we believe, how could it ever be permissible to keep it hidden and refrain from informing the people of it? O Allah, forgive us.

Yes, whoever still maintains that—even so—it must not be acted upon as a means of blocking the path to potential misuse must, for his part, set that view out plainly before the people and not conceal it, bringing forward the proofs that support his opinion. But how far-fetched, how far-fetched that is! For here is the Messenger of Allah ﷺ seeing al-Fadl ibn ʿAbbās turn his gaze toward the woman of Khathʿam—she was a beautiful woman looking at him while he looked at her, and she was not in a state of iḥrām, as I shall explain—and the Prophet did nothing more than divert al-Fadl’s face away from her; he did not instruct her to cover her face from him. What clearer precautionary example could there be? It was on that occasion that he ﷺ said, “I saw a young man and a young woman; I could not feel secure from Satan’s influence over them.” 1

This sound hadith, then, establishes that a woman’s uncovering of her face—even if she is attractive—is her rightful option; should she wish to exercise it, she may, and no one has the authority to forbid her on the pretext of fearing temptation. A narration such as this prevents us from adopting the view of the aforementioned group and obliges us to disseminate the correct opinion on the matter.

Nonetheless, we have not neglected to draw believing women’s attention to the fact that, although revealing the face is permissible, covering it is better; we have devoted a separate chapter to this point in the book (page 104).

Thus we have discharged the scholarly trust in full: we have clarified what is obligatory for the woman and what is commendable for her. Whoever confines herself to the obligation—well and good; whoever chooses the superior course has opted for what is best.