Women can take off her Hijab in front of close family and elderly women, but should keep their hijab on around others, like non-mahram men, to maintain privacy and respect. It’s a way of living with grace and integrity, guided by Quranic teachings and tradition, ensuring every glance and interaction reflects values cherished deeply.
The hijab is a significant aspect of Islamic faith and culture, representing modesty, privacy, and moral conduct. Understanding when it is permissible for a woman to remove her hijab is crucial for observing Islamic guidelines while navigating various social contexts.
The guidelines for wearing and removing the hijab in Islam are based on Quranic verses and Hadiths. These guidelines allow flexibility based on cultural contexts, safety considerations, and personal circumstances, helping Muslim women practice their faith thoughtfully and respectfully.
Table of Contents
Brief overview of the hijab and its significance in Islam
The Muslim woman is obliged to wear shar‘i hijab (hijab as prescribed in Islamic teachings) in obedience to Allah and His Messenger, and to protect and maintain her honor, good conduct, religious commitment, and purity.
The hijab is more than just a piece of clothing; it is a significant aspect of Islamic practice representing modesty, privacy, and moral conduct. The concept of hijab is rooted in the Quran and Hadith, emphasizing modesty for both men and women.
Evidence of Hijab from the Quran and Sunnah
The evidence from the Quran and Sunnah establishes the requirement for Muslim women to wear the hijab, emphasizing modesty and respect. These guidelines are integral to Islamic teachings and practice.
Quranic Evidence For Hijab
Surah An-Nur (24:31):
سورة النور: ﴿وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا ۖ وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّ﴾.
Translation:
“And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests…”
Explanation: This verse instructs Muslim women to dress modestly, covering their beauty except for what is necessary, and to draw their veils over their chests.
Surah Al-Ahzab (33:59):
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُلْ لِأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ جَلابِيبِهِنَّ ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَنْ يُعْرَفْنَ فَلا يُؤْذَيْنَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا
Translation:
O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused…”
Explanation: This verse emphasizes the importance of modest dress to ensure women are recognized as respectable and to prevent harm.
Evidence from the Sunnah For Hijab
Hadith of Aisha (RA):
Narration: Aisha (RA) reported that Asma, the daughter of Abu Bakr (RA), entered upon the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) wearing thin clothes. The Messenger (PBUH) turned his attention from her and said:
“O Asma, when a girl reaches the age of menstruation, it is not proper that anything should be seen except this and this,” pointing to his face and hands. (Abu Dawood)
Explanation: This hadith highlights the importance of covering the body, with exceptions made for the face and hands.
Hadith of Umm Salamah (RA):
Narration: Umm Salamah (RA) reported that she asked the Prophet (PBUH) whether a woman can pray in a long shirt (like a nightgown) and headcover without a lower garment. He replied:
“If the shirt is long and flowing and covers the top of her feet.” (Abu Dawood)
Explanation: This hadith emphasizes the need for women to cover their bodies adequately, particularly during prayer.
The evidence from the Quran and Sunnah establishes the requirement for Muslim women to wear the hijab, emphasizing modesty and respect. These guidelines are integral to Islamic teachings and practice.
Who Can See a Woman Without a Hijab?
There’s been a large debate recently over who can see a woman without a hijab, although Islam’s rulings are pretty clear about it. However, with the huge global diversity, not all women have the same access to these rulings and their jurists.
Generally, women can sit without a hijab in front of mahram men who are prohibited from marrying her.
The word ‘mahram’ means permanently unmarriageable, a man who’s prohibited from marrying that woman because of a blood relation, an in-law relation, or any other reason that we’ll discuss below.
1- Close Family
The mahram men in your close family include your father, brothers, and grandfathers on both sides. All these men can see you without a hijab because they’re your mahrams.
If you have a step-father, he, too, is considered a mahram and can see you without a hijab because he’s prohibited from marrying you.
As for step-brothers, there’s been a debate about that.
If you and your step-brother share the same mother, then he’s a half-brother rather than a step-brother, which means he’s a mahram, and you can reveal your hair in front of him. However, if your step-brother is merely your step-father’s son, and you don’t share any blood relation, then he’s not a mahram. You should maintain your hijab in front of him.
2- The Rest of the Family
The other family members who can see you without a hijab are your uncles on both sides. However, only your uncles can see you without a hijab; their sons—your cousins—can’t because they’re not prohibited from marrying you. So, they’re not considered mahrams.
Other than your uncles, your mother’s or father’s uncles—on both sides—are your mahrams, so you can take your hijab off in front of them as well. A woman’s brother is a mahram to her and all her progeny, including her children and grandchildren.
3- Marital Family
The most obvious person in your marital family who can see you without a hijab is your husband. However, that’s not it. Your father-in-law can see you without a hijab as well because he’s your mahram.
However, your husband’s brothers aren’t your mahrams, so you’ll have to keep the hijab on in front of them. The same goes for your husband’s brothers-in-law.
4- Milk Brothers and kinship
A lot of people don’t know that there’s such a thing as milk brothers in Islam. If it’s your first time hearing about it, milk brother means a man who got breastfed by your mother. Or, a man whom you breastfed from his mother.
When a man and a woman have been breastfed by the same woman, they’re considered milk siblings, and they’re permanently unmarriageable, which means the man is a mahram.
According to Bukhari (2645), the Prophet Muhammed said (It is forbidden to breastfeed what is forbidden from parentage). In other words, your milk brother gets the same treatment in Islam as your actual brother. You can’t marry him, and you don’t have to wear your hijab in front of him.
There’s been a debate on this topic regarding your milk brother’s brothers. Are they mahrams too?
No, Islam’s rulings are clear about this. Only your milk brother is a mahram. Neither his father nor his brothers are. In other words, it’s permissible for you to marry one of his brothers, and you can’t take your hijab off in front of them.
5- All Women
It’s a no-brainer that Islam’s hijab rulings don’t apply to women. You can take your hijab off in front of any woman whatsoever.
However, there’s been a debate about women from other religions or kaafir women. Some Muslims think that you can only take your hijab off in front of Muslim women, but that’s not true.
According to the more correct of the two scholarly views in Islam, all women are treated the same with it comes to hijab. So, it’s not obligatory to wear your hijab in front of any woman.
That’s unless you suspect that a woman is taking your pictures or describing you in an unethical way to a stranger man. In that case, your sake should keep wearing your hijab, but you’re not obligated to do so by Islam.
What Can a Woman Reveal in Front of Her Mahrams?
A woman can sit without a hijab in front of her mahrams, but that doesn’t mean she can wear too revealing clothes. There are still some guidelines to abide by, especially if the woman doesn’t trust all her mahrams.
According to Shaykh Muhammad Saalih ibn ‘Uthaymeen, a woman can reveal her face, neck, arms, calves, and feet in front of her mahrams. However, she should cover the rest of her body to prevent unnecessary reactions.
Rulings on hijab for elderly women in Islam?
In Islam, elderly women generally refer to those who have reached advanced age, often past menopause, and are usually considered to be at a stage of life in which certain social and religious expectations have been modified.
Older women may have more flexible rules regarding hijab. Surah An-Nur (24:60) states that it is not a sin for old women to remove their clothes unless they display their beauty.
Who Cannot See a Woman Without a Hijab and Why?
Non-mahram men, or those who a woman can potentially marry, should not see her without a hijab to uphold modesty and privacy. This includes strangers, male friends, colleagues, and brothers-in-law.
The guidelines help maintain respect and moral conduct by Islamic values, protecting the dignity and integrity of women by fostering a community based on respect and proper interaction.
What are the Non-Mahram Men?
Non-mahram men are those who a woman can theoretically marry. They should not see a woman without her hijab to maintain modesty and prevent unnecessary interaction that could lead to inappropriate behavior or thoughts. This includes:
- Strangers: Men who are not related by blood or marriage.
- Male Friends and Acquaintances: Any man who is not classified as mahram.
- Male Colleagues: Coworkers and others in a professional setting.
- Brothers-in-Law: While they may be considered family, they are not mahram, and thus, the rules of modesty still apply.
The guidelines aim to uphold modesty and privacy. Ensuring that non-mahram men do not see a woman without her hijab, maintains respect and prevents inappropriate interactions. These rules protect a woman’s dignity and integrity, fostering a community where respect and moral conduct are prioritized.
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Can a woman sit without a hijab in front of her half-brother?
Yes, a half-brother—brother from the same mother—is a mahram, so he can see his sister without a hijab. However, the same doesn’t apply to step-brothers who don’t share a blood relation.
Can a woman sit without a hijab in front of her brother-in-law?
No, a brother-in-law isn’t a mahram, so she must wear her hijab in front of him.
Can a woman sit without a hijab in front of her stepfather?
Yes, a step-father is permanently unmarriageable for a woman, so she can take off her hijab when he’s around.
Can a woman sit without a hijab in front of her stepmother’s brothers?
No. A stepmother’s brothers don’t get the same treatment in Islam as uncles. They’re not mahrams because they don’t share a blood relation, and they’re strangers, so they can’t see you without a hijab.
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Conclusion
Muslim women are obligated to wear the shar‘i hijab as prescribed in Islamic teachings, safeguarding their honor, religious commitment, and purity. Women can reveal their hijab in front of mahram men—those who are permanently unmarriageable—such as fathers, brothers, and sons, as well as in front of elderly women, but should maintain modesty guidelines even with them.
Non-mahram men, including strangers, male friends, colleagues, and brothers-in-law, should not see a woman without her hijab to uphold modesty and respect Islamic values, ensuring dignity and integrity are preserved.
