Shield of Taqwā

For all the Muslim females who believe they can show the face, there’s 2 opinions if she’s obligated to cover her face when someone looks with desire, and that’s why one of our mashayikh stated the fatwā given in the Mālikī madhab due to corruption of times is that it’s wājib for all women to cover her face. Imām as-Sāwī al-Mālikī writes in his “Hashiyah ‘ala ash-Sharh al-Kabīr” (1/289): قَوْلُهُ: [غَيْرُ الْوَجْهِ وَالْكَفَّيْنِ] إلَخْ: أَيْ فَيَجُوزُ النَّظَرُ لَهُمَا لَا فَرْقَ بَيْنَ ظَاهِرِهِمَا وَبَاطِنِهِمَا بِغَيْرِ قَصْدِ لَذَّةٍ وَلَا وِجْدَانِهَا، وَإِلَّا حَرُمَ. وَهَلْ يَجِبُ عَلَيْهَا حِينَئِذٍ سَتْرُ وَجْهِهَا وَيَدَيْهَا؟ وَهُوَ الَّذِي لِابْنِ مَرْزُوقٍ قَائِلًا: إنَّهُ مَشْهُورُ الْمَذْهَبِ: أَوْ لَا يَجِبُ عَلَيْهَا ذَلِكَ، وَإِنَّمَا عَلَى الرَّجُلِ غَضُّ بَصَرِهِ؟ وَهُوَ مُقْتَضَى نَقْلِ الْمَوَّاقِ عَنْ عِيَاضٍ. وَفَصَّلَ زَرُّوقٌ فِي شَرْحِ الْوَغْلِيسِيَّةِ بَيْنَ الْجَمِيلَة - فَيَجِبُ - وَغَيْرِهَا فَيُسْتَحَبُّ (اهـ. مِنْ حَاشِيَةِ الْأَصْلِ) . فَإِذَا عَلِمْت ذَلِكَ فَقَوْلُ: [الشَّارِحِ وَإِنْ وَجَبَ عَلَيْهَا سَتْرُهُمَا] إلَخْ مُرُورٌ عَلَى كَلَامِ ابْنِ مَرْزُوقٍ “His statement: [“other than the face and the two hands”] etc. — meaning: it is permissible to look at them (i.e., the face and hands), with no difference between their ظاهر (outer side) and باطن (inner side), as long as it is without the قصد (intent) of desire and without experiencing it; otherwise, it is prohibited. And is it then obligatory upon her to cover her face and hands? This is what is held by Ibn Marzūq, saying that it is the well-known position of the madhhab. Or is it not obligatory upon her to do so, and rather it is upon the man to lower his gaze? This is what is implied by the transmission of al-Mawwāq from ʿIyāḍ. And Zarrūq made a distinction in “Sharḥ al-Waghlīsiyyah” between the beautiful woman — in which case it is obligatory — and other than her, in which case it is recommended (end quote, from the marginal notes of the original). So when you understand that, then the statement: [of the commentator: “even if it is obligatory upon her to cover them”] etc. is a passing reference to the كلام (statement) of Ibn Marzūq.” [End Quote of Sāwī]. This helps us understand the official Mālikī fatwā on why it's wājib to cover the face in corrupt times, as Imām ad-Dardīr al-Mālikī writes in his Sharh: (غَيْرُ الْوَجْهِ وَالْكَفَّيْنِ) : وَأَمَّا هُمَا فَلَيْسَا بِعَوْرَةٍ. وَإِنْ وَجَبَ عَلَيْهَا سَتْرُهُمَا لِخَوْفِ فِتْنَةٍ (“other than the face and the two hands”): “as for them, they are not ʿawrah. And even if it is obligatory upon her to cover them due to fear of fitnah.” And that’s the fatwā given in the Hanafī madhab as well (as-Sighnāqī cites that from his mashayikh), due to the corruption of times, the face becomes wājib to cover. However, because there’s a minority opinion she’s only recommended to cover the face in corrupt times (or if someone looks with desire), and therefore we can’t say covering the face is wājib by Ijmā’, thus it is impermissible to declare such sisters sinful. Although, honesty pertaining to knowledge is required by many mashayikh to clarify that the official Shāfi’ī and Hanbalī madhabs consider the face of a woman ‘Awrah, and that the official fatwā of Hanafī and Mālikī madhab is that the face is not ‘Awrah, but wājib to cover due to the widespread of corruption after the earlier generations. So it’s not correct for any shaykh to make it seem like covering the face is only a minority Hanbalī view, when it is in fact the majority view of every madhab and the minority view is to show the face and even that is not recommended. And Allāh knows best.

