(Don't quite understand this - how are you meant to wear a niqab w/o letting it touch your face. I thought no one wore niqab in ihram)

Question

While performing Hajj is it necessary that the Niqaab of a women does not touch her face while she is in Ihraam? Can she give some charity if she finds this difficult?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Leaving the face uncovered is part of the woman’s Ihrām. Nabi Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam has said:

“The Ihrām of a female is in her face and the Ihrām of a man is in his head.”
(Sunan Ad-Dāru Qutni, Hadīth No. 2761)[1]

In these times of corruption and evil, it is advisable that a woman in Ihrām covers her face in such a way that the covering cloth (niqāb) does not touch the face. That is by wearing a cap and drawing the niqāb from a distance away from the face. However if we suppose the niqāb does end up touching the face, then charity equivalent to the amount of Sadaqatul Fitr is due. And if she wears niqāb whilst touching her face for a complete day, a Damm (sacrificed animal) is due. [2] [3]
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mawlana Abdul Azeem bin Abdur Rahman,
Student Darul Iftaa
US

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
www.daruliftaa.net

[1] إِحْرَامُ الْمَرْأَةِ فِي وَجْهِهَا وَإِحْرَامُ الرَّجُلِ فِي رَأْسِهِ (دار قطني, رقم الحديث 2761, مؤسسة الرسالة)

[2] وليس للمراة ان تنتقب وتغطي وجهها فان فعلت ذالك يوما كاملا فعليها دم (الجوهرة النيرة,ج 1, ص 218: مير محمد كتب خانه)

[3] (فان فعلت) اي ما ذكر من تغطية الوجه (يوما فعليها دما, وفي الاقل صدقة)