Intially the believing women were showing off their faces. But it is Umar (RA) who was wishing for the verses of Hijab to cover the faces so that the person is not identified.
1. Umar(RA) desired eagerly that the verses of Al-Hijab
2. Women may not recognized
3. ALLAH azwajal satisfied the wish of Umar(RA) by sending the verses
[5] Ayesha(RA) was covering the face
فِي مَنْزِلِي غَلَبَتْنِي عَيْنِي فَنِمْتُ، وَكَانَ صَفْوَانُ بْنُ الْمُعَطَّلِ السُّلَمِيُّ ثُمَّ الذَّكْوَانِيُّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْجَيْشِ، فَأَدْلَجَ فَأَصْبَحَ عِنْدَ مَنْزِلِي، فَرَأَى سَوَادَ إِنْسَانٍ نَائِمٍ، فَأَتَانِي فَعَرَفَنِي حِينَ رَآنِي، وَكَانَ يَرَانِي قَبْلَ الْحِجَابِ، فَاسْتَيْقَظْتُ بِاسْتِرْجَاعِهِ حِينَ عَرَفَنِي فَخَمَّرْتُ وَجْهِي بِجِلْبَابِي، وَاللَّهِ مَا كَلَّمَنِي كَلِمَةً وَلاَ سَمِعْتُ مِنْهُ كَلِمَةً غَيْرَ اسْتِرْجَاعِهِ،
Narrated Aisha:
While I was sitting at my place, I felt sleepy and slept. Safwan bin Al-Mu'attil As-Sulami Adh- Dhakw-ani was behind the army. He had started in the last part of the night and reached my stationing place in the morning and saw the figure of a sleeping person. He came to me and recognized me on seeing me for he used to see me before veiling. I got up because of his saying: "Inna Li l-lahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun," which he uttered on recognizing me. I covered my face with my garment, and by Allah, he did not say to me a single word except, "Inna Li l-lahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun," till he made his shecamel kneel down whereupon he trod on its forelegs and I mounted it. [Sahih al-Bukhari
4750]
[6] Covering face in front of Non-Mahram men, whilst in state of Ihram
It is a generic rule that women should not cover their face in Ihram.
حَدَّثَنَا نَافِعٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهماقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلملاَ تَتَنَقَّبِ الْمُحْرِمَةُ، وَلاَ تَلْبَسِ الْقُفَّازَيْنِ. وَقَالَ مَالِكٌ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ لاَ تَتَنَقَّبِ الْمُحْرِمَةُ. وَتَابَعَهُ لَيْثُ بْنُ أَبِي سُلَيْمٍ.
Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar:
Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The Muhrima (a woman in the state of Ihram) should not cover her face, or wear gloves". [Sahih al-Bukhari 1838]
وَحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ حَبِيبٍ الْحَارِثِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ، حَدَّثَنَا قُرَّةُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْحَمِيدِ بْنُ جُبَيْرِ بْنِ شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَتْنَا صَفِيَّةُ بِنْتُ شَيْبَةَ، قَالَتْ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ رضى الله عنها يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَيَرْجِعُ النَّاسُ بِأَجْرَيْنِ وَأَرْجِعُ بِأَجْرٍ فَأَمَرَ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ أَنْ يَنْطَلِقَ بِهَا إِلَى التَّنْعِيمِ . قَالَتْ فَأَرْدَفَنِي خَلْفَهُ عَلَى جَمَلٍ لَهُ - قَالَتْ - فَجَعَلْتُ أَرْفَعُ خِمَارِي أَحْسُرُهُ عَنْ عُنُقِي فَيَضْرِبُ رِجْلِي بِعِلَّةِ الرَّاحِلَةِ . قُلْتُ لَهُ وَهَلْ تَرَى مِنْ أَحَدٍ قَالَتْ فَأَهْلَلْتُ بِعُمْرَةٍ ثُمَّ أَقْبَلْنَا حَتَّى انْتَهَيْنَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُوَ بِالْحَصْبَةِ .
Safiyya bint Shaiba reported that 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) said:
Messenger of Allah, the people are returning with two rewards whereas I am returning with one reward. Thereupon he commanded 'Abd al-Rahman b. Abu Bakr to take her to al-Tan'im. She ('A'isha) said: He seated me behind him on his camel. She (further) stated: I lifted my head covering and took it off from my neck. He struck my foot as if he was striking the camel. I said to him: Do you find anyone here? She (further) said: I entered into the state of Ihram for 'Umra till we reached the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and he was at Hasba. [Sahih Muslim 1211 z]
Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حَمْشَاذٍ الْعَدْلُ ، ثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ شَاذَانَ الْجَوْهَرِيُّ ، ثَنَا زَكَرِيَّا بْنُ عَدِيٍّ ، ثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ ، عَنْ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتِ الْمُنْذِرِ ، عَنْ أَسْمَاءَ بِنْتِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا - قَالَتْ : " كُنَّا نُغَطِّيَ وُجُوهَنَا مِنَ الرِّجَالِ ، وَكُنَّا نَتَمَشَّطُ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ فِي الْإِ
هَذَا حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحٌ عَلَى شَرْطِ الشَّيْخَيْنِ ، وَلَمْ يُخْرِجَاهُ
Narrated Asma Bint Abu Bakr(RA):
We used to cover our faces in front of men and we would comb our hairs before that.
[Musdhadrak ala saheehayn:1711, Ibn Khuzaymah, 4/203; al-Haakim, 1/624. He classed it as saheeh and al-Dhahabi agreed with him. It was also classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Jilbaab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah]
وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتِ الْمُنْذِرِ، أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ كُنَّا نُخَمِّرُ وُجُوهَنَا وَنَحْنُ مُحْرِمَاتٌ وَنَحْنُ مَعَ أَسْمَاءَ بِنْتِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقِ
Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn Urwa that Fatima bint al-Mundhir said, "We used to veil our faces when we were in ihram in the company of Asma bint Abi Bakr as-Siddiq."
20.7 Wearing Perfume during Hajj. [Muwatta Malik : 725]
Exceptions for Hijab
Slave women and old women were exempted from wearing hijab
Slave women لكن الحجاب الكامل للحرائر من النساء ، وأما الاماء وملك اليمين فلا يتشبهن بالحرائر في الحجاب الكامل ، فليس على الأَمَة أن تغطي وجهها ، وكان عمر رضي الله عنه يمنعهن من ذلك ، وهذا مع أمن الفتنة فيهن ، وأما إذا وجدت الفتنه فعليهن فعل ما يحول دون هذه الفتنة .Umar(RA) the one who desired eagerly the verses of Hijab, forbidded slave to cover their face.
The full hijaab is only for free women; slaves and concubines should not resemble free women by wearing the full hijaab. This is the case if there is no fear of fitnah from them; but if there is fitnah, then they have to do whatever will prevent that fitnah.
حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي مَرْيَمَ، أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي حُمَيْدٌ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَنَسًا ـ رضى الله عنه ـ يَقُولُ أَقَامَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَيْنَ خَيْبَرَ وَالْمَدِينَةِ ثَلاَثَ لَيَالٍ يُبْنَى عَلَيْهِ بِصَفِيَّةَ، فَدَعَوْتُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ إِلَى وَلِيمَتِهِ، وَمَا كَانَ فِيهَا مِنْ خُبْزٍ وَلاَ لَحْمٍ، وَمَا كَانَ فِيهَا إِلاَّ أَنْ أَمَرَ بِلاَلاً بِالأَنْطَاعِ فَبُسِطَتْ، فَأَلْقَى عَلَيْهَا التَّمْرَ وَالأَقِطَ وَالسَّمْنَ، فَقَالَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ إِحْدَى أُمَّهَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ يَمِينُهُ قَالُوا إِنْ حَجَبَهَا فَهْىَ إِحْدَى أُمَّهَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَحْجُبْهَا فَهْىَ مِمَّا مَلَكَتْ يَمِينُهُ. فَلَمَّا ارْتَحَلَ وَطَّأَ لَهَا خَلْفَهُ، وَمَدَّ الْحِجَابَ.
