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Fatwa CenterWhat a Muslim woman should wear when sitting with non-Muslim women
Question
Is it possible to sit with non-Muslim ladies without a veil? (I'm a veiled Muslimah.)
Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
Allah, the Most High forbade Muslim women to reveal their beauty in front of non-Muslim women.
Allah says:" And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like palms of hands or one eye or both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer dress like veil, gloves, head-cover, apron, etc.), and to draw their veils all over Juyubihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms, etc.) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husband's sons, their brothers or their brother's sons, or their sister's sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islâm)" (An-Nur 24:31)
However, the four Imams agree that it is permissible for a non-Muslim woman to see the face and the hands of a Muslim woman, and they differ about what of the body is beyond that.
The shafie school of thought are of the view that it is permissible for a non-Muslim woman to see what is usually apparent at work, like the head, the hands up to the elbow, and the legs up to the knee of a Muslim woman.
However, we advise the sister not to let a non-Muslim woman see of her body other than the face and the hands, as this is more appropriate and closer to the meaning of the verse.
Allah knows best.
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