Is it permissible for a woman who wears the niqab to remove her khimar due to an illness that causes severe headaches and extreme shortness of breath, to the extent that it becomes a burden for her?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
A woman is required to cover her face in front of non- men. If she experiences a severe headache or shortness of breath due to covering, she is permitted to uncover it out of necessity, as "Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity." Some jurists do not consider the face to be 'awrah (P.N. something that must be covered), and it is permissible to take advantage of this concession to avoid hardship, provided she strives to avoid being seen by men.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/164326
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 164326
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy