Then Allaah specifies women with a command apart from men where He says: “And to not display ther zeenah (adornment) except for that which is apparent from it. And (tell them) to draw their khumur (veils) over their bosoms (juyoob).” Noor:31]
Here Allaah commands the women to wear the hijaab, which is a comprehensive covering that veils the woman’s body including her face, hands, feet, and entire body. This goes as well for her hair, which she must cover in front of men who are not from her mahrams.
“And not to display their zeenah (adornment)” meaning she should not expose her adornment regardless if wheather it is her physical adornment, which consists of her body, such as the face, hands and so on, or her artificial or applied adornment such as jewellery, hair-dye, kohl and so on.
A woman was commanded to cover her bodily adornment as well as her artificial and applied adornment, which she decorates her body with, such as dyes, jewellery, kohl and its likes.
“Except for that which is apparent from it” refers to the outer garment according to the correct opinion. Meaning: what is apparent by itself without her having to expose it (i.e, what cannot be hidden), and this is the outer garment, which does not constitute temptation or incitement…
“And (tell them) to draw their khumur (veils) over their bosoms (juyoob).” Allaah orders the women to draw close their khumar that are over their heads. So a khimaar is that which a woman places on top of her head. Allaah commands her to spread it over her upper chest.
“And (tell them) to draw their khumur (veils) over their bosoms (juyoob).” This refers to the openings in the upper part of their garments which expose that throat and neck area. A woman should not leave these parts exposed for men to look at, but shoal instead lower her khimaar over it. If a woman was ordered to cover her throat, then the face is also to be covered for all the more reason.
In fact, the aspect of drawing the khimaar over the upper chest and neck are necessitates that it also fall over the face. The reason for this is because the khimaar is placed over the head. So if it is placed over the head to fall down on the upper chest, it also includes the face.(1)
What further illustrates this is the statement of ‘Aa’ishah where she said:
“Male riders would pass by us while we (wives) were in the state of ihraam with the messenger of Allaah. When they would approach us, (each) one of us would let her jilbaab fall down from (the top of) her head over her face. And when they had passed on, we would uncover our faces.” [Ahmad, Aboo Daawood and Ibn Maajah]
Footnotes:
(1) As the face is between the top of the head (hair) and neck/chest area, and the woman has been obliged to cover her head with a khimaar that falls down to her chest, it is only obvious that this falling from the head to the chest covers her face as well. What further illustrates this is the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah the shaykh then quotes.
[Taken from “Four Essays On The Obligation Of Veiling”, Ch. 3: Advice To Muslim Women, by Sh. Saalih Al-Fawzaan, Pp. 62-63]
The Authentic Base 