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• Stitched clothing customarily worn to fit the body parts, such as shirts, trousers, underwear, and socks. By “stitched,” we do not mean what has been sewn together with a thread, but rather what is shaped to fit the body part, even if it is not sewn. For example, if someone took a piece of cloth, opened it at the neck, and put their head through it, even if it wasn’t sewn, it would be prohibited because it has become like a shirt. Conversely, if someone took their trousers and opened them from the sides and bottom until they lost their shape and were no longer recognizable as trousers, it would be permissible to use them.
Thus, the customary understanding of clothing is considered here, because the consideration is not the type of clothing but the type of convenience, which is the major wisdom behind Ihram, not the mere avoidance of stitched clothing.
• Turbans of all kinds, whether draped over the head or wrapped, stitched or unstitched, and connected to a shirt like a burnoose or separate from it.
• Footwear, whether it is soled or not, and this includes socks. In the hadith of Ibn Umar, a man asked: “O Messenger of Allah, what should we wear when we are in Ihram?” He said: “Do not wear shirts, trousers, turbans, burnooses, or leather socks unless one does not find sandals, in which case he may wear the socks but cut them below the ankles.”
– Do not wear any clothing touched by saffron or Wars (a fragrant dye).
As for women, they wear their regular clothing, whether stitched or not, visible or hidden, but they are prohibited from covering their face and hands with what is usually used to cover them. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him): “A Muhrim woman should not wear a niqab or gloves.” [Bukhari]
The ruling on covering the face during Ihram Imam Ibn Qudama mentioned the differing opinions regarding covering the face during Ihram for men. He said: (There are two opinions regarding a Muhrim covering his face:
• The first opinion: It is permissible. This is narrated by Uthman bin Affan, Abdul Rahman bin Auf, Zaid bin Thabit, Ibn Zubair, Sa’ad bin Abi Waqqas, Jabir, Al-Qasim, Tawus, Thawri, and Shafi’i.
• The second opinion: It is not permissible. This is the opinion of Abu Hanifa and Malik, based on the narration from Ibn Abbas that a man fell from his mount and died, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Wash him with water and sidr, shroud him in his two garments, and do not cover his head or face, for he will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment in the state of Ihram.” And because it is prohibited for a woman to cover her face, it is also prohibited for a man, like perfume. However, our opinion is based on the statements of the Companions, and we do not know of any differing opinion among them in their time, which constitutes consensus.
As for women, they are prohibited from wearing the niqab (face veil) and gloves on their hands, but they are not prohibited from covering their face altogether with something that is not usually a niqab. This is based on the narration from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): “Riders would pass by us while we were with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in Ihram. When they came near us, one of us would lower her jilbab from her head over her face. When they had passed, we would uncover our faces again.” [Abu Dawud]
A similar narration is also reported from Asma bint Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her). Therefore, wearing a face mask should not be an issue for a Muhrim, whether male or female.
In addition to its medical and preventive benefits for the wearer and those around them, it is not considered a face covering in the usual sense, nor do women wear it as a form of niqab. The prohibition in the text is against the niqab. If someone carries bags in their hands, it does not mean they are wearing gloves, as a bag is not customarily considered a glove. No one who uses a face mask would say they are wearing a niqab according to linguistic or customary usage. The niqab has a specific description in customary and Sharia terms, even in the understanding of non-Muslims.
Therefore, we see no issue whatsoever with wearing a face mask for men and women, whether due to illness or for protection, as it is neither a type of clothing nor a niqab.
