons, their brothers or their brother's sons, or their
sisters' sons, or their women (i.e. disbelieving women) or their slaves, or those
male beggars who have no sexual desires (i.e. beggars who are old, who have
no sexual desires) or those children who have no knowledge concerning the
sexual aspect ofwomen (for all these people mentioned above, a woman can
reveal part ofher beauty) i.e. the hands and face and they (the women) should
not strike their feet (walk in such a way) so that attention is drawn to their
4
5

5. Xtrn ofth°se’L’^iJsJ'proXiS*- “ "” "" ank'"S tinkl'
aifo’"s°"hatZs.)n.A"dt.eusTccewsafuis-Al'ah' *° a^0, 0 ^i'™.
w<
men
I Allah has commanded toe Muslim women to todr pnvate
parts and tots command (of protecting the pnvate parts) is not only
confined to the private parts but also includes all to°se aspect which
lead to to' private parts and no person of intelligence can foubh that
from am°ngst those things which lead to the protection of toe p-fafe
parts is the covering of toe face because toe revealing of toe face
leads to staring at it, to powering over her beauty, to achieving
p!easure. Hence a connection devetops (between men and women).
In the Hadith we find that Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said,
"The eyes commit zina and their zina is to look.”
In conclusion Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said that the private
parts testify that or falsify it. Therefore when the covering of the face
leads to the protection of the private parts, then the covering of the
face will also be mdu^ in AHah’s command because whatever
leads to a particular aim and object also fa||s und'r to' same category
as the actual object.
2. Allah states in the Quraan:
“They should draw. their vetis over toeir bosoms■”
The word "Khumur" (which is the stogtoa- of the word
women use to cov£r------------heads) _ Tterefore when she is
(w'hich iTeu ony s.b «ui»
“X’fl'^^ve. or because ofcorrect aoabrgy. be c—* to
cover her face. Canshqvhctln,SlhCn of'SCOnri^pUg;
fe^be^o
chest, then (obvious^ teW* off(CeO^^gae f
a ^'ater exteht, bami* “ face is th' £ u be^iful
temput.m ThU!51^eflnd.ihatt^hf:"ePeI0/’theSfaCe is beautiful, they
[j'rsOT, they ask otoy regMtM the few. IftheJ
d°n't attacli so mudt mtportenc' toth'rest oft ' . y’ d t ds .o'
reason,ifsonwone s^s "she is beautiful", on' .
of to' fac'. Thus it becom's that th' f^' is 1 y
f|nc' of ^'ther it concerns qii'toon^ ttootf beauty
giving information.
Wh'n this has been unterstoo^ ^OT^mmg th' face) how can 11
^d'^t^d toat this ^cnc0 (D''ni way of Hf'X which is ful1 of
wi^fom, rommands toe cooerina of toe ch'st and p'ntote to' fac' to
be left uncovered?
3. Allah Tc'ccIc (in the ver-s' mentioned previously) has permitted inner
beauty to be shown to those male beggars who have no sexual urge
and also to those children who have not yet reached the age of
puberty i.e. they do not have any sexual desires yet, nor do they know
about sex and the like. This indicates two points.
a)
b)
That th' inn'r b'auty cannot b' shown to anyon'
besid's th's' two cate^h's o p^fe.
Th' reason foi- tins; command ofAlfah Ta'aa|a fc d^ to to'
fear of temptation and captivation caused by wom'n
to're is no toafaw of doubt that the fare « d'fmiteto toe
cej ofbrauty and temftation. hence its cc'n^ win be
ajib ^mp!fccM-y), to^ prevent^ th' active
ft™ tma| and t'mptation, 7 h■'
A11^ Ta’aala ^ates m th'
“And to' wwa s^uld not stnk' fo.. v e ,k .
