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In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Dear questioner, we commend your pursuit of knowledge and your keenness to seek what is lawful and avoid what is not. We earnestly implore Allah to bless your efforts in this honorable way. We would like also to seize this opportunity to congratulate your for embracing Islam.
Responding to the question, Sheikh `Abdel As-Sattaar Fathallah As-Sa`eed, professor of Qur'anic Exegesis, Al-Azhar University, states the following:
“As for your first question, if you know that telling your family about your embracing Islam will not bring about great harm to you, then you should tell them and declare your faith. However, if this will cause you great harm, then you should hide this until such a time you find yourself able to leave the place for a perfect environment where you can feel at ease to practice Islam and live with your sisters in faith. Meanwhile, it is important you confide in your close friends and people you deem trustworthy in your location. This is because if you die, you will need someone to prove that you are a Muslim so that your body will be washed according to Islamic rules, and offered a funeral prayer, and buried in a Muslim cemetery.
As for the second part of the question, it is important for you to know that your embracing Islam does mean that you are supposed to abide by the teachings and behests of this religion. Wearing Hijab is an obligation like any other obligation in Islam. However, in your case, given the hardship you suffer and the necessity of supporting the family, you may put off wearing Hijab under the following conditions:
First: You have to bear in mind that it is a grave sin for a Muslim woman to uncover part of her `awrah. This should be in mind always. Therefore, given your case, you need to seek Allah's Forgiveness, and to deem it as a transitional stage until such a time you find yourself able to wear Hijab without being subject to persecution.
Second: Try to look for a Muslim husband who will protect you and make things a bit easier, in sha’ Allah.
Third: It is highly recommended for you to look for another place where you can work and support your family and at the same time wear Hijab.
Thus, putting off Hijab is deemed here the lesser of two evils, and something resorted to in order to avoid more hardship, based on the juristic rule which states: “The lesser harm can be suffered in order to fend off greater harm.”
You can also read:
New Muslims: Should Hijab Be an Obstacle?
Taking off Hijab as a Precautionary Measure
If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to write back!
May Allah guide you to the straight path, and guide you to that which pleases Him, Amen.
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