Wearing Hijab in Front of Male in-laws

26-8-2002 | IslamWeb

Question:

Must a young Muslim woman wear Hijab in front of her brothers in-law (sister's husband and husband's brother) as they are her non-Mahrams - Is it allowed for her to show her face only to them while covering her hair or does the face have to be covered also? If they are at present living in one house, is it better to live in separate quarters?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

No doubt that the husband of the sister, the brothers of the husband and his male cousins (all these) are not Mahram to the woman. So, she should not appear in front of them except wearing her Hijab and she should not stay in seclusion with one of them.

For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 81554.

If such people live with the woman in the same house, she should move to an independent house if she can do so as that is better and less binding for her.

We ask Allah to help us all.

Allah knows best.