“' ?' i, *»,, th'i, k " suc0 ’ 7>
•jX^”X^^'ne 7 •“ Mi, „kleB
6 7

6. *out ^nSriVe°ofsthrfti^c?auty'then *'hatcan bes
'eave the face uncovOref? Cf "® ay ,f “ aenrnssiUe o0
b—to orfoote,. Sl" K >”"g «<*•*>•«
■=~«...^ ev-T“* f’“ uhich
can „.„■. wHicine f ’“g'
Proof: 2
ln the verse“w|thout nhowing their beauty”, anofoer proof |n founf as to why
the covering of the body (mdudmg the fece anf hantfc)iS contpu-*
“ „ tecttu*: in mont oaren. when a young tromtm nwttk het face
Phc MlturaHy intonfs to duw her beauty to mate mgn ^re ut hgr a^ thu
lise Iwr Howevgr there art gx-gpt|oen (nomg womgn rgvga| thgir fecw
other reasons bgniftn beauty), but thk in rare, turf -o ^mg in fo
n°mething which h rare.
The00 n no bbame upon thong gfoerty wow- who their outer
Ba S provifef th°v' fp no: fiapbav fooir beautn- anf remain t^te i.g. not
S> feen3 then- ocr°r g2rmentn k boner for ta. anf Abbah is Abl Hearne AH
Keow-ese.-
This v°rne ihn^r.iLesthat thgrg 15 n° siaupon e|fer|y women to fincarf their
octet gamnentn provifef that the aim anf object of thin in not to expone their
octet beauty.
By gkroriy women in meant thone women who. fue to age. have got a very low
nexrab foniro anf have no hope ofgening marrief.
Proof: 3
A||ah ^tomont in too Qura^. "OMbi Sdb|d||dhu A|ayhi
My to your wiven, your toughers anf thg bdtovmg wom^ that thgy ^rfd
qtatettf ov0thremnetyen thoir "Jilbaabs" (a |arge gdrmeet |ike a c|oak
by women which covers the eet|ro bofy. wMoto rovodmg thg nhape). By
doeelng thg Jilbaab thoy w|H be ro-ogeinod more tandy. te^0 thgy wM not
bo harmef anf A||ah in forgiving anf Mgreifu|.
Attn 'io their outer garmentn” fogs not mean they munt become nakef.
bttt tt t^eang that there in no nin ifthey fin^arf thone clothen which are worn
over the Skirt for ex2mp|e. In other worfn. there in no h^rn for them m
■ftncarrjc-g such outer garmentn.
Ibno Abbas (R.A.) nays: “A||ah han -ommaedof the beHoving women that
when they, bocdune ofeo-onnityt omorgo from thoif homos, they sCourf cover
their faces in-ludieg tho hodd, with the "Jilbaab'' anf they nhou|f onty rovoa|
one oyo.” An gxpldedtioe ofa Sahabi (R.A.) in coenifgrgd a proof(of Shariah)
an |c tho paragraph above- In fart some U|oma have naif tha: thin totems of
Ito Abban (R.A.) |n "Mdrfoo." that |n in foe name category an a H^kh wh|ch
in ednratgd dire-tlv from Nabi Sdlldlldhu A|ayhi Wandlldm.
Hasr° the c|othen which thev have been permitted to fincarf m thin verne tare
-hone which rover the bofy comp|ete|y. tonnequent|y A||ah Ta'-uda
han ro^-sd Hin ro^manf to oMoriy uomw on|y. wfoch provgn foat y°ung
Soro^whofgSirg to ggt marrief. w|H be commanded to fon tho^ garment
wfcjcn cov°r the body rompbeteby'
In Abban (R.A.'n) ntdtgmget, pgrminnioe in ^antef for m gyg t0 bg
g^C' ThiS iS oc|v fuo to noconnity anf to bo ab|o to neo the rotd othgrwino
CTon tins nhou|f be -oe-ga|gf. omorwing
;*be" ,h'S “"<« Poof
9

7. Proof:4
Allah Ta'aala's statement:
•* ...
women and their slaves. [i.' h ^^."^^(sister's vonswoto1
Woman comes into cMtect wtt to aboVrmeintnt^drSOVe ^ade^eAr: a
(0 you women). surely Allah knoW;e^i°::rah:h;a^^ar
Ibne Katheer (a famoUS commentator) savs- “W^n Allah □
wEft^^
SuXes dm ^.'V “ Allah To'oala excluded them in
Surah Noor: they should not show their beauty brn to theh husban<is.”
