رَبِّ ابْنِ لِى عِندَكَ بَيْتاً فِى الْجَنَّةِ
'My Lord! Build for me a home with You in Jannaah'
(At-Tahreem 66:11)


Saturday, October 11, 2014

Is The Woman’s Voice Considered Awrah Or Not?


The Permanent Standing Committee & Sheikh Saalih al Fawzaan حفظه الله

The Permanent Standing Committee said: “The woman’s voice is not ‘awrah in principle, for women used to complain to the Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم, and ask him about Islaamic matters. They also did that with the rightly-guided Khaleefahsرضي الله عنهم  and the rulers after them. And they would greet non-mahram men with salaams and return greetings, and none of the imâms of Islaam denounced them for that. But it is NOT permissible for a woman to speak in a soft or alluring voice, because Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى says:

يَا نِسَاء النَّبِيِّ لَسْتُنَّ كَأَحَدٍ مِّنَ النِّسَاء إِنِ اتَّقَيْتُنَّ فَلَا تَخْضَعْنَ بِالْقَوْلِ فَيَطْمَعَ الَّذِي فِي قَلْبِهِ مَرَضٌ وَقُلْنَ قَوْلًا مَّعْرُوفًا

O wives of the Prophet! You are not like any other women. If you keep your duty (to Allaah), then be not soft in speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease (of hypocrisy, or evil desire for adultery) should be moved with desire, but speak in an honourable manner.”
[al-Ahzaab 33:32]

because men may be tempted by that, as is indicated by this aayah. And Allaah is the source of strength.
(Ref: Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Iftaa, 6/83.)

Sheikh Saalih al-Fawzaan حفظه الله said: 


"If a woman speaks to the owner of the shop according to necessity and in a manner in which there is no fitnah, there is nothing wrong with that. Women used to speak to men about ordinary needs and matters in which there is no fitnah and within the bounds of necessity.But if it is accompanied by laughter or chitchat or an alluring tone, then this is haraam and is NOT permissible.

Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى says to the wives of His Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him and may Allaah be pleased with them):



يَا نِسَاء النَّبِيِّ لَسْتُنَّ كَأَحَدٍ مِّنَ النِّسَاء إِنِ اتَّقَيْتُنَّ فَلَا تَخْضَعْنَ بِالْقَوْلِ فَيَطْمَعَ الَّذِي فِي قَلْبِهِ مَرَضٌ وَقُلْنَ قَوْلًا مَّعْرُوفًا

“.. then be not soft in speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease (of hypocrisy, or evil desire for adultery) should be moved with desire, but speak in an honourable manner.”

[al-Ahzaab 33:32]


Honourable speech is that which people recognize and is limited to what is necessary; anything more than that, if it involves laughing or speaking in an alluring tone and so on, or if she uncovers her face in front of him (some scholars allow for women to uncover their face), or uncovers her arms or hands, all of that is haraam and is an evil deed and a means that may lead to temptation and falling into immoral actions.

(Ref: Al-Muntaqa min Fataawa al-Sheikh al Fawzaan)



It says in al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (a fiqh encyclopedia): With regard to the woman’s voice, if the listener finds pleasure in it or fears that he may be tempted, it is haraam for him to listen to it, otherwise it is not haraam. There are reports about the Sahaabah رضي الله عنهم talking to women and listening to their voices; these reports are to be understood as referring to cases in which there was no fear of fitnah.


A woman should not make her voice soft and alluring, because this is the cause of temptation and because Allaah says: “then be not soft in speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease (of hypocrisy, or evil desire for adultery) should be moved with desire.” 

(Al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kuwaitiyyah, 4/90)

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