Question:
Is it mandatory (fard) or optional for women to wear niqab /purdah?
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer
It is mandatory for a young woman to wear the niqab.
Raddul Muhtar: v. 1, p. 406 (Darul Fikr)
(وَتُمْنَعُ) الْمَرْأَةُ الشَّابَّةُ (مِنْ كَشْفِ الْوَجْهِ بَيْنَ رِجَالٍ) لَا لِأَنَّهُ عَوْرَةٌ بَلْ (لِخَوْفِ الْفِتْنَةِ)
Kindly refer to the following link for more details: http://daruliftabirmingham.co.uk/niqab/
Only Allah knows best
Written by Maulana Mohammad Ahsan Osmani
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham