Flowers for the Women Wearing Veils - Volume II — Page 241
241 is a lawsuit, and the woman needs advice from an attorney, she can do that as well. Similarly, if she needs to make a speech which a man cannot make, then the woman can make a public speech as well. It is a known fact that Ha z rat A’isha h ra used to narrate Ahadith to men. In fact, she was once a commander in a battle. In the battle of Jamal, she rode upon a camel and commanded the whole army. Hence, all things are allowed. What is not allowed is that women walk around bare face d and mingle with men. However, if she draws a ghoonghat and see s her path around , it is allowed. But to take off the veil from the face and attend mixed parties where men sit here and men sit there is not permissible. Similarly, it is not permissible for women to sing poetry to men [to entertain them] for this is a frivolous act. In short, women attending mixed gatherings, bar ing their faces before men, and l augh ingly chatting with them , are all impermissible acts. At the same time, the Shariah gives them liberty in certain matters. In fact, the Holy Qur’an uses the words : ِﻣ ۡﻨ َﻬ ﺎ ِا َّﻻ َﻣ ﺎ َﻇ َﻬ َﺮ ‘ … that which is apparent thereof ’ (Holy Qur’an, Ch. 24: V. 32) w hich means, there is no sin upon a woman. This allowance includes all those female laborers who have to work in the farms and fields. The nature of their work requires that they keep their eyes and the surrounding area bare. Otherwise, it would be come an obstacle in their work. Therefore, based on : ِا َّﻻ َﻣ ﺎ َﻇ َﻬ َﺮ ِﻣ ۡﻨ َﻬ ﺎ they are allowed to bare their face from eyes to nose. And since at times, th ey have to work while standing in water, they are also allowed to tuck up their trousers to bare their shins. In fact, our scholars have also ruled that if a woman is pregnant, with no good midwife available, and the doctor says that if this child is not delivered by a male doctor then her life is at risk, and she still refuses to have a male doctor delive r her baby , she will actually be committing a sin. In this situation, purdah is not to be considered. Ordinarily, purdah of a woman’s body is more important than th at of her face, but in this situation, it is necessary for her to bare her private parts in front of a male doctor. If [in such a situation] a woman