Is Uploading Niqab Photos On Social Media A Path To Fitnah? – A Warning From Shaykh Haamid Ibn Al-Khamis Al-Junaibee
Question:
A questioner from France says: As salaamu alaikum, jazakaAllahu khrain O Shaykh. What is your view concerning the woman who places her picture wearing niqab, even though her face is covered, on the internet forums and other places? Keeping in mind, this is a fitna for the young men. May Allah bless you.
Shaykh Haamid ibn Al Khamis Al Junaibee:
You know, I don’t know—Subana Allah—some of the women, what do they want from this? What do they want by uploading these pictures, even those who upload their pictures in which they are wearing niqab, or a woman with her face covered, what does she want from this?
This is not done by someone with insight and wisdom and this is evidence of an ignorant way of thinking. What benefit is gained by uploading a picture of a woman wearing niqab, for example? And the evil is greater if she uploads a picture of herself. It is as though she is saying to them: “Look at me,” whether she is wearing niqab or not; along with the beautification or the eyes and other than that.
I say: My general advice to the women: Fear Allah O women, those who enter the internet forums and internet websites, and the social networking sites such as twitter and the other websites. Fear Allah. Whether addressing the men, or chatting with the men, uploading pictures, and going to great lengths in this matter. This is a great door to evil, the magnitude of it is only known to Allah.
And Allah knows the situation of these affairs based on these forums and websites, from the abundance of evil that occurs from some of the people due to these affairs; whether it is by the private messages, or by connecting through other means, or by sending emails, or other than that from the means that some men use to catch women.
And sometimes it occurs between a man who is religiously committed and a woman who is religiously committed. Fear Allah O daughters of the Muslims!!
By Allah, surely I know specific people, I know specific people, and I do not say this from the standpoint of mentioning stories and tales, but rather from the standpoint of inciting fear and alarm, this is the standpoint I am coming from. A woman and a man fell into fornication. Both of them were students of knowledge, both of them were students of knowledge. I know them specifically. We ask Allah for safety and security.
Thus beware, beware—may Allah bless you—beware beware! The person must stay far away from the doors of evil and he must make an escape from them; fleeing.
Whoever needs to connect with someone, whether it is for marriage, or engagement, the connection should occur from the females, from your family, your relatives, from this method. And do not open this door upon yourself! Because this door is a door of evil, such that if it is open it is not about to close except with great evil. We seek refuge in Allah. We ask Allah for safety and security.
Translated by Rasheed ibn Estes Barbee
Translator’s note: The Shaykh has written tazkiyah from Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahab Al Aqeel