#239: Ruling on Women Working

QUESTION

“Assalamu Alaykum. Pls what is the Islamic view regarding one allowing his wife to run a supermarket or working as a stockbroker?”

ANSWER:

Alhamdulillaah!
It is important to know that in Islam, the job assigned to women is the care of the home, the training of the children, the safeguarding of the home.

Allaah – ta’ala – stressed this when He said:

وقرن في بيوتكن ولا تبرجن تبرج الجاهلية الاولا

“And remain in your homes and do not roam around in free mixing of the sexes like the roaming around of the jahili days of the past.”

However, Islam allows for a woman to do outdoor job when it is needed for women to do such a job or there is necessity for it.

It is permissible in Islam for a woman to work to earn some money with conditions.

Some of those conditions are:

1. That it is with the clear permission of her husband.

2. That there is nothing in the work that will harm or have a negative impact on her family such as reducing the time she is supposed to spend on her children’s care, etc.

3. That she will not be unnecessarily exposed to non-mahram men

4. That there is no free mixing of the sexes at the place of work

5. That she observes the Hijaab

6. That she is not exposed to any form of harm in such a job

7. That she doesn’t stay out later than the time for maghrib

8. That the work agrees with the nature of women.

Alhamdulillaah
Allaahu A’alam