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Her husband threatened her with divorce if she covers her face or her head

13-10-2000

Question 12094

Her husband wants to divorce her because she covers her face. Another woman has been threatened with divorce if she covers her hair. They live abroad (not in a Muslim country). Does this count as coercion that  would allow them to uncover in either the first or the second case?

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

We put this question to Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen, may Allaah preserve him, who answered as follows:

If this is a third talaaq (divorce), then yes, because it is irrevocable. In this case the wife is being forced. But if it is a first or second talaaq, then she should not pay any heed to him. He will be the first one to regret it. So let her continue covering her face and her hair. We ask Allaah to make her steadfast and to guide her husband. And Allaah knows best.

Rights of spouses
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