Should I Remove Photos Online of Me Without Hijab?

Answered by Shaykh Abdurragmaan Khan

Question

As a young woman who recently started wearing hijab, there are countless photos on the internet of me without hijab. At what age is acceptable for the photos without hijab to be seen?

Answer

May Allah bless your intentions.

If the photos that have been shared online expose your ‘awra which would be your entire body, excluding your hands and face, then ideally you should remove all of them that may be enticing to the opposite sex.

However, you would only be duty-bound to remove photos that were taken after having reached the age of puberty. Once you’ve reached the age of puberty, you become answerable for all your actions and therefore you should try your best to remove all photographs where your ‘awra may have been uncovered.

May Allah bless your intentions and increase your obedience.

And Allah knows best

Wassalam
[Shaykh] Abdurragmaan Khan

Shaykh Abdurragmaan received ijazah ’ammah from various luminaries, including but not restricted to: Habib Umar ibn Hafiz—a personality who affected him greatly and who has changed his relationship with Allah, Maulana Yusuf Karaan—the former Mufti of Cape Town; Habib ‘Ali al-Mashhur—the current Mufti of Tarim; Habib ‘Umar al-Jaylani—the Shafi‘i Mufti of Makkah; Sayyid Ahmad bin Abi Bakr al-Hibshi; Habib Kadhim as-Saqqaf; Shaykh Mahmud Sa’id Mamduh; Maulana Abdul Hafiz al-Makki; Shaykh Ala ad-Din al-Afghani; Maulana Fazlur Rahman al-Azami and Shaykh Yahya al-Gawthani amongst others.