QUESTION:
As salaam alaykum Respected Mufti
Whilst I do understand that Islam does not prohibit any woman from doing business, however recently we find the trend of pop-ups emerging quite strongly, as well as the old trend of flea markets where we find many in women who are in Purdah having stalls at these markets. At times a woman may be false to out of circumstances to be at those venues to do a bit of trade to sustain herself.
I would like to know what is the Islamic ruling regarding women in parda going to these venues to trade with their husbands and what are the boundaries that Islam prescribes for women doing trade. In the business world, interaction with a male would be definite so what is Islamic guidelines for a woman who either is forced out of circumstances to be in trade or is there merely to assist her husband?
Shukran
Answer:
اَلـجَـــــوَابُ حَــامِـــــداً وَّمُــصَلِّــــياً
اَلـــسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُــــمْ وَرَحْـــمَةُ اللهِ وَبَـرَكَـاتُـــهُ
Respected Brother
Our response to your query is as follows:
At the onset it should be borne in mind that Islam is a complete and perfect religion.
Allah Ta’ala states in the Quraan Majeed:
الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا
“Today I have perfected for you your religion and completed My blessings upon you and I am pleased with Islam as your religion”.
Umar Radiallahu Anhu used to say:
إنا كنا أذل قوم فأعزنا الله بالإسلام، فمهما ابتغينا العزة بغير ما أعزنا الله به أذلنا الله (المستدرک للحاكم#207)
“We were a humiliated nation then Allah honoured us through Islam. If we seek honour in other than what Allah honoured us, then Allah will humiliate us”.
Hence, if we hold onto Deen, Allah Ta’ala will honour us and if we discard the injunctions of Deen, we will be humiliated.
Now, coming to the queried scenario, Allah Ta’ala explicitly commands women in the Quraan Majeed,
وَقَرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ الْأُولَىٰ )الأحزاب آ:33)
“Remain in your homes and do not make a display of yourselves as was the practice of the former period of ignorance.”
Also consider the following Hadith:
عن عبد الله رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: إن المرأة عورة فإذا خرجت استشرفها
الشيطان وأقرب ما تكون من وجه ربها وهي في قعر بيتها (مسند البزار، الرقم: 1820)
Abdullah bin Mas’ood Radiallahu Anhu reports that Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi
Wasallam said, “A woman should be concealed (from strange men). When she leaves her home, Shaytaan looks at her. The time that she is closest to her Rabb is when she is within the confines of her home.”
From the above-mentioned Aayat and Hadith, we understand that women should not venture outdoors unnecessarily. When it comes to the expenses of women, Islam has made provisions under all circumstances. Prior to nikah, it is the responsibility of the father to take care of his daughter, and after nikah it is the responsibility of the husband to take care of his wife. If the husband passes away or separation takes place, then too our Deen commands the close family members to fulfill the needs of such a woman.
Hence, it will not be permissible to leave the home in order to work or to assist your husband as it is his responsibility to provide for you financially.
Finally, a woman going to work opens many doors of Fitnahs such as intermingling of sexes, zina etc. Hence, we strongly advise you to avoid going out to work or even assisting your husband at the work place.
And Allāh Alone in His Infinite Knowledge knows best
Answered by: Ml Abdul Qadir Fazlani
Checked and approved by: Mufti Yacoob Vally Saheb D.B.
وَالْأُمُّ إذَا كَانَتْ فَقِيرَةً فَإِنَّهُ يَلْزَمُ الِابْنَ نَفَقَتُهَا، وَإِنْ كَانَ مُعْسِرًا، أَوْ هِيَ غَيْرَ زَمِنَةٍ (الفتاوى الهندية 1/565))
تَجِبُ عَلَى الرَّجُلِ نَفَقَةُ امْرَأَتِهِ الْمُسْلِمَةِ وَالذِّمِّيَّةِ وَالْفَقِيرَةِ وَالْغَنِيَّةِ دَخَلَ بِهَا أَوْ لَمْ يَدْخُلْ كَبِيرَةً كَانَتْ الْمَرْأَةُ أَوْ صَغِيرَةً
يُجَامَعُ مِثْلُهَا كَذَا فِي فَتَاوَى قَاضِي خَانْ سَوَاءٌ كَانَتْ حُرَّةً أَوْ مُكَاتَبَةً كَذَا فِي الْجَوْهَرَةِ النَّيِّرَةِ (الفتاوى الهندية 1/544)