Should a revert sister cover herself in front of her non-Muslim parents?

by Mufti Faisal
5 minutes read

Question:

We’ve read in a fatwa by Mufti Muhammad Ibn Adam al-Kawthari

(http://www.daruliftaa.com/question?txt_QuestionID=q-16282598 ) that according to the Hanafi madhhab, the ‘awrah of a woman in front of non-Muslim women is in principle the same as that in front of ghayr-mahram males.

In this regard, a convert sister asked what is the ruling regarding the non-Muslim women of her own family (as mother, grandmother, sister, aunts): is the rule the same as that of any other non-Muslim woman (and is thus necessary to cover the whole of one’s body), or is there a different rule in case the non-Muslim women are one’s parents and immediate family members (maybe those who are the “female equivalents” of a woman’s mahram. as since as far as I remember I’ve read that a Muslim woman’s awrah in front of one’s non-Muslim mahram male parents is the same as that in front of one’s Muslim mahram male parents)?

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salฤmu โ€˜alaykum wa-rahmatullฤhi wa-barakฤtuh.

In principles a woman should cover in front of all non-mahrams. Moreover, you have correctly cited that since awrah of Muslim woman in front of non-Muslim women is same as that towards Muslim non-mahram men, they must cover themselves. This is because the situation is not void of fitna, hence the compulsion to cover oneself. This is the opinion which Hanafi Ulama have adopted. However, some leeway is there with regards to non-Muslim women when there is no fear of any fitna. A Muslim woman should adopt discretion and cautionary measures in these cases.

However, the concept on a general note resonates that whenever there is expectation of fitna , it will become wajib for a muslimah to cover herself, irrespective of who the fitna is perceived from. In saying so, a Muslim woman, who fears fitna from her own brothers or father due to some sickness which she has perceived from them, must cover from her brothers and father as well. This rule shall apply whether the brother or the father is Muslim or non-Muslim.1

In the scenario mentioned in the question, we request the sister to assess and apply her discretion to her immediate family. If the parents are old, or there is no fear of any fitna from them, then it will be permissible to take her hijab off. However, if there is some fear of fitna, then she must opt for the precaution and cover herself properly.2

And Allah Taโ€™ฤla Knows Best

Mufti Faisal bin Abdul Hameed al-Mahmudi
Darul Iftaa wal Irshaad, Montreal
www.fatwa.ca

