Rulings for Islamic Sisters

(1) What is the ruling if some of a woman's hair becomes uncovered in the state of iḥrām?

Question: What do the esteemed scholars say regarding this issue: If a woman is in the state of iḥrām and her scarf or similar covering slips from her head, causing her hair to become visible, and she then covers it upon realising, what is the ruling for this woman? Will a dam (sacrifice) or ṣadaqah (charity) be obligatory upon her or not?

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

A woman's hair is included in her sitr (parts that must be covered). If the sitr becomes uncovered in the state of iḥrām, no kaffārah (expiation) becomes obligatory. However, deliberately exposing any part of the sitr before a non-maḥram (a person with whom marriage is permissible) is ḥarām (forbidden). If the hair was covered with full care and attention, and it is not known when it became exposed, there will be no accountability for this.

It should be noted that in any form of ṭawāf (circumambulation), it is obligatory for men and women to cover their respective parts of the sitr according to the rulings specific to each. There is considerable detail regarding the exposure of body and the types of ṭawāf, in terms of whether kaffārah is required, and if so, what kind.[1]

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم

(2) When should a woman pay zakat on her bridal gift (Mahr)?

Question: What do the esteemed scholars say regarding this issue: My marriage took place eight years ago. My bridal gift was fifty thousand, which my husband has not yet paid, nor have I demanded it. I am an owner of niṣāb (possess the minimum threshold for zakat) and pay zakat every year. The question is, should I include the unpaid fifty thousand bridal gift, which I have not yet received, in my niṣāb when paying zakat, or not?

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

In the inquired scenario, the bridal gift that has not yet been paid is, from a jurisprudential perspective, a dayn ḍaʿīf (weak debt). Zakat on a weak debt becomes obligatory only when a year has passed after taking possession of it, or if there is another niṣāb of the same type of asset on which a year has been completed. Therefore, until you receive the bridal gift, it will not be included in your niṣāb.

However, if you do receive the bridal gift, it will be included in the calculation of zakat from the day it comes into your possession. That is, if you were already an owner of niṣāb, this wealth will be combined with your other assets liable for zakat, and zakat on the total will become obligatory at the completion of its year, provided the other conditions for zakat are met. If you were not previously an owner of niṣāb, then from the day the bridal gift is received, if it meets the niṣāb threshold, the zakat year begins from that moment. When the year is completed, its zakat will become due, subject to the usual zakat conditions.[2]

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم