#362: Putting Off the Niqāb for Reasons of Necessity

“What of my question on woman working for the benefit of her parents. And if she’s told to remove her niqob”

ANSWER

Alhamdulillāh.

Firstly we want to apologise for delaying the answering of your question. We had other questions we were occupied with responding to. Both questions that were sent in the floor of the platform and those that were sent privately.

Concerning your question, it is permissible for a woman to work outdoors with the conditions that the Ulamā have established:

1. That it is with the consent of her husband
2. That it does not make her to abandon any of her home duties such as the tarbiyya of her children, neither does it affect that.
3. That it does not expose her to the fitna in the society
4. That the work she does does not make her to freely mix with the opposite sex nor engage her in anything that is haraam
5. That she doesn’t stay out of home beyond maghrib time
6. That she uses the complete jilbāb.

Now concerning Niqāb, there is a valid difference of opinion among the Ulamaa concerning it. Some of them hold that it is wājib and in this case, putting it off will only be sanctioned by necessities which we hope what you described is one of. While others declare it a Mustahabb for women who are beautiful in which case necessities overrule.

In the situation you just described, we advise you to follow the following steps:

Firstly, try to seek a better job option where you can use your niqāb without having to remove it.

Secondly, if that does not work, try to prevail on your employer or on anybody who can influence your employer to allow you to continue work with it.

Thirdly, if that fails, you nay putt it off for that temporal benefit and fear Allāh to ensure that you observe the rules of chastity while at work and put it back on after work.

May Allāh do the best for you.

Bārakallāhu Fīkum
Jazākumullāhu Khayran.

📚 IslamNode