Do I need hijab in front of a man who is blind?

The story of Ibn Umm Maktum

Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum was a blind Companion who called the adhan in Madinah. When Fatimah bint Qays needed somewhere to spend her waiting period after divorce, the Prophet ﷺ told her to stay at his house, explaining that he was a blind man and she could take off her outer garments there without him seeing her (Sahih Muslim 1480).

Many scholars take this as clear evidence that a woman doesn't need full hijab in front of a blind man, since the purpose of covering is that a man doesn't see her.

Why some scholars still advise covering

There's another narration in which the Prophet ﷺ told two of his wives to cover from Ibn Umm Maktum, asking, "Are you both blind?" Many hadith scholars graded it weak, while others accepted it and saw it as extra caution for the Prophet's wives specifically. Some scholars also point out that a man may be partially sighted, may regain sight, or that other people may walk in. So a cautious view is to dress modestly anyway, especially outside the home.

Your gaze still matters

Hijab is one part of modesty. The Quran tells believing women to guard their own eyes too:

Women may look at men in a normal, non-desiring way. Aisha watched Abyssinian men performing in the mosque while the Prophet ﷺ screened her (Sahih al-Bukhari 454). So the issue isn't glancing, it's looking with desire, and that applies whether he can see you or not.

What stays the same

• No khalwah: a blind man who isn't your mahram still shouldn't be alone with you behind closed doors.
• Physical contact: the usual rules apply. Guiding him by offering your arm or sleeve in a real need is a kindness many scholars allow; ask a local scholar if it comes up often.
• Partially sighted: if he can see shapes and faces, treat him as sighted.

For the full picture of who counts as a mahram, see Who can see me without my hijab? A similar need-based rule applies with doctors: Can a male doctor see me without my hijab?