The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta' was asked about the ruling on a Muslim woman uncovering her face in a country where she is traveling for work or study. They responded that it is not permissible for a Muslim woman to uncover her face in the presence of non-mahram men, whether in a Muslim country or a non-Muslim country. The obligation to cover is to prevent fitnah (temptation) and to preserve the woman's chastity and modesty.

The Committee bases this ruling on several pieces of evidence. The primary evidence is the verse from Surah al-Ahzab: "O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused..." ([Quran 33:59](/quran/33/59)). The "bringing down of the outer garment" has been interpreted by many early commentators to include covering the face.

Furthermore, they cite the verse in Surah an-Nur which commands believing women to "...not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands..." ([Quran 24:31](/quran/24/31)). The face is considered the greatest place of beauty and adornment, and thus should be concealed from non-mahrams.

The practice of the female Companions also serves as evidence. In the well-known hadith about the incident of al-Ifk, 'Aisha, the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), recounted that when she was left behind and Safwan ibn al-Mu'attal passed by her, she said, "I covered my face from him with my Jilbab." This demonstrates that covering the face in the presence of non-mahram men was the established practice among the women of the first generation.

Therefore, the obligation remains upon the woman regardless of the customs of the land she is in. The ruling is tied to the presence of non-mahram men, not the geographical location.