Wearing niqab during Umrah or Hajj

18/10/2009| IslamWeb

Question: During Umrah and Hajj is it allowed to wear "niqab"?.

Fatwa: All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

 It is forbidden for the woman to wear the niqab (veil) during the Hajj (pilgrimage) or the Umrah. Prophet Muhammad (Blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “A woman in Ihram (in the state of ritual consecration during Hajj or Umrah) should not cover her face or put on gloves”. Narrated by al-Bukhari. If she needed to cover her face because of being among some non Mahram men, in this case, she could use the garment on her head to do so. Aisha (may Allah pleased with her) said: “Men on camels (or on foot) used to pass by us while we were with the Prophet Muhammad (Blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and in the state of Ihram. We would cover our faces with our gowns when they passed by us, and then uncover them again”. (Reported by Abu Dawood).

Allah Knows best.