Fatwa No : 88734
Ruling on Permitting One’s Daughter to Teach in a School

Ruling on Permitting One’s Daughter to Teach in a School

What do the honorable Muftis say regarding this issue: We married off our sister, but she was divorced, and about three years have passed since then. For quite some time, she has been insisting that we get her national identity card made so that she can teach in a school, but all of us brothers are stopping her, saying that such things are not done in our family. There is absolutely no issue of financial support; all the brothers contribute to her expenses. Yet she remains persistent in her request. Now our father, who remarried and lives separately, has agreed to get her identity card made. Is it correct for the father to give such permission to our sister? And if the sons demand from the father that “if she will teach with your permission, then you should keep her with you in the house of your second wife,” is such a demand correct?

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

It should be clear that the Sacred Shariah has not placed the responsibility of earning a livelihood upon women; rather, men have been made responsible for earning. Therefore, if a woman has someone to provide for her, it is not permissible for her to go out of the house for work without necessity. However, if she has no one to support her, then out of genuine need she may work — provided that she goes while observing proper hijab, there is no intermingling with non-mahram men at the workplace, the routes of travel are safe, she has permission from her husband or guardian, and the job itself is permissible. Therefore, according to the given case, when the sister is already receiving all necessary financial support and maintenance from her father and brothers, and there is no issue regarding her livelihood, then it is not appropriate for her to insist on taking permission from her brothers to teach without any real need. She should refrain from doing so. Likewise, it is not appropriate for the father to support his daughter in going out to work without necessity. Thus, it is necessary for both parties to resolve this issue with mutual agreement and understanding, and to avoid adopting behaviors that may lead to domestic conflict or severing family ties over this matter.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

كما في القرآن المجید: و قرن في بيوتكنّ و لا تبرجن تبرج الجاهلیة الأولى) الآیۃ۔ (سورۃ الأحزاب، آیت نمبر:33)۔
و فیہ أیضاً:(یا أیھا النبی قل لأأزواجک و بناتک و نساء المؤمنین یدنین علیھن من جلابیبھن ذالک أدنی أن یعرفن فلا یؤذین و کان اللہ غفورا رحیما) الآیۃ۔ (سورۃ الأحزاب، آیت نمبر:59)۔
و في الفتاوى الھندية: تجب على الرجل ‌نفقة ‌امرأته ‌المسلمة و الذمية و الفقيرة و الغنية دخل بھا أو لم يدخل كبيرة كانت المرأة أو صغيرة يجامع مثلھا كذا في فتاوى قاضي خان سواء كانت حرة أو مكاتبة كذا في الجوهرة النيرة إلخ۔ (الفصل الأول في نفقة الزوجة، ج 1، ص 544، ط : دار الفكر، بيروت)-
و فی الفقہ الإسلامی و أدلتہ: ‌إذا ‌عملت ‌الزوجة نھاراً أو ليلاً خارج المنزل كالطبيبة و المعلمة و المحامية و الممرضة و الصانعة، فالمقرر في القانونين المصري و السوري أنه إذا رضي الزوج بخروجھا و لم يمنعھا من العمل، وجبت لھا النفقة؛ لأن احتباس الزوجة حق للزوج، فله أن يتنازل عنه (إلى قوله) و للزوجة أن تعمل في البيت عملاً لا يضعفھا و لا ينقص جمالھا، و للزوج أن يمنعھا مما يضرها إلخ۔ (المسألة الثانية:الزوجة العاملة أو الموظفة، ج 10، ص 7378-7380، ط: دار الفكر، دمشق)-