What is the ruling on one who says that the niqab is recommended and not obligatory, and that the one who does so is sinful and audacious towards Allah and His Messenger, and what is the ruling on one who denies the obligation of the niqab?

The covering of a woman's face and hands is a matter of scholarly disagreement. Covering the face does not necessarily mean wearing a niqab; it can be done by lowering the khimar over the face. The evidence prohibiting a woman in a state of ihram from wearing the niqab indicates its permissibility for those not in a state of ihram. No one has stated that the niqab itself is obligatory; rather, some scholars, like the Malikis, disliked it unless it was the custom of a people. As for covering the face, it is obligatory according to a group of scholars, and this is the view of the majority if there is a fear of temptation (fitna).