1((ูˆุชู†ุธุฑ ุงู„ู…ุฑุฃุฉ ุงู„ู…ุณู„ู…ุฉ ู…ู† ุงู„ู…ุฑุฃุฉ ูƒุงู„ุฑุฌู„ ู…ู† ุงู„ุฑุฌู„) ูˆู‚ูŠู„ ูƒุงู„ุฑุฌู„ ู„ู…ุญุฑู…ู‡ ูˆุงู„ุฃูˆู„ ุฃุตุญ ุณุฑุงุฌ (ูˆูƒุฐุง) ุชู†ุธุฑ ุงู„ู…ุฑุฃุฉ (ู…ู† ุงู„ุฑุฌู„) ูƒู†ุธุฑ ุงู„ุฑุฌู„ ู„ู„ุฑุฌู„ (ุฅู† ุฃู…ู†ุช ุดู‡ูˆุชู‡ุง) ูู„ูˆ ู„ู… ุชุฃู…ู† ุฃูˆ ุฎุงูุช ุฃูˆ ุดูƒุช ุญุฑู… ุงุณุชุญุณุงู†ุง ูƒุงู„ุฑุฌู„ ู‡ูˆ ุงู„ุตุญูŠุญ ููŠ ุงู„ูุตู„ูŠู† ุชุชุงุฑุฎุงู†ูŠุฉ ู…ุนุฒูŠุง ู„ู„ู…ุถู…ุฑุงุช (ูˆุงู„ุฐู…ูŠุฉ ูƒุงู„ุฑุฌู„ ุงู„ุฃุฌู†ุจูŠ ููŠ ุงู„ุฃุตุญ ูู„ุง ุชู†ุธุฑ ุฅู„ู‰ ุจุฏู† ุงู„ู…ุณู„ู…ุฉ))…(ู‚ูˆู„ู‡ ุณุฑุงุฌ) ูˆู…ุซู„ู‡ ููŠ ุงู„ู‡ุฏุงูŠุฉ (ู‚ูˆู„ู‡ ูˆูƒุฐุง ุชู†ุธุฑ ุงู„ู…ุฑุฃุฉ ุฅู„ุฎ) ูˆููŠ ูƒุชุงุจ ุงู„ุฎู†ุซู‰ ู…ู† ุงู„ุฃุตู„ ุฃู† ู†ุธุฑ ุงู„ู…ุฑุฃุฉ ู…ู† ุงู„ุฑุฌู„ ุงู„ุฃุฌู†ุจูŠ ุจู…ู†ุฒู„ุฉ ู†ุธุฑ ุงู„ุฑุฌู„ ุฅู„ู‰ ู…ุญุงุฑู…ู‡ุŒ ู„ุฃู† ุงู„ู†ุธุฑ ุฅู„ู‰ ุฎู„ุงู ุงู„ุฌู†ุณ ุฃุบู„ุธ ู‡ุฏุงูŠุฉ ูˆุงู„ู…ุชูˆู† ุนู„ู‰ ุงู„ุฃูˆู„ ูุนู„ูŠู‡ ุงู„ู…ุนูˆู„ (ู‚ูˆู„ู‡ ุญุฑู… ุงุณุชุญุณุงู†ุง ุฅู„ุฎ) ุฃู‚ูˆู„: ุงู„ุฐูŠ ููŠ ุงู„ุชุชุงุฑุฎุงู†ูŠุฉ ุนู† ุงู„ู…ุถู…ุฑุงุช ูุฃู…ุง ุฅุฐุง ุนู„ู…ุช ุฃู†ู‡ ูŠู‚ุน ููŠ ู‚ู„ุจู‡ุง ุดู‡ูˆุฉ ุฃูˆ ุดูƒุช ูˆู…ุนู†ู‰ ุงู„ุดูƒ ุงุณุชูˆุงุก ุงู„ุธู†ูŠู† ูุฃุญุจ ุฅู„ูŠ ุฃู† ุชุบุถ ุจุตุฑู‡ุง ู‡ูƒุฐุง ุฐูƒุฑ ู…ุญู…ุฏ ููŠ ุงู„ุฃุตู„ุŒ ูู‚ุฏ ุฐูƒุฑ ุงู„ุงุณุชุญุจุงุจ ููŠ ู†ุธุฑ ุงู„ู…ุฑุฃุฉ ุฅู„ู‰ ุงู„ุฑุฌู„ ุงู„ุฃุฌู†ุจูŠ ูˆููŠ ุนูƒุณู‡ ู‚ุงู„: ูู„ูŠุฌุชู†ุจ ูˆู‡ูˆ ุฏู„ูŠู„ ุงู„ุญุฑู…ุฉุŒ ูˆู‡ูˆ ุงู„ุตุญูŠุญ ููŠ ุงู„ูุตู„ูŠู† ุฌู…ูŠุนุง ุงู‡ู€ ู…ู„ุฎุตุง ูˆู…ุซู„ู‡ ููŠ ุงู„ุฐุฎูŠุฑุฉ ูˆู†ู‚ู„ู‡ ุท ุนู† ุงู„ู‡ู†ุฏูŠุฉ ูˆููŠ ู†ุณุฎุฉ ุงู„ุชุชุงุฑุฎุงู†ูŠุฉ ุงู„ุชูŠ ุนู„ูŠู‡ุง ุฎุท ุงู„ุดุงุฑุญ ุงู„ุงุณุชุญุณุงู† ุจุงู„ุณูŠู† ูˆุงู„ู†ูˆู† ุจุนุฏ ุงู„ุญุงุก ุจุฏู„ ุงู„ุงุณุชุญุจุงุจ ุจุงู„ุจุงุกูŠู†ุŒ ูˆุงู„ุธุงู‡ุฑ ุฃู†ู‡ุง ุชุญุฑูŠู ูƒู…ุง ูŠุฏู„ ุนู„ูŠู‡ ุณูŠุงู‚ ุงู„ูƒู„ุงู… ููŠูˆุงูู‚ ู…ุง ููŠ ุงู„ุฐุฎูŠุฑุฉ ูˆุงู„ู‡ู†ุฏูŠุฉุŒ ูู‚ูˆู„ ุงู„ุดุงุฑุญ ุญุฑู… ุงุณุชุญุณุงู†ุง ุฃูˆู‚ุนู‡ ููŠู‡ ุงู„ุชุญุฑูŠู ุชุฃู…ู„ุŒ ุซู… ุนู„ู‰ ู…ู‚ุงุจู„ ุงู„ุตุญูŠุญ ูˆุฌู‡ ุงู„ูุฑู‚ ูƒู…ุง ููŠ ุงู„ู‡ุฏุงูŠุฉ ุฃู† ุงู„ุดู‡ูˆุฉ ุนู„ูŠู‡ู† ุบุงู„ุจุฉุŒ ูˆู‡ูˆ ูƒุงู„ู…ุญู‚ู‚ ุงุนุชุจุงุฑุงุŒ ูุฅุฐุง ุงุดุชู‡ู‰ ุงู„ุฑุฌู„ ูƒุงู†ุช ุงู„ุดู‡ูˆุฉ ู…ูˆุฌูˆุฏุฉ ููŠ ุงู„ุฌุงู†ุจูŠู†ุŒ ูˆู„ุง ูƒุฐู„ูƒ ุฅุฐุง ุงุดุชู‡ุช ุงู„ู…ุฑุฃุฉ ู„ุฃู† ุงู„ุดู‡ูˆุฉ ุบูŠุฑ ู…ูˆุฌูˆุฏุฉ ููŠ ุฌุงู†ุจู‡ ุญู‚ูŠู‚ุฉ ูˆุงุนุชุจุงุฑุง ููƒุงู†ุช ู…ู† ุฌุงู†ุจ ูˆุงุญุฏ ูˆุงู„ู…ุชุญู‚ู‚ ู…ู† ุงู„ุฌุงู†ุจูŠู† ููŠ ุงู„ุฅูุถุงุก ุฅู„ู‰ ุงู„ู…ุญุฑู… ุฃู‚ูˆู‰ ู…ู† ุงู„ู…ุชุญู‚ู‚ ููŠ ุฌุงู†ุจ ูˆุงุญุฏ ุงู‡ู€ (ู‚ูˆู„ู‡ ูˆุงู„ุฐู…ูŠุฉ) ู…ุญุชุฑุฒ ู‚ูˆู„ู‡ ุงู„ู…ุณู„ู…ุฉ (ู‚ูˆู„ู‡ ูู„ุง ุชู†ุธุฑ ุฅู„ุฎ) ู‚ุงู„ ููŠ ุบุงูŠุฉ ุงู„ุจูŠุงู†: ูˆู‚ูˆู„ู‡ ุชุนุงู„ู‰ – {ุฃูˆ ู†ุณุงุฆู‡ู†} [ุงู„ู†ูˆุฑ: 31]- ุฃูŠ ุงู„ุญุฑุงุฆุฑ ุงู„ู…ุณู„ู…ุงุชุŒ ู„ุฃู†ู‡ ู„ูŠุณ ู„ู„ู…ุคู…ู†ุฉ ุฃู† ุชุชุฌุฑุฏ ุจูŠู† ูŠุฏูŠ ู…ุดุฑูƒุฉ ุฃูˆ ูƒุชุงุจูŠุฉ ุงู‡ู€ ูˆู†ู‚ู„ู‡ ููŠ ุงู„ุนู†ุงูŠุฉ ูˆุบูŠุฑู‡ุง ุนู† ุงุจู† ุนุจุงุณุŒ ูู‡ูˆ ุชูุณูŠุฑ ู…ุฃุซูˆุฑ ูˆููŠ ุดุฑุญ ุงู„ุฃุณุชุงุฐ ุนุจุฏ ุงู„ุบู†ูŠ ุงู„ู†ุงุจู„ุณูŠ ุนู„ู‰ ู‡ุฏูŠุฉ ุงุจู† ุงู„ุนู…ุงุฏ ุนู† ุดุฑุญ ูˆุงู„ุฏู‡ ุงู„ุดูŠุฎ ุฅุณู…ุงุนูŠู„ ุนู„ู‰ ุงู„ุฏุฑุฑ ูˆุงู„ุบุฑุฑ: ู„ุง ูŠุญู„ ู„ู„ู…ุณู„ู…ุฉ ุฃู† ุชู†ูƒุดู ุจูŠู† ูŠุฏูŠ ูŠู‡ูˆุฏูŠุฉ ุฃูˆ ู†ุตุฑุงู†ูŠุฉ ุฃูˆ ู…ุดุฑูƒุฉ ุฅู„ุง ุฃู† ุชูƒูˆู† ุฃู…ุฉ ู„ู‡ุง ูƒู…ุง ููŠ ุงู„ุณุฑุงุฌุŒ ูˆู†ุตุงุจ ุงู„ุงุญุชุณุงุจ ูˆู„ุง ุชู†ุจุบูŠ ู„ู„ู…ุฑุฃุฉ ุงู„ุตุงู„ุญุฉ ุฃู† ุชู†ุธุฑ ุฅู„ูŠู‡ุง ุงู„ู…ุฑุฃุฉ ุงู„ูุงุฌุฑุฉ ู„ุฃู†ู‡ุง ุชุตูู‡ุง ุนู†ุฏ ุงู„ุฑุฌุงู„ุŒ ูู„ุง ุชุถุน ุฌู„ุจุงุจู‡ุง ูˆู„ุง ุฎู…ุงุฑู‡ุง ูƒู…ุง ููŠ ุงู„ุณุฑุงุฌ ุงู‡ู€(ุงู„ุฏุฑ ุงู„ู…ุฎุชุงุฑ ูˆุญุงุดูŠุฉ ุงุจู† ุนุงุจุฏูŠู† (ุฑุฏ ุงู„ู…ุญุชุงุฑ) (6/ 371))

2ุซู… ุตูุฉ ุงู„ู…ุญุฑู… ุฃู† ูŠูƒูˆู† ู…ู…ู† ู„ุง ูŠุฌูˆุฒ ู„ู‡ ู†ูƒุงุญู‡ุง ุนู„ู‰ ุงู„ุชุฃุจูŠุฏ ุฅู…ุง ุจุงู„ู‚ุฑุงุจุฉุŒ ุฃูˆ ุงู„ุฑุถุงุนุŒ ุฃูˆ ุงู„ุตู‡ุฑูŠุฉุ› ู„ุฃู† ุงู„ุญุฑู…ุฉ ุงู„ู…ุคุจุฏุฉ ุชุฒูŠู„ ุงู„ุชู‡ู…ุฉ ููŠ ุงู„ุฎู„ูˆุฉุŒ ูˆู„ู‡ุฐุง ู‚ุงู„ูˆุง: ุฅู† ุงู„ู…ุญุฑู… ุฅุฐุง ู„ู… ูŠูƒู† ู…ุฃู…ูˆู†ุง ุนู„ูŠู‡ ู„ู… ูŠุฌุฒ ู„ู‡ุง ุฃู† ุชุณุงูุฑ ู…ุนู‡ุŒ ูˆุณูˆุงุก ูƒุงู† ุงู„ู…ุญุฑู… ุญุฑุง ุฃูˆ ุนุจุฏุงุ› ู„ุฃู† ุงู„ุฑู‚ ู„ุง ูŠู†ุงููŠ ุงู„ู…ุญุฑู…ูŠุฉุŒ ูˆุณูˆุงุก ูƒุงู† ู…ุณู„ู…ุง ุฃูˆ ุฐู…ูŠุง ุฃูˆ ู…ุดุฑูƒุงุ› ู„ุฃู† ุงู„ุฐู…ูŠุŒ ูˆุงู„ู…ุดุฑูƒ ูŠุญูุธุงู† ู…ุญุงุฑู…ู‡ู…ุง ุฅู„ุง ุฃู† ูŠูƒูˆู† ู…ุฌูˆุณูŠุงุ› ู„ุฃู†ู‡ ูŠุนุชู‚ุฏ ุฅุจุงุญุฉ ู†ูƒุงุญู‡ุง ูู„ุง ุชุณุงูุฑ ู…ุนู‡ุ› ู„ุฃู†ู‡ ู„ุง ูŠุคู…ู† ุนู„ูŠู‡ุง ูƒุงู„ุฃุฌู†ุจูŠุŒ (ุจุฏุงุฆุน ุงู„ุตู†ุงุฆุน ููŠ ุชุฑุชูŠุจ ุงู„ุดุฑุงุฆุน (2/ 124))

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