Is it true that the Quran commands the Niqab?

Quran

Hadith

Islamic Text

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind

Short Answer

No, it is not true that the Quran commands the Niqab according to leading Hanafi Imams. Rather they held the opposite to be true. Namely, the Quran allows a woman to uncover her face.

Explanation
يَاأَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُلْ لِأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ جَلَابِيبِهِنَّ ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَنْ يُعْرَفْنَ فَلَا يُؤْذَيْنَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا

O Prophet, tell your wives, your daughters and the women of the believers to bring their garments over them. That makes it more likely that they will be recognised and not be harmed. (Surah al-Ahzab, 59).

Some scholars mention the above verse as proof for the fact that the Quran commands the Niqab. However, the verse is not clear regarding that. Thus, many leading scholars did not agree with this view. Therefore, it is not acceptable to say that the verse above is unequivocal evidence for the obligation of the face veil (Niqab).

Imam al-Maturidi

Imam al-Maturidi is amongst the prominent scholars who did not believe the verse above commands the face veil (Niqab). Rather he cites the verse when asserting the face and hands do not need to be covered but the rest of the body does. Hence, he seems to believe that the verse is proof that the Quran permits a woman to uncover her face.

وأحسن للشابة وأفضل لها أن تستر وجهها ويديها عن الرجال ليس لأن ذلك حرام وإليها معصية، ولكن لما يخاف في ذلك من حدوث الشهوة، ووقوع الفتنة بها، فإذا لم يكن للناظر في ذلك شهوة بأن كان شيخًا كبيرًا، أو كانت المرأة دميمة، أو عجوزًا فإنه لا يحظر النظر إلى وجوه أمثالهن، ولا ينظر إلى ما سوى ذلك، وأصله قول اللَّه تعالى: يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُلْ لِأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ جَلَابِيبِهِنَّ ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَنْ يُعْرَفْنَ فَلَا يُؤْذَيْنَ. (تفسير الماتريدي)

It is best and superior for a young woman to cover her face and hands from men. That is not because it is forbidden and a sin. Rather due to the fear of desire (Shahwah) and Fitnah (temptation) towards her. However, if the person looking does not have desire, such as if he is old, or the woman is unattractive, or old, then it is not forbidden to look at the faces of such women. But he is not permitted to look at anything else. The proof for this is the word of Allah (Most High): O Prophet, tell your wives, your daughters and the women of the believers to bring their garments over them. That makes it more likely that they will be recognised and not be harmed. (Imam al-Maturidi, Ta’weelaat Ahl al-Sunnah).

Elsewhere in his Tafseer (Quranic exegesis) Imam al-Maturidi cites the same verse again when speaking about the issue of lowering the gaze. When citing the verse, he speaks about men lowering the gaze. Thus, it is clear that his understanding is that the verse does not oblige women to cover the face. Otherwise, what would be the purpose of lowering the gaze.

النظر إلى وجه المرأة حلالا إذا لم يكن بشهوة، لكن غض البصر وترك النظر أرفق وأزكى، كقوله: (يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُلْ لِأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ جَلَابِيبِهِنَّ ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَنْ يُعْرَفْنَ فَلَا يُؤْذَيْنَ). كما تؤذى الإماء. والذي يدل أن للمرأة ألا تغطي وجهها، ولا ينبغي للرجل أن يتعمد النظر إلى وجه المرأة إلا عند الحاجة إليه – قول رسول اللَّه – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ – لعلي – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ -: ” إنما لك الأولى وليست لك الآخرة. (تفسير الماتريدي)

Looking at a woman’s face is permissible if it is not with desire (Shahwah). However, lowering the gaze and not looking is more gentle and purer. As per His (Most High) saying: O Prophet, tell your wives, your daughters and the women of the believers to bring their garments over them. That makes it more likely that they will be recognised and not be harmed. As the slave women are harmed. Amongst that which proves that a woman is permitted to not cover her face, and that the man should avoid deliberately looking at a woman’s face, except when necessary, is the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying to Ali (May Allah Most High be pleased with him): For you is the first, but the second is not for you. (Imam al-Maturidi, Ta’weelaat Ahl al-Sunnah).

Lowering the gaze

Although the above verse is open to interpretation and difference of opinion as to whether the Holy Quran commands the Niqab or not. There are other verses that seem to be far clearer on the issue. As mentioned by Imam al-Maturidi above, there would be no need for men to lower their gaze in the presence of women if they had covered their faces.

قُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا فُرُوجَهُمْ ذَلِكَ أَزْكَى لَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ

Tell the believing men to lower their gazes and protect themselves. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is well aware of what they are doing. (Surah al-Nur, 30).

This verse in Surah al-Nur is fairly clear evidence for those scholars who negated the notion that the Quran commands the Niqab. Rather the opposite seems to be the case. In this verse Allah (Most High) tells the believers to lower their gaze. Meaning they should not look at the faces of women. If their faces were covered, then there would be no need for this Quranic instruction.

قُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ. [النور: 30]. قَالَ الْقَاضِي عِيَاضٌ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ -: قَالُوا فِيهِ حُجَّةٌ عَلَى أَنَّهُ لَا يَجِبُ عَلَى الْمَرْأَةِ سَتْرُ وَجْهِهَا إِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ سُنَةٌ مُسْتَحَبَّةٌ لَهَا وَيَجِبُ عَلَى الرِّجَالِ غَضُّ الْبَصَرِ عَنْهَا. (مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح)

Tell the believing men to lower their gazes. (Surah al-Nur, 30). Qadi Iyaad (May Allah Most High have mercy upon him) said: They said it contains proof that a woman is not obligated to cover her face. Rather that is a recommended practice for her. And the obligation is upon the men to avert their gaze. (Imam Ali al-Qari 1014H, Mirqaat al-Mafateeh).

