He ﷺ replied:

⦗137⦘ “I saw a young man and a young woman, and I could not trust Satan’s influence over them.”

This is an explicit indication that he ﷺ acted out of fear of temptation, as al-Shawkani states in Nayl al-Awtar (6/97). Whoever, in a similar situation, behaves contrary to the Prophet’s conduct has opposed his guidance and exposed himself to the warning in Allah’s words: “So let those who oppose his command beware, lest a trial befall them or a painful punishment” (Qur’an 24:63), and to the Prophet’s saying: “…whoever turns away from my sunnah is not of me” (agreed upon). How much worse is it, then, when someone promotes such opposition as a standing rule to be followed indefinitely?

Al-Shawkani, may Allah have mercy on him, further said: Ibn al-Qattan inferred from this incident the permissibility of looking (at a woman) when there is no fear of temptation, since the Prophet did not order her to cover her face. Had al-‘Abbas not understood that looking was allowed, he would not have asked; and had what he understood been impermissible, the Prophet would not have approved it.

Someone devoid of true understanding has attempted to explain the Prophet’s ﷺ failure to instruct her to cover her face by arguing: “Had he commanded her, covering the face would have become obligatory—and we do not claim that.” See Hijab al-‘Adawi, p. 99.

I say: Your own position—the very reason you composed “Your Hijab” to defend it and rebut your adversary—is that a woman is obliged to cover her face. By the statement just quoted, do you mean that ⦗138⦘