“The day of ‘Īd is not for the one who dresses in new clothing, rather ‘Īd is for the one whose obedience increases. The day of ‘Īd is not for the one who adorns himself with nice clothes and rides, rather ‘Īd is for the one whose sins have been forgiven. On the night of ‘Īd, liberation from Jahannam and forgiveness is distributed among the servants. So whoever attains something of it has an ‘Īd to celebrate, otherwise he is rejected and distanced (from Allāh).” — Imām Ibn Rajab (رحمه الله) in “Latā’if al-Ma’ārif” (page 371).

Imām Ibn Rajab (رحمه الله) said in “Latā’if al-Ma’ārif” (pg. 191): “O you who has wasted the years of his life, there is nothing that will amend those lost and wasted years except for the night of Al-Qadr, for verily its value is equivalent to that of a lifetime.” He also said in “Latā’if al-Ma’ārif” (pp. 294-295): “Servants of Allāh; indeed the month of Ramadān is resolute upon departure, and there does not remain from it except a little. So whoever from among you performed excellence in it – then upon him is completion, and whoever had been neglectful; then let him conclude it with a good outcome – since actions are by their final conclusions. Therefore savour of it from that which remains of the small number of nights and days, and see it off with righteous deeds so that it may be a witness for you by way of them before The King, The All-Knower, and bid it farewell upon its parting with the purest complement and salutation.”

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, “Whoever says this in the day with conviction and dies before evening, he will be among the people of Paradise. Whoever says this in the night with conviction and dies before morning, he will be among the people of Paradise.” [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6306]

#Important | Majority of the Salaf say it’s harām for a woman to recite Qur’ān during her menses, although if it’s difficult for some to implement or they fear forgetfulness, they may follow the Mālikī madhab which permits a woman to recite Qur’ān; Imām at-Tirmidhī in his “Sunan” (hadith #131) comments on the hadīth prohibiting a menses woman reciting Qur’ān; “And this is the view of most of the people of knowledge among the Companions of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), the Tābiʿīn, and those after them, such as Sufyān al-Thawrī, Ibn al-Mubārak, al-Shāfiʿī, Aḥmad, and Isḥāq. They said: The menstruating woman and the person in a state of major ritual impurity should not recite anything from the Qur’an.” The Mālikī fatwā is provided here by Al-ʿAllāmah al-Dardīr said in “al-Sharḥ al-Kabīr, with the Ḥāshiyah of al-Dasūqī” (1/125–126, Dār al-Fikr edition): “(Impurity) does not prevent the touching or carrying of a (dirham) or dīnār upon which there is Qur’an; thus it is permissible to touch it and carry it for one in a state of minor impurity, even major. (Nor) [does it prevent] (tafsīr); so it is permissible even for a junub. (Nor) [does it prevent] a (tablet for a teacher or learner) during the state of teaching and learning. And what is annexed to them of that which one is compelled to, such as carrying it to a house for example, is permitted due to hardship, (even if) each of the teacher and learner is (menstruating), not junub —because of his ability to remove his impediment, unlike the menstruating woman. (Nor) does it prevent touching or carrying a (portion), rather even a complete [muṣḥaf] according to the relied-upon opinion, (for a learner), and likewise a teacher according to the relied-upon opinion (even if he has reached puberty), or is menstruating, not junub.” End quote. Imām al-Nawawī said in “al-Majmūʿ Sharḥ al-Muhadhdhab” (2/163): “It is permissible for the person in a state of major ritual impurity (junub) and the menstruating woman to look into the muṣḥaf and to recite it in the heart without movement of the tongue, and there is no disagreement regarding this.” End quote. • Note; The hadīth from Rasūlullāh صلى الله عليه وسلم prohibiting a woman on menses reciting Qur’ān has weakness, although what may strengthen its weakness is the following; i) There are some other Isnāds, and some Imāms may view that sufficient to strengthen, while others won’t. Hence there is a valid Ijtihād. ii) Imām at-Tirmidhī cites this opinion of prohibiting reciting Qur’ān is narrated from most Sahābah and Tābi’īn, and many Imāms of Islām believe that uplifts the weakness of a narrator, as that’s a sign the weak narrator was accurate and precise in what he narrated. iii) Even if there’s no authentic hadīth from Rasūlullāh صلى الله عليه وسلم, if there’s no confirmed fatwā from Sahābah opposing what’s narrated from some Sahābah, then most Fuqahā’ consider that sufficient evidence to follow. Due to there being a difference of opinion in this matter, it is always best to follow the majority opinion to be on the safe side. So the safest option to follow for the menstruating woman is to avoid reciting the Qur’ān altogether and focus on other dhikr until she is purified, or she can look and ponder at the verses of the Qur’ān without directly touching it (using a phone or gloves) or reciting it.