Narrated Anas:
The Prophet (ﷺ) stayed for three rights between Khaibar and Medina and was married to Safiya. I invited the Muslim to his marriage banquet and there wa neither meat nor bread in that banquet but the Prophet ordered Bilal to spread the leather mats on which dates, dried yogurt and butter were put. The Muslims said amongst themselves, "Will she (i.e. Safiya) be one of the mothers of the believers, (i.e. one of the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) ) or just (a lady captive) of what his right-hand possesses" Some of them said, "If the Prophet (ﷺ) makes her observe the veil, then she will be one of the mothers of the believers (i.e. one of the Prophet's wives), and if he does not make her observe the veil, then she will be his lady slave." So when he departed, he made a place for her behind him (on his and made her observe the veil. [Sahih Al-Bukhari 4213]
Old women
Sura An-Noor Chapter 24 Verse 60
وَالْقَوَاعِدُ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ اللَّاتِي لَا يَرْجُونَ نِكَاحًا فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِنَّ جُنَاحٌ أَنْ يَضَعْنَ ثِيَابَهُنَّ غَيْرَ مُتَبَرِّجَاتٍ بِزِينَةٍ ۖ وَأَنْ يَسْتَعْفِفْنَ خَيْرٌ لَهُنَّ ۗ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
And women of post-menstrual age who have no desire for marriage - there is no blame upon them for putting aside their outer garments [but] not displaying adornment. But to modestly refrain [from that] is better for them. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing.
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رقم الحديث: 12535
(حديث مقطوع) أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ ، أنبأ أَبُو سَعِيدِ بْنُ الأَعْرَابِيِّ . ح وَأَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو الْحُسَيْنِ بْنُ بِشْرَانَ ، أنبأ إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الصَّفَّارُ ، قَالا : نا سَعْدَانُ بْنُ نَصْرٍ ، ثنا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ ، عَنْ عَاصِمٍ الأَحْوَلِ ، قَالَ : " كُنَّا نَدْخُلُ عَلَى حَفْصَةَ بِنْتِ سِيرِينَ ، وَقَدْ جَعَلَتِ الْجِلْبَابَ هَكَذَا ، وَتَنَقَّبَتْ بِهِ ، فَنَقُولُ لَهَا رَحِمَكِ اللَّهُ ، قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى : وَالْقَوَاعِدُ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ اللَّاتِي لا يَرْجُونَ نِكَاحًا فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِنَّ جُنَاحٌ أَنْ يَضَعْنَ ثِيَابَهُنَّ غَيْرَ مُتَبَرِّجَاتٍ بِزِينَةٍ سورة النور آية 60 هُوَ الْجِلْبَابُ ، قَالَ : فَتَقُولُ لَنَا : أَيُّ شَيْءٍ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ ؟ فَنَقُولُ وَأَنْ يَسْتَعْفِفْنَ خَيْرٌ لَهُنَّ سورة النور آية 60 ، فَتَقُولُ : هُوَ إِثْبَاتُ الْجِلْبَابِ " .
From ‘Aasim al-Ahwaal who said: “We used to enter upon Hafsah bint Seereen (a tabi’eeyyah), she would put on her jilbaab like this and covered her face with it. Then we would say to her: May Allaah have mercy on you. Allaah تعالى said:
“And women of post-menstrual age who have no desire for marriage – there is no blame upon them for putting aside their outer garments [but] not displaying adornment.” [Soorah an-Noor (24):60].
And what is meant here is the Jilbaab. He (the narrator) said: ‘So she would say to us: ‘What comes after that?’ We would say:
“But to modestly refrain [from that (i.e. not to remove their outer garment)] is better for them.”
Thus, we would say: ‘This (action of hers) is the (real) affirmation of the Jilbaab (covering oneself).‘”
[In al-Imaam al-Bayhaqee’s as-Sunan al-Kubraa, 13534. Declared ‘
Saheeh (Authentic)’ by Shaykh al-Albaanee in his Book ‘Jilbaab Mar’atul Muslimah fil Kitaabi was-Sunnah’].
