Understanding the Face Veil (Niqaab) and Hajj
Compiled by Umm ‘AbdirRahmaan Tara Hashim 1445/2024
بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم
Allaah commanded women to wear hijab in the Qur’aan:
َ َ َ َ َ َّ
َٰٓ َٰ َٰ َ َ َّ ََ َ ُ َ ُ ٓ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ ُ ُّ َّ َ ُّ َ َٰٓ َ
جك وبنات ِك ون ِسا ِء ٱلمؤ ِمن ِين يدنِين علي ِهن مِن جلبِيب ِ ِهنَّۚ ذل ِك أدنى أن ِ َٰ ﵟيأيها ٱلن ِبي قل ل ِأزو
ٗ َّ ٗ ُ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ َ ُ
ﵙﵕﵜ: ﵞ ﵝالأح َزاب٥٩ يعرفن فلا يؤذين َۗ وكان ٱَّلل غفورا رحِيما
َ
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.
[Surah al-Ahzaab 33:59]
َۖين َت ُه َّن إلَّا َما َظ َه َر مِنها
َ ِين ز َ ضض َن مِن َأب َصَٰره َِّن َو َيح َفظ َن فُ ُر
َ وج ُه َّن َولَا ُيبد ُ َ َٰ َ ُ
غ ي ت ِنمؤ م ِل ل لق
َُ
ﵟو
ِ ِ ِ ِ
َ َّ َ ُ ُ ٓ َ َ َ َّ ٓ َ َ َ َّ َ ُ َّ َّ ُ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َّ ُ ُ َ َ َّ ُ ُ َ
َول َيض ِربن ِبخم ِرهِن عل َٰى جيوب ِ ِهنۖ ولا يبدِين زِينتهن إِلا ل ُِبعولتِ ِهن أو ءابائ ِ ِهن أو ءابا ِء بعولتِ ِهن أو
َ َ َ َ َ َّ ٓ َ َ َّ َ َ َ ٓ َ َ َّ َ ٓ َ َ َّ َ َ َّ َ ُ ُ ٓ َ َ َ َّ ٓ َ َ
َٰ َٰ َٰ
أبنائ ِ ِهن أو أبنا ِء بعولتِ ِهن أو إِخون ِ ِهن أو بنِي إِخون ِ ِهن أو بنِي أخوت ِ ِهن أو ن ِسائ ِ ِهن أو ما ملكت
ََ ٓ َ َ َ ََٰ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ َ َّ َ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ َّ َ َّ ُ ُ َ َ
َ
ت ٱلنِسا ِءِۖ ولا ِ َٰ ٱلطف ِل ٱلذِين لم يظهروا على عور ِ ِٱلرجا ِل أوِ أيمَٰنهن أوِ ٱلتَٰب ِ ِعين غي ِر أولِى ٱل ِإربةِ مِن
ُ َّ َ َ َ ُ ُ َ ُّ َ ً َ َّ َ ْ ٓ ُ ُ َ َّ َ َ ُ َ َ َ ُ َّ ُ َ َ
يَض ِربن بِأرجل ِ ِهن ل ِيعلم ما يخفِين مِن زِينت ِ ِهنَّۚ وتوبوا إِلى ٱَّللِ جمِيعا أيه ٱلمؤمِنون لعلكم
َ ُ ُ
ُّ ﵞ٣١ ِحون
ﵑﵓﵜ: ﵝالنور تفل
“And tell the believing women to lower their gaze, and protect their private parts and not to show off their
adornment except only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils all over their bodies, faces, necks and
chest and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their
sons, their husband's sons, their brothers or their brother's sons, or their sister's sons, or their (Muslim)
women, or the (female) slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigour, or
small children who have no sense of shame. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they
hide of their adornment. And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be
successful”.
[Sura an-Noor 24:31]
Some scholars say that covering the face is obligatory (outside of ihram Hajj) and others say it is
recommended.
During Hajj a Muslim enters the sacred state of ‘ihram’ for a certain time period and there are specific rules
to follow. The man wears two pieces of cloth only and is not allowed to wear clothes sewn specifically for
the body or cover his head.
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A woman’s ihram clothing is different to the man’s. She can wear her ordinary clothes except for the niqab
and gloves. One of the wisdoms in this is to resemble the people on the Day of Judgement who will be
resurrected and stand naked waiting for Judgement.
