Waleed Basyouni – Should The Niqaab Be Mandatory In The US

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As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah, sheikh.

Wa alaykum as-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah.

There is this question about niqab, if it

is wajib, obligatory, especially in the U.S.

The niqab is basically covering most of the

face except the eyes, or some scholars said

covering the face.

That's what usually the fuqaha talk about it,

the whole entire face.

Is it something, is the face awrah, must

be covered or not?

This is an issue of debate between the

Muslim scholars.

One opinion among the Hanbala that it is

awrah and it must be covered, and also

one opinion among the Shafi'iyya said the

face is awrah and need to be covered.

While there is other opinions in these two

madhab, and the Maliki and the Hanafi said

no, it's not awrah.

And you'll find also opinion in the Hanafi

and the Maliki said to cover.

So, you'll find the fuqaha, rahimallah, debate over

this.

Some of them cover because awrah, some said

cover because fitna, you know, it's much safer

for the woman and so forth.

For me, it seems to be that covering

the face can be only obligatory in certain

circumstances.

If she feels like somebody looking at her

with desire, in this case she just cover

her face.

You know, or she feel there is not

comfortable with that look and that close interacting,

she cover her face until she move away

from that situation.

Other than that, no.

And as for America versus not America, Alhamdulillah

we live in a country that allowed you,

it's permissible for you to cover your face

if you wish, if you want to do

that.

And if you don't want to do that,

it's like there is not new rules to

force this in it.

If you're looking at it from the perspective

of, is it much safer to cover your

awrah in America or not safer to?

I think, you know, the face, sorry, the

face is more safer or not.

I think it is more acceptable to the

society when you don't cover your face.

I think it is much, much safer, I

would argue maybe, I don't know.

If you're going to look at it from

that perspective, because it's not something common among

Muslims to cover the face.

So, with this being said, I think it's

what you feel comfortable with, Alhamdulillah.

What I really would like to say about

this as well, some people think that, oh,

this is highest level of Iman and stuff

like that to cover their face.

I don't think you should approach it this

way and you think you're so better than

anybody else just because you cover the face,

because the majority of the Fuqaha said you

don't have to.

So, and it is permissible.

So, you're not doing something like, okay, this

is like higher level of Iman.

Some people take it as a challenge for

themselves, which is, in my opinion, just a

wrong approach to the whole issue.

I mean, added to that is the attitude

sometimes of the people who are not covering

their faces towards the sisters who are covering

their faces.

Sometimes it would be, let's say, feeling like

they're judgmental a little bit, or maybe they're

not comfortable with seeing a sister covering her

face.

Beautiful.

So, what do you say to that?

Jazakallah khair.

That's a very good point.

We see sometimes some Muslims have Islamophobia kind

of towards the sister who wears niqab.

And they said, oh, these are too strict.

This is like backwards.

No, it's not.

Those sisters following a very strong opinion among

the Fuqaha and a very common opinion among

the Fuqaha.

You know, the Fuqaha said it is wajib

or recommended.

You know, it's permissible.

So, she's not coming with something like, you

know, out of the ordinary.

No, it was the most common practice about

100 years ago.

Most of the Muslim country, most of women

cover their face.

Only after the colonization of Muslim world from

the Western world, that covering the face became

not the norm.

But before that time, actually, it was very

common.

If you look at pictures in Syria and

Egypt and Eastern Europe like Albania and this

area, you will find majority of women cover

their face.

And even in Europe, it used to be

also a common thing for women to cover

their face.

So, I think we should not look down

upon, let's not judge them, should not claim

that they are strict or anything of that

nature.

At the same time, you know, be friendly.

Alhamdulillah.

Good point.

Thank you.

Jazakallah khair.

Mubarak Allah for you.

Jazakallah khair.

Thank you very much for your questions.

We'll see you next episode.