with respect to this child. However, if she was not negligent—such that she had left him in a distant spot and he came on his own and drank from the container—then she is not liable, for she did not fall short in her duty.

As for what is mentioned in the question—that the mother herself drank from the same liquid that had killed the child in order to find out whether it is fatal or not—that action is impermissible. A person is not allowed to ingest something harmful merely as an experiment. I believe she did so out of tenderness and compassion for her child, hoping to soothe the grief she felt over his death by seeing whether the substance is truly harmful or not. Nonetheless, she erred by exposing herself to danger. Allah, Exalted is He, says: “And do not cast yourselves, by your own hands, into destruction” (al-Baqarah 195). What was decreed has already come to pass, and praise belongs to Allah. She must show patience and seek her reward with Him. Furthermore, as we have explained, if she was careless or negligent, she is required to offer the prescribed expiation. Allah knows best.

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Uncovering a Woman’s Face

Question: Some people claim that uncovering the face is not forbidden and therefore need not be covered at any time, including during ḥajj. Could you clarify the ruling? May Allah reward you.

Answer: The correct view, supported by the evidences, is that a woman’s face is part of her ʿawrah (those parts of the body that must be covered), and indeed it is the most captivating part of her body. People’s gazes are naturally directed toward the face, for it is the locus of beauty and the seat of praise in poetry. Accordingly, the face is the greatest ʿawrah of a woman, and this is confirmed by the scriptural proofs.