Additional Advice for Sisters Who Wear the Niqab in Women-Only Gatherings

Sheikh Muhammad Al-’Ansi ḥafidhahullāh said: "In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The advice to these noble sisters — may Allāh grant them success in all goodness — for their diligence and modesty, is as follows: A woman keeping her face veil on in the company of other women, where there are no non-mahram men present, serves no benefit and is not part of the religion of Allāh, the Almighty. If a woman were to do this as an act of devotion and believe that it is superior to leave the niqab on in an all-female setting, then this would be considered tanattuʿ (excessiveness in religion) and an innovation (bidʿah) in the religion of Allah, the Exalted, if she believes it to be virtuous. As for the claim that this is merely a custom — then it is a custom that goes against proper guidance. How can a woman remain veiled among women? Do you not know, O virtuous sisters, that during the days in Dammaj, women — without exception — were prohibited from wearing the niqab in the women's prayer area? Some women would come appearing to display a false sense of piety — and this is what we call cold piety — insisting on wearing the niqab among women. They were prevented from doing so and were nearly expelled. It was said that this could be a pretext for men to enter. How would anyone know? A man might wear a jilbab and a niqab and enjoy looking at women. Indeed, on one occasion, a man actually entered — and they caught him while he was still on the staircase — wearing a niqab. We ask Allāh for safety and well-being. Adhering to the rulings and manners of the Shariʿah is essential. A woman is to wear the niqab or cover herself with her jilbab and veil her face when she is outside or in the presence of non-mahram men. But when she is in her home, or among her mahrams, or in the company of other women, then there is no benefit in keeping the niqab on. Rather, this is considered rigidity and extremism. And Allāh is the one whose help is sought."