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Fatwa CenterWearing Niqab in Romania
Question
I live in Romania and I have practiced wearing the affixed veil (NIQAB) here for a year (1998) I faced many problems; for instance I really wasn't bothered if people looked at me because they really could not see anything. The problem was that I felt I invited a lot of trouble: men on the street started bothering me, there were times when men approached me and tried to remove my veil. There was a time when 2 boys followed me home calling me ninja... and, Alhamdulillah, Allah protected me because I closed the entrance door and it locked so they couldn't enter behind me.There was a time when a gypsy lady tried to remove my veil and she was horrific. Another time these people had some beer day or something and I was heading home from the university (I'm a married medical student and have a child, Alhamdulillah, and I live in the university and am always accompanied by my friend until I am close to my house).A man came in front of my face and he was so close I because so terrified I felt my soul leave my body and he kept screaming in front of me.I really don't care what my doctors or professors think, or the patients for that matter, but I fear physical harm on the street and I don't go out except to the hospital and with a Mahram with me, ...usually my husband!Please help me with proof because I read your fatwas on hijab and I totally agree that it is obligatory and now I have not worn the naqab for 2 years because I spoke to Dr. Bilal Philips' wife and she said that if the harm exceeds the good in this situation then its better not to wear the niqab...but the scarf and my black garment has not caused me serious problems, Al-Hamdulillah I have started wearing the naqab again...but I do fear, so I need your response.
Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
Dear Sister,
You should know living in a non-Muslim country is not permissible as a general rule. It is only permitted for the one who is compelled to live there for legal reasons or being a native of that country and can not migrate from his country. For details please read the following Fatawa: 81464, 81642 and 82581.
So, if you are not compelled to live in this non-Muslim country then the only way to protect yourself from being humiliated, making joke or any other kind of harassment is to migrate to any Muslim country.
If there is any dire necessity to live in that country then we advise you to be patient, trust in Allah, do not give up implementation of all Islamic rules and remind yourself of what had happened to the Prophets of Allah.
The nation of the Prophet Nooh (
) laughed at him and made fun of him Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {And as he was constructing the ship, whenever the chiefs of his people passed by him, they made a mockery of him. He said: "If you mock at us, so do we mock at you likewise for your mocking.}[11: 38].
The Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) was thrown in to a blazing fire. The beloved Prophet Muhammad was severely tortured. Once the non-believers put dirty fetus of a she-camel on his back while he was prostrating in K'abah. When he went to Taif to call people to Islam they humiliated him and induced children and a mob to throw pebbles and stones on him till he was injured. All these trials and adversities did not stop him from implementing Sharia.
We apprehend that if you uncover your face, relying on the opinion of some scholars, this might not stop your hardship since you have become known to these people and they might not leave their bad practice towards you. So, if they observe your strength and firmness in your religion and your boldness to face them then they may cease teasing you. Moreover your firm perseverance might be a reason for many people to embrace Islam.
But, if you can not bear these problems then you may uncover your face, according to the opinion that permits doing so. If you uncover your face you should avoid using make up, and all perfumes since they may attract unwanted attention.
Allah knows best.
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