I say, and with God's success: This issue has caused great confusion among the general and specific Muslims, including those who have studied the religious sciences; due to the deviation in receiving knowledge from its original sources and from its scholars, the imams, and the jurists. To establish the truth in its proper context, we say: The face and the hands, although not considered 'awrah (nakedness) as stated by the majority of jurists, this does not necessitate the permissibility of exposing them to non-mahrams; because hijab and 'awrah are two different matters; covering the 'awrah is an obligation in itself, regardless of whether people see it or not, in prayer and outside of it, unlike hijab, which is only required where there is fear of being seen by non-mahrams. Likewise, covering the 'awrah is obligatory for every believing man and woman, while hijab is specific to women. The scholar Muhammad Shafi' al-Othmani, may Allah have mercy on him, after mentioning the differences between 'awrah and hijab in detail in the interpretation of the verses on hijab, said: "Many people have mixed up the matter and have inferred from the exemption of the face and hands from 'awrah that covering them is not obligatory, and that it is permissible for women to uncover their faces and hands in front of relatives and non-mahrams without restriction. And you have learned the weakness of this inference...". Among the evidence cited for the non-'awrah status of the face and hands is what is found in Sahih al-Bukhari, where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "A woman in ihram should not wear a niqab nor gloves." If covering them was prohibited, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would not command uncovering 'awrah. Al-Hafiz al-Iraqi said in Tarh al-Tathrib: "The prohibition of wearing a niqab indicates the prohibition of covering the face with something that touches it, but not what is kept away from it. This is the opinion of the four imams and the majority...". What covers the face and is kept away from it has been stated by the jurists of the schools as permissible and recommended. Imam al-Shafi'i said in Al-Umm: "A woman who is in public and wants to cover herself from people should lower her jilbab or part of her khimar or other clothing from over her head and keep it away from her face until she covers her face while keeping it away, as a covering for her face, and she is not allowed to wear a niqab." Shams al-A'imma al-Sarakhsi said in Al-Mabsut: "It is permissible for her to let her khimar hang over her face from above her head in a way that does not touch her face; because covering the face is only achieved by what touches her face, not by what does not touch it, and this is like entering under a roof. Others have said that it is recommended in ihram for her to let something hang over her face and keep it away, and they have made for that rods like a dome to be placed over the face and the cloth is draped over it, as mentioned in Fath al-Qadir and Sharh al-Sharnbali. This is also supported by what was narrated in Sunan Abu Dawood and Sunan al-Bayhaqi from Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, who said: "Riders would pass by us while we were with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in ihram, and when they came close to us, one of us would lower her jilbab from her head over her face, and when they passed us, we would uncover it." Thus, the permissibility of covering the face while keeping it away and its sunnah in ihram, despite the explicit prohibition mentioned, makes the matter of covering it outside of ihram more obligatory. This is what our esteemed jurists understood, as stated by the eminent Ibn al-Humam in Fath al-Qadir, al-Shurunbulali in Hashiyat al-Durar, and al-Shaykh Zadah in Majma' al-Anhar: "This issue indicates that a woman is prohibited from revealing her face to non-mahrams without necessity, and this is also indicated by the hadith: the hadith of Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her. Here are the Hanafi jurists affirming the obligation of covering the face for young women, contrary to what some people think. Among the statements of their great scholars on this matter, Al-Sadr al-Shahid Ibn Mazah said: "A young woman should be prevented from uncovering her face so as not to lead to temptation, and in our time, prevention is obligatory, indeed a duty due to the prevalence of corruption," as mentioned in Majma' al-Anhar. Zain al-Abidin Ibn Nujaym said in Al-Bahr al-Ra'iq: "Our teachers said: A young woman should be prevented from uncovering her face among men in our time due to the temptation." Shams al-Din al-Tumurtashi and al-Haskafi in Al-Durr al-Mukhtar explained in Tanwir