1-’"’r /if.-e it «al be aid thatthe male * intends
I te tatse it it the bt «•«* a —ons
Hence, these four vroofs from toe intocote the foi- to'
concealment of wom'n from stoange men. The tot 'ense vroves to m few
different ways.
Hie answer is
marriage is­
may only look at t------
b(alIryisjuagea•
Proof2
jtaNabi ShWvbu Alayhi Waeata 'abeyVOeSelet
1 f(a plahe where 'he Eid SaNah is verformed -normally «>
OXkr^(sofatowe),theetheyreVliea/‘0NabiofAl|ahitherelSoeelern(«(gst
uswho tos mtjiossess a cloaJc (by whkh to can eover th'dco"‘vleM body
.nclud<ng teface).” Nabi S^lallohu Aloyhi Wasallam revhfK, Her Musl'm
si$ter tould tod her one ofher dooks i.e. so that she dosse't come to the
Musalla without a cloak.” (Bukhari, Muslim)
Some vroofs from the Ahodith are as follows:
Proof 1
Nobi Sallallohu Alayhi Wasallam stated in one Hadith: “When one of you
ito'I^ mhn,ying a woman, th'n there is no harm in him looking at her, even
ifshe doesn,t krnw.’’ (Musnad Ahmed). In "Majmauz Zawaaid" (the name of
a book) it is stated that the narrators ofthe above Hadith are a" atomic.
Hence thh HKith vroves that the geeera| norm amongrt the wives of th'
Safialba(R.A.) (the comjoomons ofNabi ^Hohahu AKyfo Wasallam) was that
no woman would go out ofher home without a cloto .fully concealed and if
shedid not vossess a cloak. then it was not vossible for her to go out. It was
forthisreason that when Nabi Sollollahu Alayhi Wasallam ordered them to go
to the Musalla. they mentioned this hindrance. As a result, Nobi Sallallahu
Alayhi Wasallam said that someone should lend her a cloak, but did not say
tashetouW go ’u.without a cloak even though gomg to the M^ll* is wch
°i act which has been otonri by the Shariah (Islamic Law) for men to
women alike.
I^i Sallallahu Alayhi Wasanam (in to tow Hadith) negoted sinrfromeOeS
hn intends mantoe vrovided tot he loolcs at to woman (whom he
r
the ch'sh neck etc-
Hemh^^ MhUu Ahyhi WosaHam did not ^orw themoermission
rsW■00lSUClr which the Shariah com^raeds, thea how is it jx^siNe tot
areJWg V'miSSiOe.to go out without a clohc to such phaces which
isoven= ?by fe^s0"01' To go to ahoVVlnr centres where tore

8. Proof3
■S=^^
bdKvmg women used to come fully clad in ton doaks. kt
re^o their homeS (after Sabah), withotrt ^uw rec^toto S°
WA.) goes onto say tort ifNabi fsa’laHahu Alayhi wJLnhad to wto^s
whhVe -T witnessing' he would have prevented ton from commgto
the Masj-d just as the women of Bani brawl ww jm^. 6
ii-m seen what we
* ;:':„::Ct':;hlch'‘i^’dOn^Wi"":-;''?ai’‘m^"ms'ibe act' also
becomes impermiss’ble'
There are 2 points gained from this Hadith
Firstly the lslamlc dress anj conceahng of the entire body wts to sjwond
nature ofto Sahaba (R.A.'s) wivvs. Whereas to Sahaba (R.A.) were to totf
group, to noblest m to sight of Allah, toy were those people who had to
noblest chaattCT, the most compete Imaan, to most perfect acUons.