If a woman holds the opinion that niqab is obligatory, then she removes the item of clothing that is the
‘niqab’ sewn specifically for the face with holes in but when men are around, she ‘covers’ her face in a
different way (using her khimar scarf or jilbab).
Covering the face can take different forms. Not wearing the ‘niqab’ does not mean that you cannot ‘cover
your face’ in other ways.
The English word ‘face veil’ that is commonly used, is general with the meaning of ‘hiding/covering’ the face
with a piece of material. This is where the confusion lies. How can you be told not to cover your face (with a
niqab) and then to cover your face (with a jilbaab or khimaar)?
ِ َّ الَ تَتَ َنقas “Do not cover your face.”
Unfortunately in all of the translated ahadith I looked at, they translated ب
Instead of “Do not use a ‘niqab’ to cover your face” specifically.
In many fiqh and hadith books translated into English, regarding Hajj and Umrah, they call the niqab ‘face
veil’ which gives the false impression that you cannot cover your face at all in ihraam. This is clearly not the
case as there are narrations that mention the wives of the Prophet ﷺand those of the Companions
‘covering their faces by allowing their jilbaab to fall over their faces’ when the men came near them. So
what is not allowed is the specific piece of clothing sewn for the face with holes for the eyes, which is the
’niqab’ and the ‘burqa’ (see number 10 and 11 below).
In Arabic there are specific names for different ways of covering the face, head and body.
The Arabic roots of some of these words are:
خ م رTo cover, conceal. (Khimaar) This root is also the root for khamr which is alcohol: something that
covers the intellect.
ن ق بTo have holes in (the niqaab).
ح ج بTo screen, cover. (Hijaab).
1. Khimaar خمارA piece of cloth used to cover the head, neck and chest and can be used to cover the
face too.
(Modern usages add ‘Khimaar Misri’ Egyptian Circle scarf which is sewn from neck downwards to
waist or longer (thicker material), with niqab added on top outside of ihraam; ‘Khimaar Kuwaiti’
(thinner material) Kuwaiti head abayah that is 2/3 the length of a Saudi head abayah and is open at
the neck with a rectangular scarf needed underneath and the niqab going underneath the khimar
outside of ihram. ‘Malaysian khimaar’ etc).
2. Tarhah طرحةA piece of cloth used to cover the head, neck and chest and can be used to cover the
face too. (Same as khimar).
3. Shaylah شيلةA piece of cloth used to cover the head, neck and chest and can be used to cover the
face too. (Same as khimar).
4. Mindeel منديلA piece of cloth used to cover the head, neck and chest and can be used to cover the
face too. (Same as khimar). (The word ‘mindeel’ is used in Jordan and Syria). In other countries
mindeel refers to a ‘tissue/kleenex’.
5. Jilbaab جلبابA wide, long piece of cloth that goes over the khimar scarf on the head and covers the
whole body from head to toe. It can have wide sleeves nowadays. In Saudi, Yemen and the Gulf,
the jilbaab is head to toe. However, in other Muslim countries the word jilbaab refers to a ‘coat’ that
starts from the shoulders to the ground.
6. Tasdeel/sadl تسديل سدلThe verb ‘to hang down’ ‘fall down’ ‘pull down’ over the face.
7. Rida رداءwide cloth starts from the head and covers the whole body.
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8. Abayah عباية عباءةis similar to the jilbaab but it can start from the head or from the shoulders.
9. Niqaab نقابA piece of cloth, specifically sewn to fit the face, with one or two holes for the eyes to
see through. Today they have two ties, velcro or fasteners to hold it in place. It has a band above
the eyes and it can come with one or two extra pieces of cloth attached. It can also come with a flap
to partly cover the eyes. Women usually pull up the niqab when they do not need to cover their
faces.
10. Burqa’ برقعIt is like the jilbaab mentioned above that starts from the head to the toes with a ‘built in’
niqaab that covers the face completely but it has a mesh over the eye space. Today it is mostly seen
in Afghanistan and it comes in pastel colours, although there is an Egyptian lyrca version that has a
built-in piece under the chin which can be pulled up to cover the face.
11. Ghitaa غطاءA covering made from any piece of material or cloth.
12. Ghutwa طوة ْ غ
ُ A covering made from any piece of material or cloth.
