Two reports from Ibn ‘Abbaas about Niqaab
8-10-2017 | IslamWeb
Question:
I was wondering; regarding the face veil, I read two reports from Ibn ‘Abbaas:
Imam Ibn Katheer wrote in the preface of his Tafseer, "If we are unable to find a suitable Tafseer (exegesis) in the Quran or in the Sunnah, we go to the opinions of the Companions, for it is certain that they knew the Quran better than anyone else due to their knowledge of the circumstances of its revelation, their complete and accurate understanding of it, and their righteous deeds."
These explanations of the Companions are known as the Tafseer by Aathaar (sayings of the Companions). For example, when Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allaah be pleased with him, was questioned about the verse (which means): {And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not display their adornment except that which [ordinarily] appears thereof…} [Quran 24:31], he replied: "It refers to the face and hands."
And another one:
Allaah says (what means): {O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e. screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way). That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. And Allaah is Ever Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful.} [Quran 33:59] Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said, "Allaah commanded the believing women, if they go out of their houses for some need, to cover their faces from the top of their heads with their Jalaabeeb (pl. of Jilbaab, which means outer garment), and to leave one eye showing." I was wondering which of these views is correct. Did he have two different opinions, or only one?
Answer:
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, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
The ruling on covering (or uncovering) the woman's face when there is no fear of Fitnah (temptation) has been subject to a difference of opinion among the past and present scholars. One of the reasons for this difference of opinion is the difference in the narrations (Aathaar) reported from the Companions in this regard.
The scholars held different views regarding the two reports narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas 
in this regard. Some scholars held that the first report is inauthentic and that the chain of narration (Isnaad) of the second report is authentic. Others held that the first report is authentic, while the second is inauthentic. The scholars who held that both reports are authentic reconciled between them by saying that the first is confined to the relatives who visit the woman in her house. Tafseer At-Tabari reads, "The 'visible adornment' refers to the woman's face, the kohl applied to the eyes, the henna applied to the hands, and the ring. These may be seen inside her house by those who enter upon her."
In his book ‘Awdat Al-Hijaab, Shaykh Muhammad Ismaa‘eel Al-Muqaddim wrote:
"Ibn ‘Abbaas did not issue the fatwa that it is permissible to uncover the face and hands in an absolute manner (i.e. under all circumstances and in all situations). Rather, he held that it is permissible to uncover them before those who visit her at home. The visitors in this context are either her non-Mahram (marriageable) male relatives, such as her paternal or maternal cousins and her in-laws, because these relatives frequently visit her. Ibn ‘Abbaas held that covering up in their presence involves hardship and difficulty. The permissibility of revealing the face and hands before those relatives is deduced from the verse: {...except that which (necessarily) appears thereof...} [Quran 24:31] It is as if the woman was not the one who displayed her face and hands before them; rather, it was the hardship in covering them that displayed them. It may also mean that it is allowed for her to uncover her face and hands before whoever enters the house after seeking permission. In general, the fact that Ibn ‘Abbaas restricts the permissibility to the situation when the woman is inside her house indicates that he believed that the woman's need to carry out the household chores allows her to uncover her face and hands before non-Mahrams. Hence, he held that the permissibility is confined to a certain situation, which implies that it is impermissible in other situations." [‘Awdat Al-Hijaab]
Some scholars held that the first report of Ibn ‘Abbaas was before the revelation of the obligation of the full hijaab. This is the opinion adopted by Ibn Taymiyyah 
. Shaykh Ibn Baaz wrote:
"What is narrated, that Ibn ‘Abbaas interpreted the verse: {...except that which (necessarily) appears thereof...} [Quran 24:31] to mean the face and hands is understood to apply to women before the verse of the hijaab was revealed. After the revelation of that verse, Allah obliged women to cover their whole bodies, as indicated in the noble verses in Soorah Al-Ahzaab (Chapter 33) and others. This is proven by the report narrated on the authority of ‘Ali ibn Abi Talhah, who related that Ibn ‘Abbaas said, 'Allah commanded the believing women, when they go out of their houses for some need, to cover their faces from above their heads with the Jalaabeeb, leaving only one eye showing.' Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and other researching scholars stressed this point."
Allah knows best.