Answered by Shaykh Yūsuf Badāt
Question:
What is the ruling with regards to a woman not covering her ‘awrah in front of a blind man?
Answer:
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Jazāk Allāh Khayr/ Thank you for contacting Mathabah Institute.
A Muslim woman wishing to practice Islam is required to cover her ‘awrah (nudeness) in the presence of a non-maḥram man who has blindness.
“Umm Salamah narrated that she and Maymūnah were with the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him); “So when we were with him, Ibn Umm Maktūm came, and he entered upon him, and that was after [the laws of] veiling had been ordered for us. So the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Veil yourselves from him.” So I said, “O Messenger of God! Is he not blind such that he cannot see us or recognize us?” So the Messenger of Allāh (peace and blessings be upon him) stated, “Are you two blind such that you cannot see him?'”. – (Tirmidhī 2778)[1]
Only Allāh knows best.
[1] حَدَّثَنَا سُوَيْدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ أَخْبَرَنَا يُونُسُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ عَنْ نَبْهَانَ، مَوْلَى أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ أَنَّهُ حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّ أُمَّ سَلَمَةَ حَدَّثَتْهُ أَنَّهَا كَانَتْ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَمَيْمُونَةُ قَالَتْ فَبَيْنَا نَحْنُ عِنْدَهُ أَقْبَلَ ابْنُ أُمِّ مَكْتُومٍ فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ وَذَلِكَ بَعْدَ مَا أُمِرْنَا بِالْحِجَابِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم احْتَجِبَا مِنْهُ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَلَيْسَ هُوَ أَعْمَى لاَ يُبْصِرُنَا وَلاَ يَعْرِفُنَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَفَعَمْيَاوَانِ أَنْتُمَا أَلَسْتُمَا تُبْصِرَانِهِ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ – الترمذي ٢٧٧٨
