Fatwa #285336 March 2014United States of America
What is the awrah of a woman?
Question
From all of the Ulama e Huqq, i came to know that women must have cover whole body including face, hands and feet. but one of your fatwa saya the following.
Fatwa#: 28504
2) The awrah of a Muslim woman in front of a non Muslim woman is like that of a non-Mahram man, i.e. the whole body must be covered besides the hands, face and the feet.
I am really confused after reading this. can you please explain?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
We have reviewed Fatwa 28504, and have given the reference for our ruling as follows:
وَإِنَّمَا قَيَّدْنَا بِالْمُسْلِمَةِ؛ لِأَنَّ الذِّمِّيَّةَ كَالرَّجُلِ الْأَجْنَبِيِّ فِي الْأَصَحِّ إلَى بَدَنِ الْمُسْلِمَةِ كَمَا فِي الْمُجْتَبَى) مجمع الأنهر في شرح ملتقى الأبحر (2/ 539( (
The awrah of a Muslim woman in front of a non-Muslim woman is like that of a non-Mahram man, i.e. the whole body must be covered besides the hands, face and the feet
Also refer to additional reference from Sahih Hidayah in the footnotes.[1]
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Saeed Ahmed Golaub
Jamaica
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
[1] " وبدن الحرة كلها عورة إلا وجهها وكفيها " لقوله عليه الصلاة والسلام " المرأة عورة مستورة " واستثناء العضوين للابتلاء بإبدائهما.
قال رضي الله عنه: وهذا تنصيص على أن القدم عورة ويروى أنها ليست بعورة وهو الأصح " فإن صلت وربع ساقها أو ثلثه مكشوف تعيد الصلاة " عند أبي حنيفة ومحمد رحمهما الله " الهداية في شرح بداية المبتدي (1/ 45)