Wa Alaikum Assalam Dear Sister,

 

Thank you for your question and for joining our live session.

 

Initially, niqab is optional and not compulsory based on the following arguments. I am providing that in order to convince your suitor if you have to:

 

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu’minin:

 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Allah does not accept the prayer of a woman who has reached puberty unless she wears a headcover (khimar). Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by Said ibn Abi ‘Arubah from Qatadah on the authority of al-Hasan from the Prophet (peace be upon him). (Abu Dawud, Sahih)

 

Khimar is mentioned in Surat-An-Noor, Allah says in His book what means:

 

{And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers (khimars) over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.} (Saheeh International Translation – An-Noor, 24:31)

 

A headcover extends to the bosom (chest area), which is known in Arabic as khimar, often translated as veil. Hijab is also translated as veil, which is its true meaning. A Muslim woman must veil her beauty from non-mahram men when in public.

 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“A woman who is in the state of Ihram (during Hajj or Umra) may not wear a niqab nor gloves” (Al-Bukhari)

 

Aisha, the mother of the believers said:

 

“Whenever rides pass by us while in Ihram with the Prophet (peace be upon him), as they get closer we covered our faces and when they pass us we removed it” (Abu Dawud)

 

Therefore, when a woman is in public, she may only expose her face and hands based on the Quranic verse:

 

{And say to the believing women that they cast down their looks and guard their private parts and do not display their ornaments except what appears thereof…} (An-Nur 24: 31)

 

“Except what appears thereof” means the face and the hands as confirmed by the Prophet’s hadiths (peace be upon him):

 

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Asma’, daughter of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them):

 

“O Asma’! Once a girl reaches puberty, nothing of her body may be seen (by non-mahrams) except this and these, (he pointed to his face and hands while saying so).” (Abu Dawud – Hasan)

 

You may try to convince your suitor but if he is not convinced then you will need to obey him because he is going to be your husband. Please ponder upon the following hadith:

 

Abdullah bin Abu Awfa said” When Muadh bin Jabal came from Sham, he prostrated to the Prophet who said: ‘What is this, O Muadh?’ He said: ‘I went to Sham and saw them prostrating their bishops and patricians and I wanted to do that for you.’ The messenger of Allah said: ‘Do not do that. If I were to command anyone to prostrate to anyone other than Allah, I would have commanded women to prostrate to their husbands. By the one in who hand is the soul of Muhammad! No woman can fulfill her duty towards Allah until she fulfills her duty towards her husband. If he asks her (for intimacy) even if she is on her camel saddle, she should not refuse.’ “ (Ibn Majah who said that it is Hasan)

 

I hope this helps answer your question.

 

Salam and please keep in touch