The ruling on hijab and a woman giving a speech in a gathering of men

Question

Question: (1) Is hijab (veiling) necessary in Islam or not? (2) If a woman does not observe hijab, is she sinful or not? (3) What is the ruling on a woman giving a speech before men in a gathering without hijab? (4) What is the ruling if a woman speaker gives a speech in a gathering of men while wearing a burqa? (5) Is it permissible to listen to the speech of such a woman or not?

Answer

(1) Hijab is a necessary thing in Islam; it is established by the Noble Qur’an and the noble hadith. (2) She is sinful. (3) It is impermissible. (4) The scholars have written that even a woman’s going to the mosque and praying together with men is prohibited, whether she goes wearing a burqa or without a burqa, because there is much corruption and many trials (fitan) in it.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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