Istikharah Unites Us
The Early Hijrah

This is the Law of wearing a veil in view of 4 Madzhab.

Hanafi Madzhab.

The opinion of hanafi madzhab, the face of a woman is not aurat, but wearing a veil of law sunnah (recommended) and becomes mandatory if feared to cause slander.

★ Asy Syaranbalali says:

“The whole female body is aurat except the face and the inner palm as well as the outer palm, this is more shahih opinion and is our madzhab choice.” (Matan Nuurl Iidhah).

★ Al Allamah Al Hashkafi says:

“The letter of the woman in the prayer is like the aurat of a man. But the woman's face was opened while her head was not. If a woman wears something on her face or closes it, may, even be recommended.” (Ad Durr Al Mukhtar).

★ Al Allamah Ibn Najiim Says:

“Our madzhab clerics say that it is forbidden for young women to appear before men in our time, for fear of causing slander.” (Al Bahr Ar Raaiq).

Madzhab Maliki's.

Madzhab Maliki argues that a woman's face is not aurat, but wears a veil of the law sunnah (recommended) and becomes mandatory if feared to cause slander. Even some Maliki scholars think the whole body of a woman is aurat.

★ Az Zarqaani says:

“The letter of the woman in front of the ajnabi Muslim man is the whole body other than the face and palms. Even the beautiful sound is also aurat. While the face, the palms outside and inside, can be seen and seen by men even though the woman is still young either just looking or for medicinal purposes. Unless there is fear of slander or men seeing women for pleasure, the law is haram, just as it is haram to see amraad. This was also revealed by Al Faakihaani and Al Qalsyaani.” (Sharh Mukhtashar Khalil).

★ Ibn Arabi says:

“The woman is all aurat. Neither his body nor his voice. Must not show his face unless there is an emergency or urgent need such as testimony or treatment on his body, or we are questioned whether he is the person in question (in a matter).” (Ahkaamul Qur’an).

★ Al Qurtubi says:

“Ibn Juwaiz Mandad (he is a great cleric of Maliki) said: If a woman is beautiful and worried that her face and palms cause slander, she should close her vow. If she is an old woman or her face is ugly, may she show her face.” (Tafseer of the Qurthubi).

★ Al Hathab says:

“Be aware, if there is a fear of slander, the woman must cover her face and palms. This is said by Al Qadhi Abdul Wahhab, also mentioned by Shaykh Ahmad Zarruq in Syarhur Risaalah. And here's a more accurate opinion.” (Mawahib Jaliil).

★ Al Allamah Al Banaani, explains the opinion of Az Zarqani above:

“The opinion is also said by Ibn Marzuuq in the book of Ightimamul Furshah, he said: “This is the famous opinion in madzhab maliki.”

Al Hathab also quoted Al Qadhi Abdul Wahhab as saying that the law is mandatory. Some scholars Maliki mentioned the opinion that the law is not mandatory but men are obliged to subordinate his views. This opinion was taken by Mawwaq of Iyadh. Shaykh Zarruq in the book of Sharhul Waghlisiyyah details, if beautiful then mandatory, if not beautiful then sunnah.” (Hashiyah ‘Ala Sharh Az Zarqaani).

Madzhab Syafi’i.

Opinion madzhab Syafi‟i, aurat woman in front of men ajnabi (not mahram) is the whole body. So they require women to wear a veil in front of ajnabi men. This is the opinion of mu’tamad madzhab Syafi’i.

★ Asy Syarwani says:

“Women have three types of aurat, (1) Aurat in prayer (as described) that is the whole body except the face and palms. (2) Awra to the view of the male ajnabi, that is, the whole body including the face and palms, in the opinion of which mu’tamad. (3) Aurat when both together are mahram, just like men, which is between navel and thigh.” (Hashiiah Ash Sharwani ‘Ala Tuhfatul Muhtaaj).

★ Sheikh Sulaiman Al Jamal says:

★ Shaykh Muhammad bin Qaasim Al Ghazzi, author of Fathul Qaarib, says:

“All women's bodies besides face and palms are aurat. This is the aurat in prayer. As for outside of prayer, the woman's aurat is the whole body.” (Fathul Qaarib).

★ Ibn Qaasim Al Abadi said:

“It is mandatory for women to cover the entire body in addition to the face and palms, even though the cover is thin. And it is also mandatory to cover the face and palms, not because both are aurat, but because in general both tend to cause slander.” (Hasiah Ibn Qaasim ‘Ala Tuhfatul Muhtaaj).

★ Taqiyuddin Al Hushni, author of Kifaayatul Akhyaar, says:

“Makruh his law prays by wearing clothes that are pictorial or painting. Women wear the niqab (cadar) when praying. Unless in the mosque the condition is difficult to awake from the view of ajnabi men. If a woman is worried about being looked at by ajnabi man so as to inflict damage, her lawlessness releases the niqab (veil).” (Kifayatul Akhyaar).

Hambali Madzhab.

★ Imam Ahmad bin Hambal says:

“Each part of a woman's body is aurat, including her nails.” (Generic in Zaadul Masir).

★ Sheikh Abdullah bin Abdil Aziz Al Anqaari, author of Raudhul murbi’, says:

“Every part of a woman's body that is baligh is aurat, including the corner of her head. This opinion has been explained in the book Ar Ri’ayah, except the face, because the face is not aurat in prayer. Outside of prayer, all parts of the body are the aurat, including the face if in front of a man or in the presence of a sissy. If in front of fellow women, the aura is between the navel to the thigh.” (Raudhul Murbi).

★ Ibn Muflih said:

“Imam Ahmad said: ‘The meaning of the verse is, let not they (women) show their jewelry except to the person mentioned in ayat’. Abu Talib wrote an explanation from him (Imam Ahmad): ‘Kuku women including aurat. If they come out, they must not show anything even khuf (a kind of sock), because the khuf still shows the foot curve. And I prefer if they make some kind of button press in the hand part.” (Al Furu’).

★ Shaykh Muhammad bin Shalih Al Utsaimin says:

“Strong opinion in this matter is its legal obligation for women to cover the face than men ajnabi.” (Fatawa Nurun ‘Alad Darb).

From the above exposure, it is clear that wearing a veil (as well as a hijab) is not just a middle-eastern culture, but the Islamic culture and Islamic teachings that have been taught by Islamic scholars as the inheritors of the Prophets that give teachings to all Muslims, not just to the middle-eastern community. If indeed this Islamic culture has been considered as a local culture by the middle-timut community, then of course this is a good thing. Because it is right, a Muslim cultured Islam.

Before descending the verse that commands hijab or hijab, the culture of the Jahiliyyah Arab community is to show the aurat, preening if out of the house, dressed indecently or called tabarruj.

Therefore Allah Ta’ala says:

“And let you remain in your house, and do not adorn and (behave) as the Jahiliyyah did, and pray, fulfill the zakat, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Verily Allah intends to take away sin from you, O Ahlulbait, and cleanse you cleanly.” (Q.L. Al-ahzab :33).

And what is meant by jahiliyyah is the time when the Prophet Shallahu’alaihi Wasallam has not been sent. When Islam came, Islam changed this bad culture by ordering the women to hijab. When the verse came down to hijab, the Muslim women who believed in the Prophet Shallahu’alaihi Wasallam at once they looked for any cloth that could cover their aurat.

Aisha Radhiallahu anha said:

“(Women of Muhajirin), when descending this verse: ‘And let them cover the scabies to their chest (and neck).’ (Q.L. Al-Ahzab: 59 and An-Nuur: 31), they tore off their blankets then they veiled with it.” (H.R. Bukhari).

I also read a book called 50 Hadiths About Hijab, at first I thought this book was about hijab only, but it turns out I was wrong to judge it. This book contains the command of Allah subhanallahu wata’ala and Rasulullah Shallahu’alaihi Wassalam for women to close the aurat. Even the Prophet Shallahu’alaihi Wassalam ordered his wives to wear a veil even in front of the blind.

“And from Umm Salamah Radhiallahu’anha when he blurted beside the Prophet Shallahu’alaihi Wassalam with Maimunah Radhialhu’anha, suddenly appeared Abdullah bin Umm Maktum who was blind before them, then he came to the Prophet Shallahu’alaihi Wassalam (because he was blind unable to see, then we both did not immediately hijab ourselves. We remain seated by the side of the Prophet Shallahu’alaihi Wassalam). Prophet Shallahu’alaihi Wassalam said: ‘Take care of him’, I said ‘ya Rasulullah, is not he blind? He certainly did not see us’, Prophet Shallahu’alaihi Wassalam said: ‘Are you not both blind from him? Didn't you see it?” (H.R. Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud).

After I finished reading the book, my intention became stronger to wear a veil. But unfortunately, I was forced to postpone my intention because I had already signed up to a PT and I would soon become a factory worker in Malaysia. With a heavy heart I decided not to wear it immediately because in addition to strong intentions, I still do not have enough knowledge and also do not have a single cloth face cover (veil/niqab).