____________________________________________________________
Some bring in proofs to show that women need not cover the face. But the evidences are mostly
(a) An event happened before the verses of Hijab was revealed
(b) that involves a slave girl
(c) old person
(d) Their is no connection between evidence and their arguement
(e) weak hadith
For example let us some evidences they bring in
[1. ]
وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ أَبِي سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ عَطَاءٍ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ شَهِدْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الصَّلاَةَ يَوْمَ الْعِيدِ فَبَدَأَ بِالصَّلاَةِ قَبْلَ الْخُطْبَةِ بِغَيْرِ أَذَانٍ وَلاَ إِقَامَةٍ ثُمَّ قَامَ مُتَوَكِّئًا عَلَى بِلاَلٍ فَأَمَرَ
Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported:
I observed prayer with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the 'Id day. He commenced with prayer before the sermon without Adhan and Iqama. He then stood up leaning on Bilal, and he commanded (them) to be on guard (against evil for the sake of) Allah, and he exhorted (them) on obedience to Him, and he preached to the people and admonished them. He then walked on till he came to the women and preached to them and admonished them, and asked them to give alms, for most of them are the fuel for Hell. A woman having a dark spot on the cheek stood up and said: Why is it so, Messenger of Allah? He said: For you grumble often and show ingratitude to your spouse. And then they began to give alms out of their ornaments such as their earrings and rings which they threw on to the cloth of Bilal. [Sahih Muslim 885 b]
They say that dark spot on her cheek was visible, so the woman was not covering her face.
But we say this event of Eid may have occurred before the verses of Hijab, or she could be a slave or an elderly women.
[2]
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ يَسَارٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ أَرْدَفَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْفَضْلَ بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ يَوْمَ النَّحْرِ خَلْفَهُ عَلَى عَجُزِ رَاحِلَتِهِ، وَكَانَ الْفَضْلُ رَجُلاً وَضِيئًا، فَوَقَفَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِلنَّاسِ يُفْتِيهِمْ، وَأَقْبَلَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ خَثْعَمَ وَضِيئَةٌ تَسْتَفْتِي رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَطَفِقَ الْفَضْلُ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهَا، وَأَعْجَبَهُ حُسْنُهَا، فَالْتَفَتَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهَا، فَأَخْلَفَ بِيَدِهِ فَأَخَذَ بِذَقَنِ الْفَضْلِ، فَعَدَلَ وَجْهَهُ عَنِ النَّظَرِ إِلَيْهَا، فَقَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ فَرِيضَةَ اللَّهِ فِي الْحَجِّ عَلَى عِبَادِهِ أَدْرَكَتْ أَبِي شَيْخًا كَبِيرًا، لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ يَسْتَوِيَ عَلَى الرَّاحِلَةِ، فَهَلْ يَقْضِي عَنْهُ أَنْ أَحُجَّ عَنْهُ قَالَ " نَعَمْ ".
Narrated `Abdullah bin `Abbas:
Al-Fadl bin `Abbas rode behind the Prophet (ﷺ) as his companion rider on the back portion of his she camel on the Day of Nahr (slaughtering of sacrifice, 10th Dhul-Hijja) and Al-Fadl was a handsome man. The Prophet (ﷺ) stopped to give the people verdicts. In the meantime, a beautiful woman From the tribe of Khath'am came, asking the verdict of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). Al-Fadl started looking at her as her beauty attracted him. The Prophet (ﷺ) looked behind while Al-Fadl was looking at her; so the Prophet (ﷺ) held out his hand backwards and caught the chin of Al-Fadl and turned his face (to the owner sides in order that he should not gaze at her. She said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! The obligation of Performing Hajj enjoined by Allah on His worshipers, has become due (compulsory) on my father who is an old man and who cannot sit firmly on the riding animal. Will it be sufficient that I perform Hajj on his behalf?" He said, "Yes." [Sahih al-Bukhari 6228, 1513]
. ثُمَّ أَفَاضَ حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى وَادِي مُحَسِّرٍ فَقَرَعَ نَاقَتَهُ فَخَبَّتْ حَتَّى جَاوَزَ الْوَادِيَ فَوَقَفَ وَأَرْدَفَ الْفَضْلَ ثُمَّ أَتَى الْجَمْرَةَ فَرَمَاهَا ثُمَّ أَتَى الْمَنْحَرَ فَقَالَ " هَذَا الْمَنْحَرُ وَمِنًى كُلُّهَا مَنْحَرٌ " . وَاسْتَفْتَتْهُ جَارِيَةٌ شَابَّةٌ مِنْ خَثْعَمٍ فَقَالَتْ إِنَّ أَبِي شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ قَدْ أَدْرَكَتْهُ فَرِيضَةُ اللَّهِ فِي الْحَجِّ أَفَيُجْزِئُ أَنْ أَحُجَّ عَنْهُ قَالَ " حُجِّي عَنْ أَبِيكِ " . قَالَ وَلَوَى عُنُقَ الْفَضْلِ فَقَالَ الْعَبَّاسُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لِمَ لَوَيْتَ عُنُقَ ابْنِ عَمِّكَ قَالَ " رَأَيْتُ شَابًّا وَشَابَّةً فَلَمْ آمَنِ الشَّيْطَانَ عَلَيْهِمَا " .
