An Analytical View on the Ruling of Face Covering (Part 15)
The Views of the Imams of the Hanafi School on Covering the Face
Imam e Azam Abu Hanifa (MABH) considered the obligation of covering the face contingent upon the existence of sedition or the possibility of it. Accordingly, wherever there is sedition and fear of desire for a woman, revealing the face is prohibited; but in cases where there is no such possibility, revealing it is permissible.
However, later jurists of the Hanafi school have agreed with the three other Imams, believing that covering the face is necessary and obligatory, whether there is fear of sedition or not. This theory is especially emphasized in the present era, when the act of uncovering the face often leads to sedition. Hanafi jurists have pointed out in their jurisprudential texts and fatwas that uncovering the face of women and traveling with their faces uncovered are impermissible and prohibited for women. Below are some of the sayings and fatwas of Hanafi religious jurists:
1. Imam Ibn Abidin Shami, MABH, one of the prominent jurists of Hanafi, says: «فإن خاف الشهوة أو شك امتنع نظره إلى وجهها، فحلُّ النظر مقيدٌ بعدم الشهوة، وإلا فحرام. وهذا في زمانهم، وأما في زماننا فمنع من الشابة قهستانيّ وغيره إلا النظر للحاجة كقاضٍ وشاهدٍ يحكم ويشهد عليها؛ وأيضاً قال في شروط الصلاة: تمنع المرأة الشابة من كشف الوجه بين رجالٍ لا لأنها عورة، بل لخوف الفتنة» Translation: “If there is fear or suspicion of lust, looking at a woman’s face is prohibited, because the permissibility of looking is conditional on the absence of lust; and if there is lust, it becomes forbidden. This was the case in the past, but in our time, looking at a young woman is absolutely prohibited, except for a religious necessity such as judging or testifying. It is also stated in the Shorut Al-Salat (conditions of prayer) that a young woman is prohibited from revealing her face in front of foreign men, not because the face is a private part, but because of the fear of sedition.”
2. Allamah Ala’ad-Din Haskafi Hanafi, MABH, declares: «تُمنعُ المرأةُ الشابةُ من كشف الوجه بين رجالٍ.» Translation: “A young woman is forbidden from revealing her face in front of men.”
Ibn Abidin Shami explains this statement: «والمعنى تمنع من الكشف لخوف أن يرى الرجال وجهها فتقع الفتنة، لأنه مع الكشف قد يقع النظر إليها بشهوة» Translation: “The meaning is that she is forbidden from revealing her face for fear that men will see her face and temptation will occur because if she reveals her face, people may look at her with lust.”
3. Allama Muhammad Anwar Shah Kashmiri Deobandi (MABH) states: «فيجوز الكشف عند الأمن عن الفتنة على المذهب، وأفتى المتأخرون بسترها لسوء حال الناس» Translation: “It is permissible to reveal the face when there is security from fitnah according to our sect, but later jurists have considered it obligatory to cover it due to the poor condition of society.”
4. Allama Abu Bakr Jassas Hanafi (MABH) asserts: «أن المرأة الشابة مأمورة بستر وجهها عن الأجنبيين، وإظهار العفاف عند الخروج، لئلا يطمع أهل الريَبِ فيهن» Translation: “A young woman is required to cover her face in front of strange men and to reveal her chastity when leaving the house so that suspicious people do not covet her.”
5. Shams al-Aimmah Sarakhsi Hanafi (MABH) says: «ولأن حرمة النظر لخوف الفتنة، وعامة محاسنها في وجهها، فخوف الفتنة في النظر إلى وجهها أكثر منه إلى سائر الأعضاء» Translation: “And because the prohibition of looking is due to the fear of sedition, and since most of a woman’s beauty is in her face, the fear of sedition when looking at her face is greater than when looking at other parts of the body.”
6. Imam Ibn Najim, MABH, the author of Bahr al-Ra’iq, states: «قال مشايخنا: تمنع المرأة الشابة من كشف وجهها بين الرجال في زماننا للفتنة» Translation: “Our sheikhs said: It is forbidden for a young woman to reveal her face among men in our time due to sedition.”
