Some people claim that a Muslim woman should not be asked to wear the Hijaab except after she does more to draw nearer to Allaah, the Exalted, and her heart is filled with faith given that it is useless to ask her to wear it while her heart is distant from Allaah, the Exalted. Is that correct?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

The most valid scholarly opinion concerning this is that the derivative laws of the Islamic religious law are also addressed to the disbelievers (i.e. they are obliged to follow them). This is the opinion of the majority of the scholars due to the abundance evidence, which has been highlighted in previous Fataawa.

Based on this ruling, Muslims with weak faith, who believe in the Islamic religious law, are obliged to observe all the laws of the Islamic religious law, both those of the source as the derivative, with greater reason. Therefore, a Muslim woman should be enjoined to wear the Hijab before reaching maturity so that she becomes accustomed to it. Moreover, she should be invited to observe other acts of worship, and effort should be made to whatever enhances her faith.

It is invalid to claim that a woman should be allowed to do whatever she wishes and that she should not be enjoined to wear the Hijab until her heart is filled with faith. A Muslim woman is enjoined to wear the Hijab to protect herself and maintain her chastity and because impermissible exposure of women's adornment and beauty constitutes temptation for men.

Allaah Knows best.