(For Muslims) Please tell me wether in Islam woman are supposed to cover their face or is head scarf enough?

Question

Please quote authentice ahadith or ayaat to support your answer. This question is very serious.

By covering the head I mean leaving face, hands and feet only to be seen.
Similarly face covering meaning leaving hands and feet open only.

Let me quote the Quranic Aayat from Surrah Al-Ahzaab which says face covering is a must, which is the Aayat telling about Hijab:

Oh Prophet Mohammad tell your wives and daughters and the women of Muslims that (when they leave their homes) hang their scarfs/cloths/chaadar (on their faces). This act will prove as a sign of recognition (and differenciation) for them. Then any one will not tease(hurt) them and God is forgiving and merciful.

And the word used in the aayat is Jalabiibihinn , and Jalabiib is the plural of Jalbaab which is the nameof the cloth that woman uses for hijab and covering.

I had to write Allah instead of God, in the translation of Aayat form Surrah Al-Ahzab. Pardon me.

Answer 1

*{And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils over their bosoms, and not to reveal their adornment save to their own husbands or fathers or husbands' fathers, or their sons or their husbands' sons, or their brothers or their brothers' sons or sisters' sons, or their women, or their slaves, or male attendants who lack vigour, or children who know naught of women's nakedness. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And turn unto Allah together, O believers, in order that ye may succeed.}* (An-Nur 24:31)

scholars differ concerning the limits of a woman's `awrah, depending on different interpretations of the verse that is mentioned above, and this entails a disagreement among scholars concerning the ruling of niqab (covering the face and hands); whether it is obligatory or not. The majority of Muslim scholars, including the four schools of fiqh, maintain that niqab is not obligatory. They base their view on many evidence that are discussed below in details. Only some of the Hanbali scholars see that niqab is obligatory. But even the sunni n the shafi women cover their faces.

“Allah Almighty says what means:
*{And say to the believing women to lower their gazes and guard their chastity, and let them not display of their charm - except what is apparent.}* (An-Nur 24:31)

Commenting on the phrase: *{what is apparent}* Ibn `Abbas, the famous Companion and the Qur’an exegete, said: “It means face and hands.” In other words, according to Ibn `Abbas, a woman must cover all her body except her face and hands while in the presence of men who are not related to her directly. The list of those in whose presence she needs not cover is clearly outlined in Surat An-Nur 24: 31.

The majority of imams - including those of the four schools, as well as others - share the above interpretation of Ibn `Abbas, and thus hold the opinion that a woman is not obliged to cover her face and hands.

However, a group of scholars, the majority of whom belong to the Hanbalite Juristic School, teach that a woman must cover her face and hands as well. In support of their position they invoke a tradition attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be on him, stating: “Woman is all `awrah”, and hence as such, needs to completely be covered up. They also reason by saying that the most attractive parts of a woman’s body capable of enticing men are her face and hands.

So basically sum say niqab is optional but nowadays dese arab women hve started wearing loads of make up n stuff n show off a part of their hair 4m deir hijab n sum non arab gals try 2 copy em thinking its ok so i feel niqab is gud n 4m my personal experience i hve noticed my imaan has increased more after wearing the veil so it depends on u i guess but it said tht the more u cover the more ull be rewarded by Allah swt

Answer 2

Assalamualikum wr wb Sister !!

I was also confused and made some research as well, have discussed it also with some peoples......What i could know is that hijab is mandatroy in islam but not veil........As there are few hadith to show that women were not ordered to keep the face covered......sorry i m missing these hadith this time and also there is some verses about jihab.but not about veil. I was also told that in the begning veil was not in islam.......but unbleievers used to tease all ladies during early islamic period, because of ill socail attitude so it was ordered to keep the face hidden as well so that they could be recognised as muslims....but later on this was relaxed when situation got better...but keeping in view the present situation some scholars have kept this thing as such and keap telling that woman should cover their face too.........for some social reasons........Now what i get is that hajiab is religious while veil is social.

Answer 3

Well covering the head is a must. Face? not so much. Unless you worry that showing your face would constitute tempting people, then its okay to leave it open. I have covered my face when I add too much makeup for a ladies meetings tho. Dont want men drooling over me thank you. Thats when Im on my way to the meetings that are all females.

Answer 4

It depends on who's interpreting them hon. For all the years I'd studied Islam, trying on hijab myself I never got a straight answer. I even experienced the guys in one masjid arguing amongst themselves about it because I liked the niqab, and some guys thought I was right and some thought I was being too "extreme". It was disheartening to say the least, but I still have respect for Islam though... via the ones who actually use it to cultivate altruism and wisdom.

_()_

Answer 5

the verses you provide which said "hang their scarfs/cloths/chaadar" God didn't say on faces , God didn't mention the face even if the writer said different. the word of God has a wide meaning. it can be covering the face or covering in general (ex. covering ur body). however the one who explain the verses is stating his own efforts of ex planing the verse. but God didn't say clearly to cover ur face.

women required to cover all her body except her face and her hand. and that's what women are required to do when they pray or go to pilgrim in Mecca.

Answer 6

Women wearing veils is not a solely Muslim thing; it's all in the Old Testament; even today in some christian churches, women are expected to cover their heads while attending church.

Answer 7

What our prophet Mohamed says that the women should cover all her body except her hands and her face.

Answer 8

i beleive this was only meant for the prophet's wives to cover their face well i think ur question has already been answered God bless and good luck

Answer 9

If the women is having a very ugly face...she must cover full.
If she is having a pretty pretty face...only use the head scarf.

Mohammed.