7. Imam Ibn al-Hommam, MABH, the author of Fath al-Qadir, says: «وحلُّ النظر مقيدٌ بعدم خشية الشهوة مع انتفاء العورة، ولذا حرم النظر إلى وجهها ووجه الأمرد إذا شك في الشهوة ولا عورة» Translation: “The permission to look is limited to not fearing lust, even if the part is not considered a private part. Therefore, looking at the face of a foreign woman or a beardless young man is forbidden if there is a possibility of lust.”
8. In the Fatawa al-Hindiyyah, it is stated: «وإن غلب على ظنه أنه يشتهي فهو حرام» Translation: “And if he realizes that looking may lead to lustful thoughts, then looking is forbidden.”
According to the sayings of Hanafi jurists, it is obligatory for a young woman to cover her face, especially in situations where there is a possibility of sedition. This ruling has received increased emphasis in the present era, when the temptation to reveal one’s face has increased, and has been unanimously agreed upon by later Hanafi jurists.
The Views of the Imams of the Maliki School
Although there are differing views among Maliki scholars on this matter, the most prevalent and likely view is that it is impermissible for a woman to reveal her face in front of foreign men because this may cause sedition. This view is clearly articulated in the statements of the Maliki scholars:
1. Imam Qurtubi Maliki (MABH), the author of Tafsir al-Qurtubi, narrates that Ibn Khuwayraz Mandad, MABH, stated: «إن المرأة إذا كانت جميلة، وخيف من وجهها وكفيها الفتنة فعليها ستر ذلك، وإن كانت عجوزا أو مقبحة جاز أن تكشف وجهها وكفيها» Translation: “If a woman is beautiful and has an attractive face, and there is fear of sedition due to her face and hands, then she should cover them. If she is old or unattractive, it is permissible to reveal her face and hands.”
2. Judge Abu Bakr ibn Arabi (MABH) stated: «والمرأة كلها عورة بدنها وصوتها، فلا يجوز كشف ذلك إلا لضرورة، أو لحاجة كالشهادة، أو داء يكون ببدنها» Translation: “A woman’s entire body, including her voice, is considered a private part; therefore, it is not permissible for her to reveal her body and face to strange men except in circumstances of necessity, such as giving testimony, medical need, or similar situations.”
3. Allamah Salih Abdul Sami’ al-Azhari al-Maliki said: «فالوجه والكفان ليسا عورة، فيجوز لها كشفهما للأجنبي، وله نظرهما إن لم تخش الفتنة، فإن خيفت الفتنة: فقال ابن مرزوق: مشهور المذهب وجوب سترهما» Translation: “A woman’s face and the palms of her hands are not private parts; therefore, she can reveal them to strange men, and a man can look at them, provided that there is no fear of sedition. However, if there is fear of sedition, Ibn Marzuq (MABH) has clarified that it is well known in the Maliki school of thought that covering the face and palms is obligatory when there is fear of sedition.”
4. Sheikh Ahmad al-Dardir writes in “The Closest Paths to the Maliki School of Thought”: «وعورة المرأة مع رجل أجنبي عنها جميع البدن غير الوجه والكفين، وأما هما فليس بعورة، وإن وجب عليها سترهما لخوف الفتنة» Translation: “The private parts of a woman in relation to a foreign man are her entire body, except for her face and palms. These two parts are not considered private, but if there is fear of sedition, it is obligatory for the woman to cover them.”
5. Sheikh al-Hattaab al-Maliki (MABH) has clarified: «واعلم أنه إن خُشي من المرأة الفتنة يجب عليها ستر الوجه والكفين» Translation: “And know that if there is fear of sedition from a woman, she must cover her face and palms.”
6. Sheikh Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Jazzi al-Gharnati al-Maliki (MABH) said: «وإن كانت أجنبية جاز أن يرى الرجل من المتجالة الوجه والكفين، ولا يجوز أن يرى ذلك من الشابة إلا لعذر من شهادة، أو معالجة، أو خِطبة» Translation: “If she is a foreign woman, it is permissible for a man to see her face and hands, but it is not permissible for him to see that of a young woman except for a valid reason, such as testimony, medical treatment, or engagement.”
