Question:
1. I understand that a woman may emerge from her home in hijab (burqa & jilbab) in times of “need.” What is the definition of “need” in Shari’ah & is this definition consistent across all 4 schools of thought?
2. The following are some common scenarios that occur in the Western world and many people self-define it as a need to emerge. Please advise whether any of these situations fall within the definition of “need” in Shari’ah.
(A) Husband or father has to go to work at a fixed time and finishes work at a fixed time.
Therefore it is argued that there is a need for the woman to emerge drop the children to school, madrassah and to do the shopping. Is this a valid excuse in Shari’ah?
(B) Invitation to Walima. Women argue that if they don’t attend the inviter will be offended. Hence they emerge to go to a hall for Walima.
(C) To clean the front or back garden simply because the husband is either too tired or too lazy to do so. Is this really a need?
