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Fatwa CenterRuling on rings and bracelets showing on a woman's hands
Question
Assalaamu alaikum. I wear hijab but not niqab, and I leave my hands uncovered too. My clothes are very modest, and I do not use makeup or henna either. I would like to know whether I am permitted to show my finger rings in public? And if my bangles stick out from my wrists while I am wearing full-sleeved clothes, is that wrong? Please give me a personal answer instead of directing me to various fatwas. May Allaah reward you, wassalaam.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
The scholars differed in opinion with regards to the permissibility of a woman showing such rings in front of non-mahram (marriageable) men, based on their difference of opinion regarding determining the apparent ornaments stated in the verse in which Allaah says (what means): {…and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof…} [Quran 24:31]
It is better in order to be on the safe side for a woman not to reveal her entire adornment in front of non-mahram men.
Professor Hikmat Basheer Al-Mawsili said in his book As-Saheeh Al-Masboor min At-Tafseer bil-Ma’thoor, when interpreting the verse: {…and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof…}, "At-Tabari reported with a good chain of narrators from ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood that he said, "It means the clothes." At-Tabari reported from Al-Hasan from Ali ibn Abu Talhah from Ibn Abbaas, "The apparent adornment is the face, the kohl of the eye, the henna on the hand, and the ring; she may display such things for the people who enter upon her (in her house)." This is the complete statement of Ibn ‘Abbaas 
but many scholars reported the first part of his statement only from him, so what was attributed to Ibn Abbaas, that the meaning of the verse: {except that which [necessarily] appears thereof} is the face and hands, is not a general statement, but this is confined to her house for the people who enter upon her. What proves this is his interpretation of the saying of Allaah (which means): {O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allaah Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 33:59]; as At-Tabari reported from Al-Hasan from Ali ibn Abu Talhah from Ibn Abbaas, who said, Allaah commanded the believing women if they go out of their homes for a need to cover their faces from above their heads with the jilbaab (garment, robe) and show one eye only.” [summarized]
Hence, if some ornaments appear accidentally and you rush to hide them, then you are not sinful; as Allaah says: {…there is no blame upon you for that in which you have erred but [only for] what your hearts intended. And ever is Allaah Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 33:5]
Finally, it should be pointed out that there is a difference of opinion among the scholars regarding a woman covering her face and hands; the view that we consider the preponderant one at Islamweb is that she is obliged to cover them; for more benefit, please refer to fataawa 81554 and 83033.
Allaah knows best.
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