Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalam Alaikum brother Burhan

 
My only question is I need clarity in the way women should cover herself up. I have gone through Qurani ayats and understand that women should dress modestly and cover herself up where no non-mehram can see her beauty. Alhumdulilah I cover my head with a scarf or dupatta and dress modestly especially when I am out. What I need to know, when covering my head do i need to cover each and every hair or just wear it so that it covers almost. My problem is  at times I can't wear the head scarf too tight as I sometimes get headaches ( I suffer Migraines) so I loosely wrap my scarf on my head ensuring I could cover the head whilst I suffer headaches. Allah knows the intention and the problem what I go through. Please give me clarity to my understanding.

Jazakallah Khair.

P.S. Please Can I ask you to reply in confidence as I want to keep me anonymous. Jazakallah Khair.

 
Your sister in Islam. 

 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

 

Answer:

 

Cover hair face in hijaab

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 59:

O Prophet, enjoin your wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons.   It is expected that they will thus be recognized, and not molested.   Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 24 Surah An-Noor verse 31:

And O Prophet,  enjoin the believing women to restrain their gaze and guard their private parts and not to display their ‘zeenata hunna’ (beauty, adornment, etc.) except that which is displayed of itself,  and to draw their veils over their bosoms and not to display their ‘zeenata hunna’ (beauty, adornment, etc.) except before their husbands, their fathers,  the fathers of their husbands, their sons and the sons of their husbands,  their brothers,  their brothers sons, their sisters’ sons,  their female associates, and those in their possession and male attendants incapable of sexual desire,  and those boys who have not yet attained knowledge of sexual matters.   Also forbid them to stamp their feet on the ground lest their hidden ornaments should be displayed.

 

Allah Subhanah has directed the Command towards the Prophet (saws) commanding him to enjoin his wives, his daughters and the believing women that when in the presence of non-mehram males, they should cast their outer garments over their full body, except what is displayed of itself.   All the schools of thought in Islam are unanimous in their opinion that the casting of an outer garment or ‘jilbaab’ is absolutely obligatory on every believing woman who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day.

 

The difference of opinion amongst the scholars is what exactly is included in the command ‘….except that which is displayed of itself’.  There are two opinions amongst the scholars in Islam regarding this part of the verse:  One opinion is that it means the face, hands and feet may be left uncovered, and the other opinion is that the face also has to be covered (naqaab), and only the hands and feet may be left uncovered.

 

The most accepted opinion is that if the women covers everything except her face, hands, and her feet, she would be following the Command of Allah; and if she chooses to cover her face with a ‘naqaab’, then it will be purer and closest to the Command of Allah.  And Allah Alone Knows Best.

 

Your Question: ….What I need to know, when covering my head do i need to cover each and every hair or just wear it so that it covers almost.

The scholars and jurists of all the major schools of thought are absolutely unanimous in their opinion that the hair on the head of the woman is part of her ‘zeenah’ or beauty, and it is absolutely obligatory upon every believing woman who sincerely fears Allah and the Last Day to cover every hair of their heads with a ‘hijaab’ or the ‘jilbaab’ when she is in the presence of non-mehram males.  ‘Almost covering’ the hairs on their head would not suffice to fulfill the requirements of ‘jilbaab’ for the believing women. And Allah Alone Knows Best.

 

Your Question: …My problem is  at times I can't wear the head scarf too tight as I sometimes get headaches ( I suffer Migraines) so I loosely wrap my scarf on my head ensuring I could cover the head whilst I suffer headaches. Allah knows the intention and the problem what I go through. Please give me clarity to my understanding.

Respected sister, regardless of whether a believing woman adorns her ‘hijaab’ in a tight or a loose manner, what is of absolute importance is that when in the presence of non-mehram males, she is required to completely cover her ‘zeenah’.  Thus even if a believing woman adorns herself with a relatively loose ‘hijaab’, provided she completely covers her ‘zeenah’ or beauty (which includes her hair on her head) and nothing is visible other than her face, her hands, and her feet when in the presence of non-mehram males, she would be in accordance with the Commands and Guidance of Allah and His Messenger (saws), Insha Allah.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

Burhan