Observing pardah from Pupa and Khalu

Question:

My family prevents me from observing pardah from my Pupa (the husband of my paternal aunt) and my Khalu (the husband of my maternal aunt). Is it too much if I observe pardah in front of them?

Answer:

A lady or a young girl must observe pardah from non-Mahram. A non-Mahram means all men with whom a woman is allowed to marry. The Pupa and the Khalu fall in the category of non-Mahrams because if they are divorced from Pupu or Khala respectively, they will be allowed to marry the niece of their ex-wives. The family is wrong. They are preventing the application of the law of Shariah. It is very sad that a Muslim girl is undergoing difficulties from her own family to practice her Deen. The Pupa and the Khalu also have to understand. They must not take offence. They must not prevent the application of the law of Shariah because this attracts the wrath of Allah Ta'ala. We should be vigilant if we want our wellbeing in Dunya and Aakhirah. We can say whatever we want but it will not remedy the cancer that we have developed by opposing the Shari'ah and preventing its application on the basis of trivial and futile pretexts.

[English version of "Pardah avec poupa et kalou" – Al Jamiat – Vol.7 No.2]