“From the mannerisms of fasting is to not fill oneself up with food at night, rather he eats proportionately. For indeed, the son of Ādām does not fill a vessel worse than his stomach. Whenever he eats to his full at the beginning of the night [iftār time], he will not benefit from the remainder of the night. Similarly, if he eats to his full in the pre-dawn meal [suhūr], he will not benefit [with himself in terms of worship] till close to Dhuhr time. That is due to plentiful eating causing laziness and lethargy and then he misses the point of fasting, since the point is that he tastes hunger itself and is able to leave that which he desires [from plentiful food].” — Imām Ibn Qudāmah al-Hanbalī (رحمه الله) in his book “Mukhtasar Minhāj al-Qāsidīn” (pp. 37-41).

“Many women 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 how men biologically see them. If women knew how men looked at them, they would cover themselves with iron armor. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧. Yes, even a niqabi. Yes, even a modest woman. Not because she invited attention, but because men are wired to notice form before intention. Still, Niqab is the solution. How? Even if a man still looks, there is nothing left for him to consume. No beauty to fixate on. No features to dissect. No form to desire. Everything that attracts is covered. Niqab does not claim men won't look. 𝐈𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠. Don't be naive. Not every man fears Allah. Not every gaze is innocent. Not every smile is harmless. Islam does not command modesty because women are weak. It commands it because desire is real. 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗻𝗶𝗾𝗮𝗯. 𝗚𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳. 𝗢𝗯𝗮𝘆 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗮̄𝗵! Now listen! Predators exist. Weak men exist. Men without taqwa exist. That is why Islam builds layers of protection instead of pretending biology does not exist.. Allāh created men with strong visual desire. This is not evil. It is not shameful. It is design. Modern science confirms that male attraction is primarily visual and immediate. The eyes activate desire before emotion even enters. That is why Allāh commands men first: "Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their chastity." — 24:30 Islam does not deny desire. Islam disciplines it. Many women think, “He only looked." But a look in the male brain can already be possession without touch. Islam cut the problem at the root. This thread is not meant to scare women. It is meant to inform them. Allāh says: O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e. screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way). That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. And Allâh is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. — 33:59 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 A man who stares sins regardless of how a woman dresses. 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐦 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐧𝐚𝐢𝐯𝐞. If you're fully covered, you are not to blame nor do you carry any sin if men look at you. Why did Allah tell men/women to lower gaze? Neurologically, the first glance triggers dopamine. 𝐃𝐨𝐩𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 strengthens wanting. Repeated looks deepen fixation. This is why the Prophet warned that the gaze is dangerous. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said “The glance is a poisoned arrow of Shaytaan. Whoever lowers his gaze for the sake of Allah, He will grant him sweetness of faith that he will find in his heart.” [Hakim (4/313), Ahmad, Tabaraani]” – Shared.

*Advise to the sisters* Realise that the true Muslimah has a different purpose in this dunyā. Her purpose is to only live for Allāh, to worship and obey Him, to work for this Dīn and raise high the word of Allāh, and to raise those who will become Imāms of this ummah بإذن الله! So be content with who you are, do not get deceived by the filth which is showcased to you, nothing this dunyā has to offer you is worth losing Jannah for. Part of the wisdom behind not getting everything we desire in this dunyā is so we yearn for Jannah even more. If we were to get everything we want then maybe we would hate to leave this dunyā and would hate meeting Allāh due to our attachments wal-‘Iyāthubillāh! So raise your standards and don’t ever compromise your Dīn for a small worldly gain – copying those who have no faith, as you have a higher purpose and Allāh has honoured you! Remember that the best thing a Muslimah can do is keep herself hidden and live to please Allāh only.