13. Lithaam لِثامA square or rectangular piece of material that is used to cover the face from under the
eyes downwards. It can have ties or elastic. It is usually pulled down to reveal the face when not
needed. (There is no band above the eyes like the niqab).
Ahadeeth mentioning Women not wearing Niqab but covering her face in Ihraam
`Abdullah bin `Umar رضي هللا عنهnarrated that a person stood up and asked,
"O Allah's Messenger !ﷺWhat clothes may be worn in the state of Ihram?" The Prophet ( )ﷺreplied, "Do not
wear a shirt or trousers, or any headgear (e.g. a turban), or a hooded cloak; but if somebody has no shoes
he can wear leather socks provided they are cut short off the ankles, and also, do not wear anything
perfumed with wars or saffron,
and a woman in the state of Ihram should not wear a niqab (face cloth sewn with holes for the eyes), or
wear gloves."
َ َّ َوالَ ت َ ْلب َِس ا ْلقُف،ُحْر َمة
.ازي ِْن ِ ب ا ْل ُم
ِ َّالَ تَتَنَق
َاإلحْ َر ِام فَقَا َل ال َّن ِبي صلى هللا عليه وسلم " ال ِ ب فِي ِ الث َيا
ِ َس مِ ن َ َّللا َماذَا تَأ ْ ُم ُرنَا أ َ ْن ن َْل َب ُ ام َر ُج ٌل فَقَا َل َيا َر
ِ َّ سو َل َ َع َم َر ـ رضى هللا عنهما ـ قَا َل ق َ ع ْن
ِ َّ ع ْب ِد
ُ َّللا ب ِْن َ
ش ْيئًا
َ سوا ْ ْ
ُ َوالَ تَل َب،ط ْع أ ْسفَ َل مِ نَ ال َك ْع َبي ِْنَ ْ ْ ْ ْ
َ َول َي ْق، فَل َيل َب ِس ال ُخفَّي ِْن،ستْ لَهُ َن ْعالَ ِن َ َ
َ ِس إِالَّ أ ْن َي ُكونَ أ َح ٌد لَ ْي ْ ْ
َ َوالَ ال َب َران،ت َوالَ العَ َمائ َِم ِ َيص َوالَ الس ََّرا ِويال ْ
َ ِسوا القَم ُ ت َْل َب
َع ْق َبةَ َو ُج َوي ِْر َيةُ َوا ْب ُن ِإ ْس َحاق
ُ ِيم ب ِْنَ ع ْق َبةَ َو ِإ ْس َماعِي ُل ْب ُن ِإب َْراه ُ سى ْب ُن َ تَا َب َعهُ ُمو." ب ْال َم ْرأَة ُ ْال ُمحْ ِر َمةُ َوالَ ت َْل َب ِس ْالقُفَّازَ ي ِْن ِ َوالَ تَ ْنتَ ِق،س ُ َوالَ ْال َو ْر،ٌسهُ زَ ْعف ََران َّ َم
َّ ُ ْ ْ
. َوالَ تَل َب ِس القفازَ ي ِْن،حْر َمة ُ ْ
ِ ب ال ُم َّ ُ
ِ س َوكَانَ َيقو ُل الَ تَتَ َنق ٌ َّللا َوالَ َو ْر
ِ َّ ع َب ْي ُد َّ ُ ْ
ُ َوقَا َل.ب َوالقفازَ ي ِْن ِ النقَا ِ فِي
Sahih al-Bukhari 1838.
Aisha رضي هللا عنهاnarrated that riders would pass by us when we accompanied the Messenger of Allah ()ﷺ
while we were in the sacred state of ihram. When they came by us, one of us would let down her outer
garment from her head over her face, and when they had passed on, we would uncover our faces.
س َدلَتْ ِإحْ دَانَا ِج ْل َبا َب َها مِ ْن َرأْ ِس َها ِإلَى َوجْ ِه َها فَإِذَا
َ َّللا صلى هللا عليه وسلم ُمحْ ِر َماتٌ فَإِذَا َحاذَ ْوا ِبنَا ُ قَالَتْ كَانَ الر ْك َبا ُن َي ُمرونَ ِبنَا َونَحْ ُن َم َع َر،َشة
ِ َّ سو ِل َ ع ْن
َ عا ِئ َ
ْ
. ُشفنَاهَ او ُزونَا َك
َ َج
Abu Dawood 1833. There is weakness in the hadith but Shaykh al-Albani raised it to hasan due to similar
hadith.1
1 Jilbaab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah p107. وسنده حسن في الشواهد
وهو الهاشمي القرشي- اسناده ضعيف لضعف يزيد بن أبي زياد-.
هو ابن جبر المخزومي موالهم: ومجاهد، هو ابن بشير السلمي:هشيم.
بهذا اإلسناد، م) من طريقين عن يزيد بن أبي زياد2935( ) و2935( وأخرجه ابن ماجه.
( "وهو في "مسند أحمد24021).
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Important Points:
1. All scholars hold that the ‘niqab’ is one of the prohibitions of Ihraam for a woman as is mentioned in
an authentic hadith. So a Muslim woman should not wear this type of face veil with the holes in it
sewn specifically for the face.
2. All scholars hold that a woman can cover her face with something other than a niqaab if there are
men around and some scholars hold it to be compulsory to do so (See the hadith mentioning the
wives covering when riders came near them). Others say it is recommended.
3. Any other cloth can be used, whether it is her jilbaab, khimaar, or a separate piece of cloth.
4. The best way to do this, is ‘sadl’ allowing the material to fall from above, down over her face as is
mentioned in the hadith.
5. Other ways of using this material to cover has also been mentioned by scholars as being
permissible. However, there are differences of opinion on what is allowed and what is not.
6. Some say this cloth cannot be tied, pinned or fixed (Shaykh al-Albaani, Shaykh Fawzaan and
others). Shaykh al-Albaani did not allow the cloth to be tied or fixed.
[Link]
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7. Shaykh Fawzaan said there was no need to pin the face cloth.
[Link]
8. Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Uthaymeen allows the woman to pin or tie it so that it protects her
face from being seen which he sees as awrah. Just like the man is allowed to fix the lower izar in
case it falls.
هل يجوز للمحرمة ربط غطاء الوجه من الخلف؟ الكافي في فقه اإلمام أحمد...
[Link]
9. It is mentioned that Imaam Ahmad did not allow the cloth to come from bottom up, only top down.
10. Scholars allow the cloth to touch the face. They say it is not allowed to use a baseball cap brim to
prevent the cloth from touching the face.
11. She can cover her face with a blanket when she sleeps.
12. A face mask instead of niqab is not allowed as it is sewn specifically for the face.
13. A burqa is a jilbaab with a built in niqab. It is also prohibited to wear it as a woman in ihraam. Any of
the long, round scarves that have a built-in chin piece which serves as a niqaab could also come
under this category if it is sewn specifically to cover the face. It is usually made from stretchy
material to accommodate the face. Allah knows best.
14. Scholars of fiqh have said that the ihram for a woman is in the face (the niqab) and resembles the
prohibition of the man covering his head (turban or other than that).
15. Some women think that if they cover the holes of their niqaab with another layer that it is
permissible to still wear that niqaab in ihram. This is incorrect. It is still a niqaab and must be
removed.
16. Shaykh Uthaymeen was asked about a woman with poor eyesight (the niqaab with holes is easier
to see through, than a piece of cloth that covers the eyes completely). He told her not to use the
niqaab and to hold the hand of her sister, daughter etc.
There are differences of opinion due to fiqh jurisprudence issues, taking matters literally versus analogy,
what leads to haram is also haram and closing the doors to evil.
Allaah knows best.
@utrujjahpress [Link]
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Sources used:
تبصير المناسك بأحكام المناسك عبد المحسن بن حمد العباد البدر •
قبس من األفنان الندية اليضاح مناسك الحج المروية زيد بن محمد بن هادي المدخلي •
مناسك الحج والعمرة محمد ناصر الدين األلباني •
األفضلية لستر المرأة وجهها وكفيها ال لكشفهما -حسانة األلباني •
الشرح الممتع على زاد المستقنع شيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين vol. 7 •
العدة شرح العمدة بهاء الدين عبد الرحمن ابن إبراهيم المقدسي •
نيل األوتار نيل األوطار شرح منتقى األخبار من احاديث سيد األخيار لإلمام محمد ابن علي ابن محمد الشوكاني •
vol. 3
إجابة السائل على أهم المسائل ابن عبد الرحمن مقبل بن هادي الوادعي •
المقنع •
الشرح الكبير •
اإلنصاف •
مجموع فتاوى ابن تيمية رحمه هللا •
عون المعبود •
لسان العرب •
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