Q 3: It was mentioned in a Hadith of the Messenger (peace be upon him) that when a girl reaches the age of puberty, it is impermissible to reveal any part of her body except her face and hands. This is Hijab (veil); are there any indications on Niqab (face veil) in other Hadith?

A: This Hadith was related by Abu Dawud in his Sunan (Hadith compilations), in the chapter of the adornment which women are permitted to show. He said: Ya`qub ibn Ka`b Al-Antaky and Mu'mil ibn Al-Fadl Al-Harrany told us that Al-Walid reported from Sa`id ibn Bashir from Qatadah from Khalid ibn Durayk from `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that Asma' bint Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her) went to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) while wearing transparent clothes. He (peace be upon him) looked away and said to her, "O Asma'! When a girl reaches the age of puberty, she is only allowed to reveal this and that." He pointed to his face and his hands. (Part No. 17; Page No. 162) This Hadith is Mursal (a Hadith with no Companion of the Prophet in the chain of narration), because Khalid ibn Durayk was not contemporary with `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her). This Hadith also includes in its Sanad (chain of narrators) Sa`id ibn Bashir Al-Azdy or Al-Basry, as he was originally from Basra. Some Hadith scholars rendered him as a Thiqah (trustworthy) narrator, while Ahmad, Ibn Ma`in, Ibn Al-Madiny, Al-Nasa'y, Al-Hakim Abu Ahmad and Abu Dawud ranked him as Da`if (weak). Muhammad ibn `Abdullah ibn Numayr said that his narrations are Munkar (rejected) and not strong enough, and that he used to report Hadith Munkar (rejected Hadith reported by a weak narrator whose narration conflicts with an authentic Hadith) from Qatadah. Also, Ibn Hibban said that his memorization was bad and his mistakes were grievous, and that he used to report from Qatadah unproven Hadiths. Al-Sajy said that he reported Hadith Munkar from Qatadah. He narrated this Hadith from Qatadah although the latter was a Mudallis (a Hadith narrator who provides misleading information about his shaykh or the chain of narration). He narrated this Hadith from Khalid ibn Durayk using the form "from". The Sanad also includes Al-Walid who is Ibn Muslim; he used to miss one of the narrators; he also used to rank Hadith as Marfu` (a Hadith narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him) with a connected or disconnected chain of narration). Thus, there are many pieces of evidence on the weakness of this Hadith. (Part No. 17; Page No. 163) May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.