Women and seeking provision

Question:

There’s a woman who works in a hospital, at the faculty of labour.

Is it permissible for her to leave her house to work with the condition that there is no free-mixing?

Answer:

The basis is that a woman is to be settled in the house; not leaving unless there is a need, for this Allah, the Most High, said:

(وَقَرْنَ فِى بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ ٱلْجَٰهِلِيَّةِ ٱلْأُولَى)

“And stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves like that of the times of ignorance”
[Al-Ahzāb:33]

Because a woman leaving her house will expose herself to dangers in regards to her Dunya and her Hereafter, and her house is better for her.

And the Prophet ﷺ said:

(المرأة عورة فإذا خرجت استشرفها الشيطان وأقرب ما تكون من ربها وهي في قعر بيتها)

“The woman is an ‘Awrah, when she leaves the house the Shaytān seeks to tempt by way of her, and the closest she is to her Lord is when she is inside her house.”

Reported by Tirmidhi and other than him, on the authority of Ibn Mas’ūd, and it is in As-Sahīh Al-Musnad of Imām Al-Wādi’ī, may Allah have mercy upon him.

And due to that men are the ones commanded to seek provisions

(ٱلرِّجَالُ قَوَّٰمُونَ عَلَى ٱلنِّسَآء)

“Men are the protectors and maintainers of women”
[An-Nisā:34]

And it’s permitted for her to work outside of her house, with the following conditions:

➖That she was to be in need of this work due to not having anyone who could spare her from having to seek provisions.

➖That the job doesn’t contain any prohibitions or what could lead to it, whereby her religion and her honour is safeguarded.

➖That she abides to covering with legislated clothing therein.

➖That the job doesn’t go against the nature of women and their physical composition.

➖That her work outside of the house doesn’t conflict with the cultivation and upbringing of her children, because she is responsible for their upbringing, and majority of the time working outside of the house clashes with this.

And in the two “Sahihs” on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet ﷺ said:

(كلكم راعٍ، وكلكم مسئول عن رعيته، والإمام راعٍ ومسئول عن رعيته، والرجل راعٍ في أهله ومسئول عن رعيته، والمرأة راعية في بيت زوجها ومسئولة عن رعيتها، ألا فكلكم راعٍ، وكلكم مسئول عن رعيته‏)

“Everyone of you is a guardian and everyone of you is responsible over their flock.
A ruler is a guardian and is responsible for his flock; a man is a guardian of his family and responsible over his flock; a wife is a guardian of her husband’s house and she is responsible over her flock. Beware! All of you are guardians and are responsible over your flocks.”

Then it would be permissible for her to work outside the house, and Allaah knows best.

Answered by:
Shaykh Abu Hatim Yusuf Al-‘Inaabi Al-Jazaa’iree – may Allah preserve him.

Source:
t.me/abouhatem/94

Answered on:
8th, Saffar, 1438H

Translated by:
Abu ‘Abdirrahman ‘Abdullaah bin Ahmed Ash-Shingaani