Pledged to Allaah never to take off her Hijab before anybody but her husband, but did

13-8-2015 | IslamWeb

Question:

I made a pledge to Allaah, the Exalted, never to take off my Hijaab before anyone except my husband, but I took it off before a man who made a solemn covenant before Allaah that he would marry me. Is what I did forbidden? Should I offer expiation?
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 sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

If the questioner, through her covenant, meant not to allow non-Mahram (permanently unmarriageable kin) men to see her unveiled, which is more likely to be the case, then she bears no sin for allowing the suitor to see her unveiled because it is permissible for him to see her. Hence, her pledge to Allaah Almighty has not been violated. However, if she meant never to allow any man other than her husband, including her father and Mahram-men, to see her unveiled, then her covenant is considered violated by allowing the suitor to see her unveiled because he is not considered her husband until the marriage contract has been concluded. However, it is not likely that this was her intention. When a person makes a pledge to Allaah, the Exalted, it is considered an oath. When he fails to fulfill his pledge, he is obliged to offer expiation like that for breaking an oath. Nevertheless, scholars held different opinions regarding the ruling on the person who makes a pledge to Allaah, the Exalted, not to do a forbidden act or to do an obligatory one. Their views varied as whether such a pledge is considered binding and valid and whether the person is obliged to offer expiation if he breaks it or not.

Allaah Knows best.

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