Back to search

What is the ruling on looking at non-mahram women without lust if their hair is uncovered, and is it permissible to analogize this to the situation of slave women during the Prophetic era?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

A woman's hair is considered 'awrah' (that which must be covered), and she must conceal it. Non-mahram men must lower their gaze from it. The evidence for this is the general religious texts commanding women to cover themselves, including Allah's saying: "They should draw over themselves some of their outer garments" (Quran 33:59), and His saying: "And let them draw their headcovers over their bosoms" (Quran 24:31). The jurists have agreed that it is impermissible to look at a non-mahram woman's hair or for her to expose it. As for drawing an analogy with slave women, this contradicts the well-known distinction between slave women and free women. Leaving the hijab was a concession for slave women due to their need to uncover themselves because of their service, and the hijab is specific to free women, not slave women.

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

Read the full answer on Ftawy