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Ruling
concerning a Muslim woman praying without hijaab
Question:
If a woman who does not wear hijaab
is forced to pray or if her hijaab
is not in accord with the Sharee'ah, for example, some of
her hair or her skin is exposed for some reason, what is the
ruling?
Response:
First, it is necessary that one realize that hijaab
is obligatory upon women. It is not allowed for her to abandon
it or be lackadaisical towards it. If the time for prayer
comes and the woman is not properly attired or properly covered,
then her situation may be broken down into the following cases:
If she is not wearing hijaab
or is not properly covered due to circumstances forcing her
to be in that state,1 then she prays in the situation that
she is in. Her prayer will then be valid and there will be
no sin upon her. This is based on Allaah's statement, "Allaah
burdens not a person beyond his scope" (al-Baqarah 286). Allaah
also says, "So keep your duty to Allaah (and fear Him) as
much as you can" (at-Taghaabun 16). However, if the woman
is not wearing hijaab
or is not properly covered out of a voluntary choice, such
as following the customs or mode of the people, and the lack
of hijaab
here means not covering her face and hands, then her prayer
is correct. But she is committing a sin if she is doing that
in the presence of men that she is not related to. Furthermore,
if she is uncovering her shin, forearms, hair on her head
and so forth, then it is not permissible for her to pray in
that state. If she prays in that state, her prayer is not
valid. And she is committing a sin on two counts:
First,
she is sinful because she is not covering herself in general;
Second,
she is sinful for performing the prayer in that state.
Shaykh
Ibn Baaz
Fataawa al-Mar.ah
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