“Is it allowed for the woman to put on make-up if she leaves her house wearing the hijaab?

women using makeup

source: silsilat ul-hudaa wa nnoor – the series of guidance and light - tape no. 697


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Question #3: “Is it allowed for the woman to put on make-up if she leaves her house wearing the hijaab?”

Shaykh al-Albaani (rahimahullaah) answers:

“It is not permissible for the woman who does not wear hijaab, let alone who wears hijaab, to use the makeup of the disbeliever, the make-up of the rebellious and disobedient (to Allaah). When were you aware of some women’s adornment called by a name for which Allaah did not send down an authority: ‘make-up’? This is a word that we don’t know, not us nor your forefathers from before. Rather, it is a foreign word expressing an adornment for the rebellious and disobedient women of Europe; and our women – except those of them whom Allaah protects – unfortunately imitate decorating themselves with this adornment which the Islamic society is being affected by, namely make-up. So it is not permissible for the woman. And this reality is one of the strange ironies: in the road we see a woman wearing a decent hijaab (but) I don’t say the Islamically legislated hijaab; she ties what they call the ‘ishaarb’ – or khimaar which is the (correct) Arabic word – covering her hair, her neck and so on, but she has face powder and lipstick on. This (wearing the hijaab) is against this (wearing make-up): two contradictory, conflicting matters that do not go together. What is the reason (for this type of occurrence)? It is one of two things: either ignorance and heedlessness of the Islamically legislated ruling or it is due to the women’s following of the temptations of shaytaan.

Therefore, we firstly remind the women who suffer from this make-up. Then secondly, we remind the guardians of women such as a father or a husband or a brother, due to the fact that (the Prophet) (‘alayhi ssalaat wa ssalaam) said: ‘Everyone of you is a shepherd and everyone of you is responsible for his flock. So the man is a shepherd and he is responsible for his flock-’[1] to the end of the hadeeth. Thus, the Arabic or general proverb states: ‘The horse is from the horseman.’ So you, the husband of the woman, it is not permissible for you to allow her to go out in this manner which puts to trial the middle-aged men, let alone the young men! And you, O man, O father, O brother, are supposed to be very jealous. Why? Because the Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam) used to say: ‘A duyyooth will not enter Paradise.’[2] Why? Who is a duyyooth? He is the one who does not guard his womenfolk jealously.”

[1] Saheeh al-Bukhaari # 893
[2] Saheeh at-Targheeb # 2071
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asaheeha translations