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Fatwa CenterMove back to West or take off niqaab to work
Question
Assalaamu alaykum. My family and I left the West to live in a Muslim country. I asked Allaah that if leaving the West was good for us, our religion, and our livelihood, to show it in my dream. I saw in my dreams that we made two Hijrahs (emigrations). I recognised the first country (where we at now), but not the one of the second Hijrah. My question is the following: we have been tested in so many ways ever since we got here. Now our savings are getting low, and my husband does not have a job. We have to pay rent and but food.The sisters here took off their niqab in order to be able to work. I can get a job if I take my niqab off. I view the niqab as obligatory and cried thinking that I might have to take it off in order to find a job. Otherwise, we have to go back to the West, which we do not want to do. Please advise. May Allaah reward you.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
We commend you and your husband for making Hijrah to a Muslim country in order to settle therein. Verily, this helps the Muslim preserve his religion and worship his Lord without hardship. May Allah reward you generously.
The fact that your husband has not found a job and that your savings are decreasing is undoubtedly a kind of trial, which you should endure with patience. Verily, patience yields great rewards and pleasant outcomes. Please refer to fatwa 83577 about the virtues of patience.
Covering the woman's face is obligatory according to the preponderant view of the scholars. So you have to abide by that, especially given that you follow the scholarly view that says that it is obligatory to cover your face. If you face hardship and your husband has no money to provide for you, then there is no harm in taking off your niqaab if it is the only means to find a job. Scholars underlined that the Muslim is given a concession to follow the less stringent scholarly view available in order to ward off hardship.
The Shaafi‘i scholar As-Subki 
wrote, "It is permissible for the lay-Muslim to follow the view of scholars and avail himself of the legal concessions (choosing the less stringent view of scholars) at times of dire need, but without making it a habit to follow all concessions. It is correct in this respect to say that the difference of opinion among scholars is a source of mercy, since concessions are a source of mercy (for people)."
It is impermissible to go beyond the need. This means that you are allowed to take off the niqaab at work but must still wear it elsewhere because the need is to be answered proportionately.
Allah knows best.
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