Is it permissible for a woman to sit without covering her head in the presence of her milk brother?
Dear Brother / Sister,
It is permissible for a woman to sit without covering her head in the presence of her milk brother.
The awrah places of a woman to her mahram men are like the awrah places of a man to other men. However, a woman cannot show her abdomen, back and according to a view, her breasts to her mahram men. (Ibn Humam, Fathul-Qadir, VIl/l05.)
The men who are mahram to a woman are her husband (no part of a woman is awrah to her husband), her father, her grandparents, her husband’s father and grandparents, her husband’s children (from other women) her brothers, her brothers’ and sisters’ sons (her nephews), her slaves, men who often enter her house and who have no sexual desire and boys who are not aware of sexuality yet. Paternal uncles and maternal uncles are like her fathers. Her husband’s brothers, and her husband’s paternal and maternal uncles are not mahram to her.
A woman can sit with her arms up to the shoulders, her head, neck and legs up to her knees uncovered in the presence of those mahram men. However, this is valid when no bad feelings are present. Besides, can sit does not mean has to sit. It is better if she is careful about covering her body in their presence and even when she is alone.
In the verse mentioned above, it is stated that it is permissible for the woman to show her ziynah places, that is, her ornaments and jewels and the places they are worn. Islamic scholars say the ziynah places of a woman are the head, face, the upper part of the chest, neck, ears, hands, arms, feet and legs because crown and hairband are put on the head, necklace around the neck and on the upperpart of the chest, earrings on the ears, armbands around the upper arms, bracelets around the arms, rings and henna on the hands, bangles around the leg and henna on the feet; therefore, these are the places that she can show to her mahram men.
Her breasts, back and abdomen are not places of ziynah; therefore, she cannot show them to anybody except her husband.
Questions on Islam
- Relation between nephew and his aunt.
- How should the tasattur (hijab) of a Muslim woman be in the presence of her mother-in-law and father-in-law who are non-Muslims? Can she uncover her head?
- When the people to whom women can display their beauty are listed, their slaves are also listed. How should we understand it?
- Is it religiously permissible for a woman to wear a gold bracelet or a gold name bracelet?
- If some problems occur in terms of tasattur (hijab) when we make wudu near non-Muslim women, can we make tayammum?
- How is a free Muslim woman dresses when there are other people near her?
- What should the dressing style of a Muslim woman be like?
- How should a woman’s outside covering be? To what extent can hands and feet be uncovered? How should the head be covered?
- Who are mahram men for a woman? Who are the men that are regarded as mahram and non-mahram for a woman? Are maternal and paternal uncles mahram?
- How should a woman dress at home? If she uncovers her head, will the angels of mercy leave? Does wearing a short-sleeved dress make angels leave?
