Wearing a “half-Purdah”

Question:-

Is wearing the half-Niqaab permissible, and if not, why is it so?

Answer:-

Allah Ta’ala states in the Quraan Sharif, “O Nabi! Tell your wives, your daughters and the women of the Mu’mineen that (when they have to leave their homes for some necessity), then they should draw their ‘Jalaabeeb’ over themselves.” [Re:- Verse 59 Surah 33]

It is recorded in Jalaalain Sharif that ‘Jilbaab’ refers to a covering/cloth with which a woman covers herself. When she leaves her home for any need, then she covers her face with some portion of the cloth, with the exception of one eye. This clearly indicates that the entire face should be fully covered with the exception of one eye so that she is able to see the road. The new version of the Purdah referred to as the ‘half-Purdah’ hangs way below the eyes, whereby a great extent of the face is visible. This type of Purdah goes against the definition of ‘Jilbaab’ which is mentioned in the Kitaabs, hence, one should don the proper Purdah where the entire face is covered with the exception of the eyes.

وهي الملحفة التي تشتمل بها المراة أي يرخين بعضها علي الوجوه اذا خرجن لحاجتهن الا عينا واحدة (جمالين في شرح جلالين ص169 ج5)

ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Mohammed Desai

Date: 25 Rabi-ul-Aakhir 1444 / 20 November 2022