Home
Discover Islam
Quran Recitations
Lectures
Fatwa
Articles
Fiqh
E-Books
Women
Boys & Girls 
ArticlesQuestion: Tell me about covering the face during Hajj or Umrah?
Fatwa: Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the World; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
It is forbidden for a woman who is in the state of Ihram to cover her face. Ibn Qudamah said: 'covering face is forbidden for a woman during Ihram Just as covering head is forbidden for men. There is no disagreement among scholars in this ruling except what is reported from Asma (Radiya Allahu Anha) that she used to cover her face during Ihram. Probably she let a portion of her cloth hang over her face, though this interpretation of her practice does not contradict the agreement of all scholars'.
Ibn Umar reported from the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) that he said: "A pilgrim woman should not cover her face, or wear gloves" . [Imam Al-Bukhari ].
If a pilgrim woman needs to cover her face due to the presence of alien men she should let her head cover hang down on her face as reported from Ayisha (Radiya Allahu Anha) that she said: "Men on camels used to pass by us while we were with the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) and in the state of Ihram. We would cover our faces with our gowns when they passed by us, and then uncover them again" . [ Abu Dawood ].
However, a pilgrim woman should not use any face covering that is prepared to cover the face only. Yet, she may hang a part of her head cover as a curtain over her face. There is no harm if such a cloth touches her face according to the preponderant opinion of Muslim scholars. Imam Ibn Qudamah said: 'in fact, the clothe that is drawn before face touches the face even though there is no expiation imposed on it'.
However, if a woman uses face covering or anything else to cover her face she has to offer expiation for the violating one of the conditions of Ihram. Allah Says (what means): {… And whosoever of you is ill or has an ailment in his scalp (necessitating shaving), he must pay a Fidyah (ransom) of either observing Saum (fasts) (three days) or giving Sadaqah (charity - feeding six poor persons) or offering sacrifice (one sheep). …}[Quran2: 196].
Allah Knows best.
