Male Teachers Instructing Unveiled Women

Women’s Corner

Male Teachers Instructing

Unveiled Women

Mufti Muhammad Haashim Khan Attari

Question: When new teachers are hired, the school offers them teacher training sessions. In this context, what do the honourable scholars say regarding the permissibility or impermissibility of a male teacher giving face-to-face training to female colleagues, the majority of whom are not observing the veil, i.e., their hair is uncovered, and there is no physical barrier between them?

Questioner: Muhammad Zeshan Attari (Shah ‘Alam Market, Lahore)

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

Answer: In the aforementioned case, it is not permissible for the male teacher to provide training to females because it is haram for a woman to be seen by a non-mahram if any of her body parts that must be covered are uncovered or some part of them are visible. This includes her hair, neck, and wrists. Furthermore, indecent gazing would certainly occur in such environments, which is totally against the teachings of the Quran and Hadith.

The Shari’ah has commanded men and women to keep their gazes lowered. Allah Almighty states in the Holy Quran:

قُلْ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ یَغُضُّوْا مِنْ اَبْصَارِهِمْ وَ یَحْفَظُوْا فُرُوْجَهُمْؕ-ذٰلِكَ اَزْكٰى لَهُمْؕ-اِنَّ اللّٰهَ خَبِیْرٌۢ بِمَا یَصْنَعُوْنَ(۳۰) وَ قُلْ لِّلْمُؤْمِنٰتِ یَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ اَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَ یَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوْجَهُنَّ وَ لَا یُبْدِیْنَ زِیْنَتَهُنَّ اِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَ لْیَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلٰى جُیُوْبِهِنَّ۪-

‘Command the Muslim men to keep their gaze somewhat low and protect their private parts; this is much purer for them. Indeed, Allah is Aware of their actions. And command the Muslim women to keep their gaze slightly low, and to protect their chastity, and not to reveal their adornment except what is apparent itself, and to keep the head-covering wrapped over their bosoms.’

[Kanz-ul-Iman (translation of Quran)] (Part 18, Surah Al-Noor, Verses 30-31)

It is stated in Al-Sunan al-Kubra of Bayhaqi, Maraseel Abi Dawood, and Shu’ab-ul-Iman:

‘عن الحسن، قال: وبلغنی ان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: ”لعن الله الناظر والمنظور اليه’

Translation: Sayyiduna Hasan رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ states: It has reached me that the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has said: ‘the one gazing indecently and the one allowing an indecent gaze are both cursed by Allah Almighty.’ (Shu’ab-ul-Iman, vol. 6, p. 162, Hadith 7788; Maraseel Abi Dawood, and Al-Sunan al-Kubra)

In his legal edicts, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه defined what it means to be unveiled as ‘uncovering those parts of the body which are compulsory to cover. This includes [uncovering] some part of the hair, neck, wrist, stomach, or ankles. In such a state, it is haram for a woman to go in front of a non-mahram male, whether he is a spiritual guide, a scholar, a young man, or an old man.’ (Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 22, p. 240)

He further adds: ‘It is also Haraam for girls to remain unveiled in front of non-Mahram boys.’ (Summarised Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 23, p. 690)

In fact, jurists, such as ‘Allamah ʿAla-ud-Deen Al-Haskafi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه, have ruled that:

تمنع المراۃ الشابة من کشف الوجه بین رجال لخوف الفتنة

‘Due to the fear of falling into temptation, it is disallowed for a young woman to unveil her face in front of men.’ (Durr-e-Mukhtar, vol. 1, p. 406)

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم