Answer
Wa `alaykum As-Salamu waRahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
What to do if you cannot wear niqab at work:
- Seek guidance from a qualified scholar about your circumstances.
- Consider the scholarly opinion that niqab is optional.
- Maintain Islamic modesty in your clothing.
- Discuss suitable dress arrangements with your employer.
Answering your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic Scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:
Niqab or face-veil is not a mandatory requirement in Islam. Nor is it recommended for you to wear it in Europe or North Ameria – where its people mostly associate it with the oppression of women. Therefore, I would urge you to follow the advice of eminent Muslim scholars who prefer not to wear it. If you insist on wearing, please choose to go to countries where it is practiced widely (i.e. Saudi Arabia). Muslims ought to pay attention to the message they are sending when we wear attire that is not mandatory in Islam. If it had been mandatory, then Allah and His messenger would have declared it explicitly. The fact that it is not compulsory is inferred from the mere fact, among others, that a woman is not allowed to cover her face in Prayer or state of Ihram for Hajj or `Umrah.
Allah Almighty knows best.
