What does a woman wear in ihram, and does she cover her face?

A woman has no special ihram garment: she wears her ordinary modest clothing, and there is no requirement that it be white or of any particular colour, though it should not be adorned or attention-drawing. What is prohibited for her is the fitted face-veil (niqab) and gloves — Ibn 'Umar reported that the Prophet (ﷺ), after listing what a man may not wear in ihram, said, "...and a woman in ihram must not wear the niqab, nor gloves" (Sahih al-Bukhari 1838). The majority of scholars hold that she nevertheless covers her face in front of non-mahram men by drawing a cloth or the edge of her head-covering down over it, because what the hadith forbids is the tailored niqab, not concealment itself, and the general command of hijab before strange men (Quran 33:59) is not lifted by ihram. When no non-mahram men are near, she leaves her face uncovered. She also does not raise her voice with the Talbiyah in the presence of strange men.

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