Recognising beauty

As we see in the Nusoos (texts), leading Imams considered the above verse to be a proof that women are not commanded to wear the face veil in the Holy Quran. Rather the opposite seems to be the case. Likewise, the following verse provides evidence against the view that the Quran commands the Niqab (face veil).

لَا يَحِلُّ لَكَ النِّسَاءُ مِنْ بَعْدُ وَلَا أَنْ تَبَدَّلَ بِهِنَّ مِنْ أَزْوَاجٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكَ حُسْنُهُنَّ

It is not permissible for you (to marry) women henceforth. Nor to replace them with other wives, even if their beauty is impressive to you. (Surah al-Ahzab, 52).

 

وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكَ حُسْنُهُنَّ يَدُلُّ عَلَى جَوَازِ النَّظَرِ إلَى وَجْهِ الْمَرْأَةِ الْأَجْنَبِيَّةِ، إذْ لَا يُعْجِبُهُ حُسْنُهَا إلَّا وَقَدْ نظر إليها. (أحكام القرآن)

Even if their beauty is impressive to you. This is proof for the permissibility of looking at the face of an unrelated woman. Since, her beauty will not be impressive to him unless he looks at her. (Abu Bakr al-Jasas 370H, Ahkam al-Quran).

As we see above, the early Hanafi scholar al-Jasas explained that this verse can only make sense in a context where women did not cover the face. If the faces of women were covered then Allah (Most High) would not speak about seeing their beauty.

Permission to uncover

The following verse is probably clearer still. Here Allah (Most High) commands Muslim women to cover themselves, except for that which is apparent. So there is undoubtedly license to uncover something. The great scholar of the Sahabah, Sayidina Ibn Abbas, clarified that this refers to the face and hands.

وَقُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا

And say to the believing women that they must lower their gaze and protect themselves. And not reveal their adornment except that which is apparent. (Surah al-Nur, 30).

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ: {وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا} [النور: 31] قَالَ: وَجْهُهَا، وَكَفُّهَا

Regarding the verse And not reveal their adornment except that which is apparent, Abdullah bin Abbas said: her face and palms. (Musanaf ibn Abi Shaybah, 17018).

It is due to the abundance of evidence that early Hanafi Imams did not believe that the Holy Quran commands the Niqab. Rather they made it clear that the Holy Quran permits a Muslim woman to uncover her face. In the Nass (text) below, we find one of the greatest Imams of the Madhab clarifying this issue.

وَقُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا. ففسر المفسرون أن ما ظهر منها الكحل والخاتم. والكحل زينة الوجه، والخاتم زينة الكف، فرخص في هاتين الزينتين. ولا بأس بأن ينظر إلى وجهها وكفها إلا أن يكون إنما ينظر إلى ذلك اشتهاء منه لها. فإن كان ذلك فليس ينبغي له أن ينظر إليه. (كتاب الأَصْل)

And say to the believing women that they must lower their gaze and protect themselves. And not reveal their adornment except that which is apparent. The commentators explained that what is apparent means antimony (Kohl) and a ring. Kohl is an adornment of the face, and a ring is an adornment of the hand, so these two adornments are permitted. There is no harm in him looking at her face and hands, unless he is only looking out of desire for her. If that is the case, then it is not appropriate for him to look. (Imam Muhammad bin Hasan al-Shaybani 189H, Kitab al-Asl).

Later scholars

Despite the clarity provided by early Imams, some later Hanafis did deem the face veil (Niqab) to be an obligation. They cited the prevalence of Fitnah (temptation) and Shahwah (desire) as the reason for the obligation.

This position does seem a little strange since earlier Hanafi Imams recognised the issue of Fitnah and Shahwah. However, they did not oblige the face veil. Rather they obliged men to avert the gaze. Since they believed this to be the Quranic instruction.

ذكر في واقعات الناطفي: أن المرأة المحرمة ترخي على وجهها خرقة، وتجافي عن وجهها، ودلت هذه المسألة على أن المرأة منهية عن إظهار وجهها للرجال من غير ضرورة. (المحيط البرهاني في الفقه النعماني)

It was mentioned in Waqi’at al-Naatfi that a woman in ihram drapes a veil over her face. But she does not allow it to touch her face. This ruling is evidence that a woman is forbidden from unveiling her face for men without necessity. (Imam Burhan al-Deen al-Bukhari 606H, al-Muheet al-Burhaani).

Conclusion

The above discussion makes it clear that the Hanafi position is to negate the opinion that the Holy Quran commands the Niqab. Rather the Quran seems to do the opposite. Namely, it permits women to uncover the face.

Despite this, Muslim women who cover the face must be commended. It is clearly an act of great devotion, in difficult circumstances. However, it does not seem to be an obligation in the Hanafi Madhab. Certainly not according to early Hanafi scholars. Some later Hanafis did deem it to be an obligation.

Therefore, Muslim sisters who do wear the Niqab are clearly taking the more cautious path. This must be respected. Muslims should not take the path of the Kufar and the ignorant, where they look down upon the face veil and those who wear it.

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (27.06.24)