How does a woman perform ablution in the designated areas inside the Haram to renew her ablution, with men passing in front of her, and is it permissible for her to wipe the front of her head over her khimar?
If a woman is compelled to perform ablution (wudu') in a place where men pass by, she can conceal herself behind another woman, use a portable screen, or turn her back to the passersby. As for washing hands inside the sleeves, this is not permissible because it does not achieve the flowing of water and the complete washing of the limb. Regarding wiping over the head, she is permitted to wipe the front part of her head and then complete the wiping over her headscarf (khimar), as some scholars permit this, especially in cases of necessity. Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah supported the permissibility of wiping over the khimar by analogy with wiping over leather socks (khuffayn), and because Umm Salamah used to wipe over her khimar, and because removing the khimar is more difficult for her than removing a man's turban.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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