al-Absar: "A young woman is prohibited from uncovering her face among men, not because it is 'awrah, but due to the fear of temptation, that is, immorality or desire, as with touching the face even if desire is secured; because touching is more severe; and thus, the prohibition of marriage through touching is established." The final authority of the scholars, Ibn Abidin, in Rad al-Muhtar said: "She is prevented from uncovering for fear that men may see her face and cause temptation; because with uncovering, there may be a lustful gaze upon her, just as a man is prevented from touching her face and hands even if desire is secured." Likewise, among the Maliki scholars, in Mawahib al-Jalil: "Know that if there is fear of temptation from a woman, it is obligatory for her to cover her face and hands, as stated by Qadi Abdul Wahhab, and this was transmitted from him by Sheikh Ahmad Zarruq in his explanation of the message, and it is evident in Al-Tawdhih; this is what is obligatory for her." As for the Shafi'i scholars, their statements are explicit in the obligation of covering, including what is in Fatawa al-Wahabi and Tajrid Li Nafa al-Abid: "The obligation of covering the face and hands in life is not because they are 'awrah, but because looking at them often leads to temptation," and in the margins of Qalyubi and Umira: "It is forbidden for them to go out with uncovered faces; because it is a cause for the unlawful," and similarly among the Hanbalis. Scholar Muhammad Shafi' al-Othmani in Tafsil al-Khitab said: "We have elaborated on this matter because we have seen some who claim to be scholars in our time falling into confusion, and it has become clear to this weak servant that the majority of the Malikis, Shafi'is, and Hanbalis agree on the prohibition of looking at the face of a non-mahram woman and her hands, as well as on the prohibition of uncovering them except in cases of necessity, not because they are 'awrah in prayer, but due to the issue of temptation." Thus, it becomes clear to us that the matter of covering the face is a point of consensus among the jurists of the different schools, especially due to temptation, until Imam al-Haramayn stated the consensus of Muslims on this, saying: "Muslims have agreed to prevent women from going out with uncovered faces; because looking is a cause of temptation and incites desire, and it is appropriate for the virtues of the Sharia to close the door and to avoid details of situations such as seclusion with a non-mahram," as mentioned in Asna al-Matlab, Al-Ghurar al-Bahiyyah, and other references. Among the evidence for this is His saying, the Exalted: {O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks over them. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be harmed} [Al-Ahzab: 59]. In Sunan Abu Dawood, it is narrated from Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, who said: "When this was revealed, the women of the Ansar went out as if there were crows on their heads from the garments." In the interpretation of Al-Tabari, it is narrated from Ibn Abbas and Ubaidah: "Allah commanded the believing women when they go out of their homes for a need to cover their faces from above their heads with cloaks and to show only one eye." Abu Bakr al-Jassas said in Ahkam al-Qur'an: "This verse indicates that a young woman is commanded to cover her face from non-mahrams and to show modesty and chastity when going out; so that those with suspicion do not become tempted by them." And His saying, the Exalted: {And let them not display their adornment except that which [ordinarily] appears thereof. And to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests...} [An-Nur: 31], the meaning of {except that which appears thereof} according to Ibn Mas'ud and Ibrahim: is clothing. In Sunan Abu Dawood, it is narrated from Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, that she said: "May Allah have mercy on the women of the early emigrants when Allah revealed: {And let them wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests.} They tore their cloaks and covered themselves with them." In Sahih Muslim, it is narrated from Umm 'Atiyyah, may Allah be pleased with her, who said: "O Messenger of Allah, one of us does not have a jilbab, he said: Let her wear her sister's jilbab." This is just a glimpse of the evidence for this. The essence of the matter is that the jurists of the four schools have stated the obligation of covering the face and hands due to temptation, and outside of temptation, it is not obligatory, but recommended. However, the situation in uncovering them is not like that of uncovering other parts of a woman; because they are not 'awrah, unlike others which are 'awrah. And Allah knows best.