Allah is pleased with them and with those who follow them with virtue as
stated in the Quraan:
“The early predecessors from amongst the Muhajireen (those who left Makkah
and travelled to Madina), the Ansaar (those who helped the Muhajireen when
they arrived in Madina) and those who follow them with goodness; Allah is
pleased with them and they are pleased with Him and He has (already prepared
for them such gardens beneath which rivers flow, in which they will reside
forever. This is a great success.”
Hence when to practice of to women ofto SaSaba (R.A.) was to wear to
cloak, how can we deviate from that path? Mali has mention^ tot he is
pleased with those who fotiow tom wM goodness and on to °tor hand,
Allah is displeased with those who devbto from toft way. AllaS says m to
Proof 4
#tnS.UB»^W.ss«»s3ld.'>h»vttvr1l»Wvr’
Allah will not even tok nt him on the Day of Judgement- Stt Umme «
(RA.)^edtoNabi SalleOasu Alayhi Wwte “«w*”iuN w^X^
L trousers (it. how low can a woman's trouser be)? Nabi Sallallahu
Afayhi Wtallrm replied tot toy shoidd lower it a Sand's span- Umme
Saimah (R.A.) replrod, “In tot,case then feet w-’’ remto open.” Thereafter
Nbi Sdlallahu Alayhi Wasaham said tot toy toto lower h an arm's length,
not more.
This Hadith shows that it is necessary to conceal the feet and this was a
common practice amongst the women Sahaba (R.A.), even though the least
mount oftemptation is caused by the feet in companson to to fare <ind htrnto
•v this 'imj^s that the costing ofto face is also reces^ry. Our Stari^
sZ» Sisone °f.wisdom' Svnce il -s imppvsiblv tSa to Sh^ri^
face. n s v emtog ofthe fat and p^fc the ope^ng ofto hands and
Proofs
“And whomsoever dbofeys the Raeool toHalblrn Alayhi
gunianre W bren clearly piaced Wore torn ff anj
Kuffaar (dbtotovtjra), Wj will direct him to tSat wSich he Sas opted for an
w-11 ^tof him rnto Jahannam (to fire) rodthis is a * place.
^ccmdly. It is efficient for us to re’y on AisSa (R-A-) and ’’j®1IMus<DVv(R'aid
as far as knowledge, understand^ trnd insight is concerned in >
i
'e »

9. concealing of the face as the Islamic ruling. During Ihraam women should not
cover their faces. Hence if there was no strong hindrance in revealing their
faces, then.it would have been compulsory for them to reveal their faces even
though the travellers passed by.
Note: It is "Wajib’' (compulsory) to reveal the face in Ihraam according to most
Ulema (learned scholars) and a "Wajib" (compulsory act) can only be
combatted by something which is also compulsory (Wajib). Hence, if the
covering of the face in normal circumstances was not "Wajib" (compulsory)
it wouldn't have been permissible to cover the face in the state of Ihraam,
whereas they did cover their faces. This proves that the covering of the face
in normal circumstances is also "Wajib" (compulsory).
Hence these Quraanic verses and Ahadith, all prove that the concealing of the
face is "Wajib" (compulsory).
Proof from analogical reasoning (Qiyaas)
The law of analogical reasoning which is an integral part of the Shariah
(Islamic Law) maintains that: it is essential to uphold those things which are
good for the Muslims and also to uphold those things which lead- one to virtue
and on the other hand to refute those things which are evil and those things
which are a means to evil. Therefore only those things which are in the
interests ofIslam through and through, those things ofwhich the pros outweigh
their cons, are upheld. Hence we find some commandments being compulsory
(Wajib) and others being preferable.
In the same light, those things which are against the interests of Islam, ofwhich
the disadvantages are greater than their advantages, are rejected. Hence some
rulings will be undesirable and others will be highly undesirable (close to
Haraam, impermissible). As far as the revealing of the face is concerned, the
harms far outweigh the benefits.
Some of the harms are:
1. Temptation: A woman tempts oterss towrrds errself when she
beautifies herselfand uses make-up. This is undoubtedly one ofthe
2.
3.
4.
(faith) anc1
worst Sta°s‘ . integral part of,elrttPi.:k to show
al ofshame wh'Ch 'S ^erally used aS 3 is in actual
X* 5**^ a Salaam
aids iif by °ea'S Ailjhte starts wi'h JUS‘a
XXXSis —e ■ and
vice versa.
iscottrenwd, ton it will be imposstofe for her to be mo&tf.
sin and evil will become rife.
|o a Mth we |earo, Ito once Nabi SaHallahu AtayM Wasallam oas teavtog
the Masjid while men were mingling with women on the road. Nabi Sallallahu
Alayhi Wasallam said to the women: "Walk at the rear, because you, O
women, Save no right to walk in the centre ofthe road. Walk on the sides of
tSe road." As a nsuk to wc^n ^ed wafc^ on the extreme sides of to
roa“’ so much so tot t^r doalts used to cling to to wa^.
COnCeming the compulsirn of Purdah in his Fatwa
"^Permissibie
14
15

10. 11

11. 2. In the chain of narrators Sa'eed bin Basheer appears, he was
a weak narrator according to Imam Ahmed bin Hambal,
Ibne Ma'een, Nasai and Ibne Madeeni. Also concerning the
Hadith wherein Asma Binte Abu Bakr (R.A.) was ordered to
conceal the entire body, except the hands and face, it is
possible that this event took place before the verse of Purdah
was revealed.
3. In the Hadith of Ibne Abbas (R.A.) the face of the woman
(from the Kahth'ama tribe) was open, yet Nabi Sallallahu
Alayhi Wasallam didn't command her to conceal it! This
was because she was in Ihraam and in Ihraam women cannot
cover their faces or it could be said that Nabi Sallallahu
Alayhi Wasallam did command her to conceal her face
thereafter, as the Hadith doesn't state in clear terms as to
whether Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam commanded her
or not thereafter.
feather, brother-
e0^'the boJy before
We verse h
strangers)'
■ • e we should
„ AtmdUha^npnof^^proipeny°the
1 h what was said
OX^W^ betxatraPSdbUt‘'V,UPn'a'Ui"g wU be
* course will °e a trut one.
4. In the Hadith of Jabir (R.A.) it is stated "The woman's face
was scorched..." This shows that her face was open, hence
permissible.
Answer: It was possible that the particular woman was from
amongst the elderly women concerning whom the Quraan
says it is permissible for them to reveal their faces, or this
incident took place before the verse of "Hijaab" was
revealed, because the verse on Hijab is found in Surah
Ahzaab, which was revealed in the 5th or 6th year Hijri,
whereas Eid Salaah was performed from the 2nd year Hijri
onwards.
A few points to ponder upon concerning this Masala:
1. We should ponder over these Masaail with justice.
Answer to verse ofthe Quraan: The verse of the Quraan deals with
the aspect of "satr" i.e. the part of the body that has to be covered in

13. Modesty (Haya) as a part of Iman, is an integral part
and no one can deny the fact that the modesty of a
woman and her endeavour to inculcate such qualities,
which will keep her away from places ofevil.
"Know well, O Muslim that the veiling ofwomen
and covering ofthefacefrom strange men is
Wajib (compulsory)."
This booklet highlights the importance of modesty
(Haya) and its implications by observing the
"Hijaab" which helps in the removal of doubts
concerning the Hijaab, whether is it compulsory,
preferable orjust a ritual, with the references ofHoly
Our'an na&Ahadeeth.