It was narrated from ‘Ali (Allah be pleased with him) in the event of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) returning from al-Muzdalifah that he (Allah bless him and grant him peace) made al-Fadl ibn ‘Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) his riding companion. He came to the pillars to throw pebbles at them and then came to the place of sacrifice (manhar). It is mentioned therein: a
young slave girl from Khath’am sought a verdict from him and said, “Indeed my father is an old man and the obligation to Allah to perform Hajj has reached him. Is it permissible for me to perform Hajj on his behalf?” He said, “Perform Hajj on your father’s behalf.” ‘Ali said: “he turned the neck of al-Fadl, and al-‘Abbas asked, ‘Why did you turn the neck of your cousin?’ He said, ‘I saw a young man and woman [in such a situation] that they are not safe from Satan.'” Al-Tirmidhi transmitted it in Bab ma Ja’a anna ‘Arafata kullaha Mawqif (Jami` at-Tirmidhi 885)
Jariyathun(
جَارِيَةٌ) translates to odalisque, female slave, slave girl, bond maid, bond women. This tribe Khath'am is from Yemen.
1.) It was in Hajj on the day of Nahr and she was in Ihram, she followed the general rule of Muhrim of not covering her face.
2.) She was a slave women from that Khath'am tribe and slave girls do not cover their faces
All other evidences happened before the event of Hijab. We know that before the event of Hijab Umar(RA) had seen Sauda(RA) and Ayesha (RA) said "Safwan bin Al-Mu'attil As-Sulami Adh- Dhakw-ani had seen her before veiling" and after verses of veiling she(RA) covered her face with her garment.
Conclusion:
ALLAH azwajal says in Surah Nur Chapter 24 verse 31
"And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment" . Here adornment is their anklets.
خضوع المرأة للرجل بقولها وترقيقه، حرّمه الله على نساء النبي ﷺ الأطهار ليدخل فيه غيرهن من باب أولى (فلا تخضعن بالقول فيطمع الذي في قلبه مرض)
A woman humbling herself before a man through her soft speech is something that Allah prohibited the pure wives of the Prophet ﷺ from doing, making it all the more reason to have other women included in that prohibition -
Shaik Abdul Aziz Tarefe
يَا نِسَاءَ النَّبِيِّ لَسْتُنَّ كَأَحَدٍ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ ۚ إِنِ اتَّقَيْتُنَّ فَلَا تَخْضَعْنَ بِالْقَوْلِ فَيَطْمَعَ الَّذِي فِي قَلْبِهِ مَرَضٌ وَقُلْنَ قَوْلًا مَعْرُوفًا“Then do not be soft in speech [to men], lest he in whose heart is disease should be moved with desire.” [Al-Aḥzāb 32:33]
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Any woman who puts on perfume and passes by people so that they can smell her fragrance is a zaaniyah.”
It was narrated that Al-Ash'ari said:
"The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: 'Any woman who puts on perfume then passes by people so that they can smell her fragrance then she is an adulteress.'"
[Narrated by Imam Ahmad (19212) and al-Nasaa’i (5126); Tirmidhi: 3015 classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami]
So the whole idea of Hijab is not revealing the beauty of women to Non Mahram Men.
Face is more worthy of attracting the opposite sex than anklets, perfume and speech.
We are living in a sexually charged society. Even a child is seen as sexual object. Most of them are living in Non Muslim countries. We have seen many instances of women wearing abaya were attracted easily by her face beauty. The command to lower the gaze is only for Muslim Men and Women and Non Muslims cannot be asked to lower the gaze. One cannot turn the face of Man staring at your women like what Prophet (ﷺ) did to Al-Fadl (RA). Women covering her face won't be a fitna to other Man(Mostly Non Muslims) and this can be reduced to great extent. Moroever as ALLAH azwajal says in Surah Ahzab verse 59 , regarding women covering fully,
"That will be better that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed(abused) . And Allâh is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful".
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