Question:
Salaam
Kindly explain to me if the purdah is compulsory on a woman, as I get different views from people and how is it different from only wearing the abaya and headscarf?
Answer:
Wa ‘alaikumus salaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh
Respected Sister
Apart from covering the rest of the body, it is necessary for a woman to conceal her face from strange (non-mahram) men.
The details in this regard are many. However, to understand the matter briefly, consider the following two verses of the Quraan Majeed.
1. Allah Ta‘ala says: “O Nabi, say to your wives, daughters and the women of the Believers that they should lower their “jilbaab” upon themselves” (Al-Ahzaab v59). In order to truly understand the meaning of this injunction, the best people to refer to are the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum). In a lengthy incident narrated in Saheeh Bukhaari (#4141) it is reported that once during a journey Sayyidah ‘Aaisha (radhiyallahu ‘anha) had fallen asleep while alone in a deserted place. A Sahaabi (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) passing by saw her and immediately recited “inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raaji‘oon” aloud. She states: “His recitation of “inna lillah” awakened me and I immediately covered my face with my jilbaab”. Thus the purpose of the jilbaab is apparent that it was meant to cover the head and also the face from non-mahram men. Furthermore, the fact that Sayyidah ‘Aaisha (radhiyallahu ‘anha) first and foremost covered her face in the presence of a stranger clearly displays the understanding that she had of the said verse.
2. Allah Ta‘ala commands the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) with regards to the Ummahaatul Mu’mineen (the pure wives of Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) thus: “And when you ask them for any necessity, do so from behind a curtain. That is purer for your hearts and their hearts” (Al-Ahzaab v53). In order to understand this verse clearly, reflect upon the status of the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) and the Ummahatul Mu’mineen. The Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) are those personalities who received the certificate of the pleasure of Allah Ta‘ala in the Quraan Majeed while they walked on the surface of the earth. The Ummahaatul Mu’mineen, the chaste wives of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and the mothers of all the Believers have a very sublime position. Their purity was of the highest level. Yet, in order to serve as a lesson to mankind till the Day of Qiyaamah, the Quraan Majeed instructs them to maintain the curtain between them if they have to communicate due to a genuine necessity. This screen, the Quraan declares, is purer for their hearts. Can anyone in this belated fifteenth century claim to be even more pure that this Quraanic injunction should not apply to him/her?
May Allah Ta‘ala grant us the true understanding of the spirit of deen, aameen.
And Allah Ta‘ala knows best
Uswatul Muslimah Panel of Ulama