'Muslim woman at risk can unveil face'

Muslim women living abroad can take their face veil off in case they feel their life is endangered because of the veil, according to a prominent Saudi Islamic scholar.

Abdul Aziz Al Fowzan, a jurisprudence professor at the Higher Judiciary Institute in the Saudi capital Riyadh, said Muslim women must keep their face and body covered if they feel they will only face verbal abuse by others.

“A Muslim woman studying or living abroad is allowed to take her face veil off if she senses danger or feels that she will suffer physical harm because of the veil, but she must try and cover as much as possible of her body and hair,” Fowzan said on the Saudi religious satellite TV channel 'Al Majd'.

“But the Muslim woman must keep the veil on her face and cover her body if she only suspects that she will be verbally offended. She has to tolerate such offences,” Fowzan said in reply to a question by a Saudi girl studying in Britain.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.