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Are the forearm and foot considered 'awrah, and should one condemn a woman if a small part of her forearm or leg is uncovered?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The summary of the fatwa is that the majority of jurists hold that the entire body of a woman is 'awrah (private parts) in front of a non-mahram man, with the exception of the face and hands. This is due to the necessity of interacting with men, provided that there is no fear of fitnah (temptation). It has been reported from Abu Hanifa that it is permissible to uncover the feet, and from Abu Yusuf that it is also permissible to uncover the forearms. However, Hanafi books mention that the more correct view regarding the forearms is that they are part of the 'awrah. The considered difference of opinion is concerning the face and hands, and what is preponderant to us is the obligation to cover them. We have not come across any statement from a scholar allowing the uncovering of the shins. A woman should be gently alerted if any part of her 'awrah becomes uncovered, especially if it is a small amount and due to inadvertence.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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