Must Wife Obey Husband Who Forbids Hijab/Purdah?

Husband Orders No Purdah from Non-Mahrams: Must I Obey?

Question: My husband orders me to not observe Purdah (veil) in front of Non-Mahrams (unrelated men); is it obligatory for me to accept his word? Also, what is the ruling regarding obedience to the husband, parents, or teachers?

Answer:

Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah):

(First)

Allah Almighty has made the Purdah (veil) of the entire body, including the face, obligatory upon women, except before Mahram men and children, etc., and has granted a concession to reveal only that apparent adornment which is impossible to hide out of necessity.

Allah Almighty says in the Quran!!

I seek refuge in Allah from Satan the Accursed.

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

وَقُلْ لِّـلۡمُؤۡمِنٰتِ يَغۡضُضۡنَ مِنۡ اَبۡصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحۡفَظۡنَ فُرُوۡجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبۡدِيۡنَ زِيۡنَتَهُنَّ اِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنۡهَا‌ وَلۡيَـضۡرِبۡنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلٰى جُيُوۡبِهِنَّ‌ۖ وَلَا يُبۡدِيۡنَ زِيۡنَتَهُنَّ اِلَّا لِبُعُوۡلَتِهِنَّ اَوۡ اٰبَآٮِٕهِنَّ اَوۡ اٰبَآءِ بُعُوۡلَتِهِنَّ اَوۡ اَبۡنَآٮِٕهِنَّ اَوۡ اَبۡنَآءِ بُعُوۡلَتِهِنَّ اَوۡ اِخۡوَانِهِنَّ اَوۡ بَنِىۡۤ اِخۡوَانِهِنَّ اَوۡ بَنِىۡۤ اَخَوٰتِهِنَّ اَوۡ نِسَآٮِٕهِنَّ اَوۡ مَا مَلَـكَتۡ اَيۡمَانُهُنَّ اَوِ التّٰبِعِيۡنَ غَيۡرِ اُولِى الۡاِرۡبَةِ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ اَوِ الطِّفۡلِ الَّذِيۡنَ لَمۡ يَظۡهَرُوۡا عَلٰى عَوۡرٰتِ النِّسَآءِ‌ۖ وَلَا يَضۡرِبۡنَ بِاَرۡجُلِهِنَّ لِيُـعۡلَمَ مَا يُخۡفِيۡنَ مِنۡ زِيۡنَتِهِنَّ‌ ؕ وَتُوۡبُوۡۤا اِلَى اللّٰهِ جَمِيۡعًا اَيُّهَ الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُوۡنَ

Translation:

And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment.

And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.

(Surah An-Nur, Verse No. 31)

(For further details on the Shariah Purdah of women, see Series No. 180)

(Second)

The husband has many rights over the wife, and obedience to the husband is necessary in every matter except in sin and transgression:

To the extent that the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) has called the husband the woman’s Paradise and Hell.

It is narrated in Musnad Ahmad and Mustadrak Hakim from Hussain bin Muhsin,

He narrates that his paternal aunt went to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) for some need. When she finished her task and need, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) asked her:

“Do you have a husband?”

She replied: “Yes.” The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“How are you towards him?”

She submitted: “I do not fall short in his rights, except regarding that which I am unable to do.”

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“Look to where you stand in relation to him, for he is your Paradise and your Hell.”

(Musnad Ahmad Hadith No. 19003)

Imam Mundhiri (may Allah have mercy on him) has declared its chain of narration as Jayyid (good) in At-Targhib wat-Tarhib, and Allama Al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) has also called it Jayyid in Sahih At-Targhib wat-Tarhib (Hadith No. 1933).

The meaning of this Hadith is: If the wife fulfills the husband’s rights, the husband will be the cause of her entering Paradise, and if she is negligent in the husband’s rights, the husband will be the cause of her going into the Fire.

(Third)

Whether it is a husband, teachers, parents, the ruler of the time, or any person of authority, obedience to all of them is obligatory for their subordinates. However, this obedience is obligatory only as long as they command righteousness or good. If any of them commands evil or disobedience to Allah, then they shall not be obeyed.

Allah has said:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ أَطِيعُواْ اللّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ الرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِي الأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ

O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you.12

(Surah An-Nisa: Verse No. 59)34

“Those in authority” (Uli al-Amr) refers to anyone who holds authority in any matter. When you are within their jurisdiction, ⁵obedience to the⁶m in Ma’ruf (recognized/good) matters is obligatory for you. Obedience to the ruler of the country for the subjects, ⁷obedience to officers for employees, ⁸obedience to parents for children, ob⁹edience to teachers for students, and obedience¹⁰ to the husband for the wife is obliga¹¹tory¹² due to it being obedience to “those in authority.”¹³¹⁴

But if any of them commands disobedience, sin, or transgr15ession, then obedience t16o them is not obligatory; rather, it is obligatory to not listen to anyone in matters of sin.

Because the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) says:1718

السَّمْعُ وَالطَّاعَةُ عَلَى المَرْءِ المُسْلِمِ فِيمَا أَحَبَّ وَكَرِهَ، مَا لَمْ يُؤْمَرْ بِمَعْصِيَةٍ، فَإِذَا أُمِرَ بِمَعْصِيَةٍ فَلاَ سَمْعَ وَلاَ طَاعَةَ

Hearing and obeying is [binding] upon a Muslim man in what he likes and dislikes, as long as he is not ordered to commit a sin. But if he is ordered to commit a sin, then there is no hearing and no obeying.

(Sahih Al-Bukhari: Hadith No. 7144)2728

In one place, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

There is no obedience in matters of sin; rather, obedience is only in matters of goodness.

(Sahih Bukhari Hadith No. 7257)

Similarly, the Prophet (peace be upon him) commanded: There is no obedience to the creation in disobedience to the Creator.

(Musnad Ahmad: Vol 1/Page 131_1098)

And the husband saying “It is mandatory for you to obey me” is correct; Allah Almighty has also commanded this. But… if the command of Allah is contrary to the command of the husband or parents, or if they command something that conflicts with Divine rulings, then it is obligatory upon every believer to prioritize the command of Allah. That is why the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: (There is no obedience in matters of sin; rather, obedience is only in matters of goodness).

Similarly, the “Saudi Fatwa Committee” writes:

“Those whom it is obligatory to obey include parents, husbands, and rulers: but a condition is placed on their obedience that it must not be in matters of sin; because the creation cannot be obeyed while disobeying the Creator.” Ended.

(Al-Mawsu’ah Al-Fiqhiyyah _ 28 / 327)

Sheikh Fawzan (may Allah preserve him) says:

“A woman is commanded to obey her husband and her parents within the obedience of Allah Almighty. Thus, if obeying the father or husband necessitates disobeying the Creator, then this will not be permissible; because the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: (Obedience is only in matters of goodness) – Bukhari, and similarly the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: (There can be no obedience to the creation in disobedience to the Creator) – Ahmad.” Ended.

(Al-Muntaqa min Fatawa Sheikh Al-Fawzan (1 / 265, 266) Question No. 161)

Therefore, for a husband to command his wife to violate Allah’s command is a great oppression, and obedience to the husband is not obligatory for the wife in this matter, nor should the wife listen to the husband in this regard, because not observing Purdah is a clear sin.

The wife should explain to the husband and remind him of the fear of Allah. If the husband still does not desist, the wife has the choice: either she acts with patience and tolerance regarding this oppression, hoping that her husband will correct himself and be reformed, but she must not abandon Purdah, and she should keep advising the husband so that he may be reformed; or she can take a divorce.

And it is possible for her here to consult with wise and sensible relatives of her family regarding her matter. Either his condition will be reformed and her life will pass better, or she may choose one of the two options for herself: patience or divorce.

Because the command to avoid divorce applies when there is no Shariah reason for divorce. And here, she possesses a valid Shariah reason.

However, if the woman patiently bears the harm and oppression received from the husband, protects her chastity and home, and continues to observe Purdah while following Allah’s commands, then this is better and preferable to taking a divorce, and for this, God willing, there will be a great reward for her.

Our prayer is that Allah Almighty grants steadfastness to all such sisters and blesses them with the ability to have patience while remaining firm on the Deen, and makes the path to Paradise easy for them in exchange for this worldly hardship. Ameen.

(And Allah knows best what is correct)

Refernce: https://alfurqan.info/problems/811