Is the correct hijab the complete covering of the face, or is it permissible to uncover the face? And what is the response to the apparent contradiction between the Quranic verses and the Hadith on this issue, such as His (Allah’s) saying: "O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they should be known and not be abused," and His (Allah’s) saying: "It is not lawful for you [O Muhammad] to marry women after this, nor [for you] to exchange them for [other] wives, even if their beauty should please you," and the hadith: "A woman in ihram should not wear a niqab or gloves," and the hadith of the woman with "darkened cheeks"? And what is the authenticity of the hadith which mentioned that the Prophet (peace be upon him) turned away his face from the Companion who kept looking at a woman, and he did not order the woman to cover her face?
The issue of covering the face is a matter of scholarly disagreement, and the reason for this disagreement is the apparent contradiction in the texts. What is preponderant, in our view, is the opinion that it is obligatory. As for the texts from which permissibility is understood, such as the hadith of the woman with dark cheeks, the response given is that this was likely before the revelation of the verse of hijab, and this is a strong possibility. The hadith of Al-Fadl ibn Abbas is an authentic hadith, and the response given is that the woman was in a state of ihram, and a woman's ihram is in her face and hands.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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