• Impermissibility of exposing the arms

  　　

　　Some women often say that they have heard some scholars telling that the woman who exposes her arms in her house will have them burned on the Day of Resurrection. It should be noted that some women make sleeves of their clothes up to the wrists and sometimes up to the elbows. What is the ruling on that?

　　The punishment of burning the [exposed] arms of the woman on the Day of Resurrection has no basis in Islam, yet a woman is prohibited to display her arms in front of anyone other than her husband and Mahram (non-marriageable) men. So, a Muslim woman should be modest and adhere to Hijab (Islamic covering) as much as she can. She has to cover her arms in the house unless there is no one in the house except her husband and Mahram relatives. In such a case, it will be permissible for her to uncover her arms. As for the woman who has clothes with sleeves up to the elbows, she may keep them as such on the condition that she does not wear these clothes in front of any non-Mahram (marriageable) man. She should have new clothes made if she lives in a house that accommodates men who are non-Mahram to her, such as her brother-in-law for example. It is not permissible for a woman to go out wearing these clothes unless she covers them with other long-sleeved clothes to cover her body along with the Abaya (outer garment) when she goes out.

　　

• Women wearing perfume outside the house

  　　

　　What is the ruling on the woman who wears perfume, adorns herself then leaves her home directly to the school? Is she allowed to do so? What is the adornment that a woman is forbidden to show in front of other women?

　　It is impermissible for a woman to go out, to the market for example, wearing perfume, since the Prophet, , said: "A woman who wears perfume and passes by [men] gathering is so-and-so, i.e., she is considered an adulteress."[Abu Daawood, At-Tirmithi and An-Nasaa'i] Going out in such a state causes temptation.

　　If the woman will ride in a car and nobody will smell her perfume except those allowed to smell it, then she gets out immediately to her work without any possibility of meeting non-Mahram (marriageable) men, in this case it will be permissible for her to wear perfume as no Sharee‘ah (Islamic legislation) violation will be involved. A woman in her own car is as if she is at home, but it is not permissible for any Muslim to allow his wife or any women under his charge to ride a car alone with a non-Mahram driver. It is impermissible for a woman to be alone with a non-Mahram man. If the woman will pass by non-Mahram men, it will not be permissible for her to wear perfume.

　　As for the adornment that a woman is allowed to show in front of other women, if it is lawful adornment that women usually have, it will be permissible. The impermissible adornment, however, includes transparent clothes which show the color of the skin or tightly fitted clothes which detail the charms of the woman. This is not permissible for a woman to show in front of other women, since it falls under the saying of the Prophet, :“There are two types of the people of Hell whom I have not yet seen: […] And women who are clothed yet naked, astray and leading others astray, with their heads like the humps of camels, leaning to one side. They will not enter Paradise and they will not smell its fragrance.''

　　

• Extending Salaam to women

  　　

　　What is the Islamic guidance on replying to a woman's Salaam (Islamic greeting)? Should a woman extend Salaam to men? Is there a difference between a young and an aged woman from whom temptation is not expected? What is the ruling on shaking hands with or kissing the heads of aged women?

　　It is not permissible for a man to extend Salaam to a woman or vice versa because this causes temptation. An exception is made in phone calls when a woman or a man extends Salaam only to the extent required. Also, it is permissible for the man to extend Salaam to a woman whom he knows if he enters his house and finds her. However, he is not allowed to extend Salaam to her if he runs into her in the street, for example, since this can cause great temptation.

　　Kissing Mahram (non-marriageable) women on the head or the forehead is permissible, and kissing them on the cheeks is permissible only for the fathers. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, kissed ‘Aa'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, on her cheek when she was sick. Mahram women other than one's daughter may only be kissed on the head or the forehead.

　　Shaking hands with non-Mahram men is forbidden because shaking hands can cause temptation that is greater than that which is caused by looking at a woman. It is permissible to kiss the heads of aged Mahram women and impermissible to kiss non-Mahram women on the head.

　　Is it permissible for a man to kiss his step-mother on the head?

　　Yes, it is permissible since she is a Mahram to him.

　　Is it permissible for him to shake hands with his step-daughter?

　　This needs to be answered in some detail. If the man has consummated his marriage with the girl's mother, he would be allowed to shake hands with her, provided there is no temptation involved. Otherwise, he would not be allowed to shake hands with her.

　　How can his wife have a daughter and her husband has not consummated his marriage with her?

　　She had her daughter with another man to whom she was married before that other man married her. It should be noted that a stepdaughter only becomes Mahram to the stepfather after the consummation of the marriage with her mother. If the marriage contract is contracted without consummation, the daughter of the woman will still be non-Mahram to him.

　　for this brings about a great benefit and a desirable end. We, Muslims, should have protective jealousy about our women and not leave them for Satan to harm them. Surely, Satan drags people into temptation and allurement.

　　I warn my Muslim brothers against negligence [of religious obligations] and indifference to the splendor of this life that Allah The Almighty granted us, taking into consideration the Quranic verse in which Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And the companions of the left - what are the companions of the left?[They will be] in scorching fire and scalding water. And a shade of black smoke, Neither cool nor beneficial. Indeed they were, before that, indulging in affluence, And they used to persist in the great violation.}[Quran 56:41-46] Let us always remember what Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {But as for he who is given his record behind his back, He will cry out for destruction. And [enter to] burn in a Blaze. Indeed, he had [once] been among his people in happiness.}[Quran 84:10-13]

　　Rulings on Interaction With Marriageable Men - I

　　Rulings on Interaction with Marriageable Men - III