Fatwa on Niqaab

Asaaamu alaikum,i would like to know where exactly has it been mentioned in the quran orhadith that it is compulsary for women to observe niqab? from what ihave gathered that the scolars have recently decided for it becompulsary on a woman.Jazakallah

Answer:Waalaikumussalam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.Bismillahir Rahmaanir Rahim.Allah Taala has mentioned in the Holy Quran :"Oh Prophet SAW! Say to your wives, your daughters and the believingwomen that they should lower their jilbaabs (a sheet/cloak cast overthem, covering them from head to toe which includes the face) untothem... (Surah Al-Ahzaab, verse 59)

Ibn Abbas RA said : Allah has commanded the believing women that whenthey come out of their houses due to a necessity, they should covertheir faces from top of their heads using their jilbaabs and only exposeone eye.

Muhammad ibn Seereen RA said : `Ubaidah As-Salmaani RA askedregarding the commentary of this verse, thus he covered his face andhead but exposed his left eye.This clearly shows that the mufassireen (commentators of the Quran) wereunanimous on the covering of the face since the time of Nabi SAW and itwas not just recently made obligatory by the ulamaa.

In another verse Allah Taala mentions :"Say (Oh Prophet SAW)! To the believing women that they should lowertheir gazes (from na mahram men) and they should protect their privateparts (from committing indecency) and they should not expose theirbeauty except that which is evident (impossible to conceal like theircloaks, jilbaabs, gloves etc.) and they should draw their veils overtheir chest/bosom... (Surah An-Nur, verse 31)

It is also stated in the Holy Quran :…And when you (the Sahabah RA) ask something from them (NabiSAW's wives RA) thus ask them from behind a screen/curtain. That ispurer for your hearts and their hearts… (Surah Al-Ahzaab, verse 53)It was reported in a Hadith by Umme Salmah RA that she and HadhratMaimunah RA were by Rasulullah SAW. She said : While we were by NabiSAW, Ibn Maktum RA came to Nabi SAW and this incident occurred after wewere commanded with observing hijaab.
Thus, Nabi SAW said : Make hijaabfrom him. Therefore I said : Oh Rasulullah! Is he not blind whereby hecannot see us and does not recognize us? Nabi SAW said : Are the two ofyou blind as well? Are you not able to see him? (Abu Daud, Tirmidhi)From this hadith, it is noted and can be understood that a soundbelieving woman (not blind) should observe purdah as best as possibleeven in the presence of a blind person!

In the Holy Quran, this is mentioned :Thus, one of them two (daughters of the old man) came to him (Musa AS)in such a manner that she was walking with modesty… (Surah Al-Qosas,verse 25)The manner she walked was referred to as the manner a free/nobleperson's walk, meaning she came while covering her face with thesleeve of her clothes.Hadhrat Umar RA said : She came while raising her clothes to cover herface not like of those women who are sly and nosy.Even during the time of Musa AS the women used to cover their faces fromna mahram men and the women who expose their faces were regarded as slyand nosy women.And Allah knows best.Wassalam.