Ruling on obedience to parents leads to committing sins
Question:
A young lady wants to wear Niqab (face veil), knowing that it is Fard (obligatory, based on a definitive text), but her parents refuse and tell her that her obedience to them is also a Fard that takes precedence over wearing Niqab. Are the parents right? Does this mean that she should abandon wearing Niqab? How could this be in accordance with the Messenger’s saying, “Anyone who turns away from my Sunnah is not one of my (followers).” 1
Moreover, even though Niqab is Wajib (obligatory, based on a speculative text), it is known that Fard is the same as Wajib according to the Four Schools of Jurisprudence, except for that of Imam Malik who maintained that Wajib comes in intermediate status between Fard and Nafilah (supererogatory). Kindly give us your Fatwa in this regard. If wearing Niqab is Fard, how can this girl abide by that obligation, while her father threatens to pull her Niqab off in public if he sees her wearing it. He takes this attitude because he thinks that wearing Niqab will jeopardize the girl’s brothers.
Answer:
It should be known that obedience to parents is obligatory provided that what they request is reasonable and approved by the Shari’ah (Islamic law). If obedience to parents leads to committing sins, then there should be no obedience to them. It is authentically reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Truly, obedience is only in what is good.” 2
Therefore, the girl should stick to wearing the Niqab, and try to convince her parents by explaining the legal ruling, without being bothered by their threats. Furthermore, she should always seek Allah’s Help and the help of the pious relatives within the family who can advise them, so that Allah may benefit them with such advice.
Al-Bukhari, Sahih, Book on marriage, no. 5063; Muslim, Sahih, Book on marriage, no. 1401; Al-Nasa’i, Sunan, Book on marriage, no. 3217; and Ahmad, Musnad, vol. 3, p. 285. ↩
Al-Bukhari, Sahih, Book on judgments, no. 7145; Muslim, Sahih, Book on rulership, no. 1840; Al-Nasa’i, Sunan, Book on Al-Bay`ah, no. 4205; Abu Dawud, Sunan, Book on Jihad, no. 2625; and Ahmad, Musnad, vol. 1, p. 82. ↩
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