Removing the Headscarf
Question:
Can a Prospective Wife Show Her Hair to a Potential Husband Before Marriage?
The Fatwa
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
The Answer
It is not permissible for a female to uncover her hair to a potential husband.
The Fiqh of the Answer
There are two points that can be discussed under this question. The first is whether it is permissible for a prospective husband to look at his prospective wife. Imam al-Qudūrī (d.428 AH) mentions that it is permissible for a prospective husband to look at his prospective wife. [i] Imam al-Sarakhsī (d.490 AH) explains that this permissibility is because the purpose is to establish the Sunnah and facilitate marriage, rather than to fulfil one’s desires. Thus, even if a person experiences some degree of desire, this is considered secondary to the primary purpose of looking. [ii]
Imam al-Kāsānī (d.587 AH) further explains that the prospective spouses seeing one another is more conducive to fostering affection and compatibility between them, which in turn assists in fulfilling the objectives of marriage. [iii] The Qiyās (logic of the law) is that a man is not permitted to look at a non-Maḥram woman with desire, and he is commanded to lower his gaze in the Qur’an, “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their chastity”.[iv] However, the Fuqahāʾ have permitted looking in certain circumstances where there is a legitimate need, even if there is a possibility of desire. For example, a judge may look at a female witness when she is presented before him. Similarly, prospective spouses are permitted to look at one another. This is based upon Istihsān (principled exception), supported by the Ḥadīth in which the Messenger ﷺ encouraged al-Mughīrah ibn Shuʿbah (RA) to look at his prospective wife, as this would be a means of establishing compatibility and affection between them.
The second point concerns which parts of a non-Maḥram woman a man is permitted to look at. Imam al-Qudūrī (d.428 AH) mentions that it is not permissible for a man to look at a non-Maḥram woman except her face and hands. [v] If he experiences Shahwah, then it is not permissible for him to look at her face unless there is a genuine need. The Qiyās is that it is not permissible for a man to look at the body of a non-Maḥram woman. However, certain parts have been exempted due to Ḍarūrah (necessity). [vi]
Imam al-Marghīnānī (d.593 AH) explains that there is a necessity for a woman’s face and hands to remain uncovered because of her interaction with men in her day-to-day dealings. [vii] There is a difference of opinion among the Imams regarding whether additional parts of the body may be uncovered. One narration from al-Ḥasan ibn Ziyād from Imam Abū Ḥanīfa (d.150 AH) indicates that it is permissible for a woman to uncover her feet. [viii] Ibn Māzah al-Bukhārī (d.616 AH) explains that this is because a woman may walk barefoot or wear sandals, and it is not always possible for her to have a Khuff (foot covering) available to cover her feet at all times. Another Riwayah from Imam Abū Ḥanīfa (d.150 AH) mentions that it is not permissible to look at a woman’s feet. [ix] Imam al-Atqānī (d.758 AH) confirms that this is the Ẓāhir al-Riwāyah position of the Madhhab. [x]
