Q: If a woman is in pardah (wearing a niqab) is it permissible for her to converse freely with a non mehram male?
A: Wearing a niqaab is one aspect of pardah. Conversing with males is another. In this, too, there is fitnah, and experience has shown that today even women behind veils commit zina or get involved with men. Pardah is a whole concept that demands total segregation from men barring cases of necessity. Our sisters should exercise special care in this regard.