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Fatwa CenterCovering area under chin as part of hijaab
Question
Assalaamu alaikum. Thank you for referring me to fatwa No. 95515 once more and requesting me to resend my question more clearly. I have gone through it again, but my confusion about the area under the chin mentioned in the fatwa persists, mainly because I have been reading conflicting opinions by many scholars/websites that say that it is not required to be covered; some say that it is recommended, and some say that it is mandatory. However, I see the majority of women around the world not covering this area during the prayer and in public, perhaps in ignorance. Some even say that it is the Shias that cover this area and not the Sunnis! Hence, I seek further clarification to be sure of the action that I should take or not take by outlining my question below. You see, I observe the full hijab, but not the niqab. But when I use the triangular-shaped headscarves and/or ready-to-wear wrist or full-body length khimars/prayergowns, I need to fasten the garment below my chin using a pin. The way I drape the headcovering over the top of my head and bring it down to pin it under the chin leaves a small area under the chin exposed. This is the small part of the face that juts out when the face is viewed at a side angle, the place which automatically gets wet while washing the face in ablution, and, finally, the area in which men's beards start growing. I hope that the area mentioned is clear. I notice that most women leave this area exposed, and in case of women who are of normal size, weight etc., this area is indeed very small. However, there are women who pull up their hijabs from under their chins for it to rest on their jawbones, so that the entire neck upto the u-shaped chin bone around the bottom of the face is covered. Please clarify whether this is part of the ‘Awrah (what should be covered of the body) which is to be covered in the prayer and in public?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
What we understood from your question is that you mean the lower part of the lower jaw, which is the area next to the upper part of the neck. If this is what you mean, then it is not part of the face. As stated in the fatwa to which we referred you earlier, the limit of the face, vertically, according to the Muslim scholars, is from the hairline to the end of the chin. Hence, you come to realize that it is obligatory on the woman to cover this area in the prayer, and it is obligatory on her to cover it outside prayer if she is in a place where non-Mahram (marriageable) men can see her.
Allah knows best.
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