Imam Abū Yūsuf (d.182 AH) mentions that it is permissible to look at a woman’s forearms, as they are generally exposed due to activities such as cooking and washing, and there is therefore a degree of necessity for them to remain uncovered. [xi]
Taking the above into consideration, the places of Zīnah (adornment) on a woman may only be uncovered when there is a genuine necessity. In the absence of such a necessity, it is not permissible to uncover them. Imam al-Atqānī (d.758 AH) mentions that a woman’s hair is also considered a place of Zīnah.[xii] Mufti Riḍā al-Ḥaq mentions that the Sharīʿah has granted permission to look at a woman in circumstances of Ḍarūrah, and this necessity can be fulfilled by looking at the face and hands. [xiii]
And Almighty Allah Alone Knows Best
Mawlānā Abdurrahman Sidat
Trainee Mufti
Reviewed and approved by
Mufti Asim Patel
Darul Iftaa Mu’adh Ibn Jabal
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[i] ومن أراد أن يتزوج امرأة فلا بأس بأن ينظر إليها وإن علم أنه يشتهيها
(مختصر القدوري)
[ii] وَلِأَنَّ مَقْصُودَهُ إقَامَةُ السُّنَّةِ لَا قَضَاءُ الشَّهْوَةِ، وَإِنَّمَا يُعْتَبَرُ مَا هُوَ الْمَقْصُودُ لَا مَا يَكُونُ تَبَعًا وَإِنْ كَانَ عَلَيْهَا ثِيَابٌ
(المبسوط للسرخسي)
[iii] لِأَنَّ النِّكَاحَ بَعْدَ تَقْدِيمِ النَّظَرِ أَدَلُّ عَلَى الْأُلْفَةِ وَالْمُوَافَقَةِ الدَّاعِيَةِ إلَى تَحْصِيلِ الْمَقَاصِدِ عَلَى مَا قَالَ النَّبِيُّ - عليه الصلاة والسلام - «لِلْمُغِيرَةِ بْنِ شُعْبَةَ - رضي الله عنه - حِينَ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَتَزَوَّجَ امْرَأَةً اذْهَبْ فَانْظُرْ إلَيْهَا فَإِنَّهُ أَحْرَى أَنْ يُؤْدَمَ بَيْنَكُمَا» دَعَاهُ - عليه الصلاة والسلام - إلَى النَّظَرِ مُطْلَقًا وَعَلَّلَ - عليه الصلاة والسلام - بِكَوْنِهِ وَسِيلَةً إلَى الْأُلْفَةِ وَالْمُوَافَقَةِ
(بدائع الصنائع)
[iv] 24:30
[v] ولا يجوز أن ينظر الرجل إلى الأجنبية إلا وجهها وكفيها
(مختصر القدوري)
[vi] الْقِيَاسُ أَنْ لَا يَجُوزَ نَظَرُ الرَّجُلِ إلَى الْأَجْنَبِيَّةِ مِنْ قَرْنِهَا إلَى قَدَمِهَا، إلَيْهِ أَشَارَ قَوْلُهُ ﷺ «الْمَرْأَةُ عَوْرَةٌ مَسْتُورَةٌ» ثُمَّ أُبِيحَ النَّظَرُ إلَى بَعْضِ الْمَوَاضِعِ وَهُوَ مَا اسْتَثْنَاهُ فِي الْكِتَابِ بِقَوْلِهِ (إلَّا وَجْهَهَا وَكَفَّيْهَا) لِلْحَاجَةِ وَالضَّرُورَةِ وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ اسْتِحْسَانًا
(العناية في شرح الهداية)
[vii]ولأن في إبداء الوجه والكف ضرورة لحاجتها إلى المعاملة مع الرجال أخذا وإعطاء وغير ذلك
(الهداية)
[viii] وروى الحسن عن أبي حنيفة رضي الله عنهما : أنه يجوز النظر إلى قدمها أيضاً ؛ لأنها تحتاج إلى إبداء قدمها إذا مشت حافية أو متنعلة، فإنها لا تجد الخف في كل وقت، وفي رواية أخرى عنه قال : لا يجوز النظر إلى قدمها
(المحيط البرهاني)
[ix] لأنها تحتاج إلى إبداء قدمها إذا مشت حافية أو متنعلة، فإنها لا تجد الخف في كل وقت
(المحيط البرهاني)
[x] وعَنْ أَصْحَابِنا روايتان في القَدَمِ : فَفِي ظَاهِرِ الرواية: لا يحلُّ النَّظر إليها ، ولا يُبَاحُ النَّظَرُ إِلَى غَيْرِ الوجه والكف
(غاية البيان)
[xi] وفي جامع البرامكة عن أبي يوسف : أنه يجوز النظر إلى ذراعيها أيضاً؛ لأنها تصير مبتلياً بإبداء ذراعيها عند الغسل والطبخ
(المحيط البرهاني)
[xii] ومواضع الزينة: الرَّأْسُ ؛ لأنه موضع الإكليل ، والشَّعْرُ ؛ لأنَّه موضعُ العِقَاصِ والدريهمات
(غاية البيان)
[xiii] شریعتِ مطہرہ نے بوقت ضرورت لڑکی کو دیکھنے کی اجازت دی ہے اور ضرورت چہرے اور کفین کو دیکھنے سے پوری ہو جاتی ہے، امام ابو یوسف رحمه الله کے نزدیک ذراعین کی بھی گنجائش ہے، اس سے تجاوز کرنے میں نہ ضرورت ہے اور اس کی اجازت ہے، لہذا بدن کے دیگر حصہ کو دیکھنے سے اجتناب کرنا ضروری ہے
(Fatwaa Darul Uloom Zakariyya 3:550)