The ruling on hiring a foreign domestic worker and requiring her to wear the hijab
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Question:
May Allah reward you with good and do you good. She says: I hired a domestic worker for my family, and although she prays, I dislike her presence because she does not cover herself in front of my father and does not adhere to the Islamic hijab when going out. I taught her the Islamic hijab, and she complied with it, even though she does not speak Arabic. However, my family opposed my action and prevented me from teaching her. Do my family commit a sin by bringing in this domestic worker and not requiring her to observe Allah’s religion regarding her hijab? Am I in the right? Please issue a ruling for us and advise us. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
This is a continuation of the answer to the previous question, which was about the Duha prayer. We said that if one leaves it off sometimes, there is no harm, and if one persists in it, there is no harm in that either. Leaving it off sometimes is not more preferable than persisting in it; rather, persisting in it is also a recommended practice, but if one leaves it off sometimes, there is no harm. As for the matter of the domestic worker and teaching her, this is an obligatory matter. First, bringing foreign women into this country or any other country without their mahrams (relatives one may not marry) is not permissible, because it is not permissible for a woman to travel except with a mahram, whether to this country or another. The one who brings her in or hires her without a mahram is a partner in the sin. Also, if he brings her into his house and mixes her with his daughters and his women, this necessitates that he may look at her and may be alone with her at times, which is not permissible. This matter is dangerous, especially since she is a stranger and may not be committed to these matters, posing great risks. Bringing in foreign women entails great risks for Muslims, so they should avoid it with the utmost caution. If the woman is a disbeliever, if the woman hired is a disbeliever, the matter is even more dangerous. May Allah protect you. It is not permissible to bring disbelievers into the lands of Muslims in this extensive manner because of the danger involved.
And if she is a Muslim, then it is obligatory to teach her the religion of Islam, to command her to pray, to command her to wear the hijab, and to require her to fulfill what is required of Muslim women, because she is a Muslim woman. Her being a domestic worker or a hired person does not exempt her from responsibility. She is a Muslim woman, and what is obligatory upon Muslim women is obligatory upon her. She is also a fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), indeed she is a greater fitnah. Therefore, she must be required to pray, required to wear the hijab, required to fulfill the obligations, and prevented from the forbidden and from sins. Whoever brings her in must take charge of her, protect her, and not leave her to her own devices to corrupt herself or others, or to become righteous. If she mixes with his women and daughters and she is not upright, she will influence them or they will imitate her at the very least. The danger in this is severe and the matter is great. Bringing in women and men into this country is among the greatest fitnahs that have occurred in this time. There is no power and no strength except with Allah. Yes.
May Allah reward you with good and do you good. She says: I hired a domestic worker for my family, and although she prays, I dislike her presence because she does not cover herself in front of my father and does not adhere to the Islamic hijab when going out. I taught her the Islamic hijab, and she complied with it, even though she does not speak Arabic. However, my family opposed my action and prevented me from teaching her. Do my family commit a sin by bringing in this domestic worker and not requiring her to observe Allah’s religion regarding her hijab? Am I in the right? Please issue a ruling for us and advise us. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
This is a continuation of the answer to the previous question, which was about the Duha prayer. We said that if one leaves it off sometimes, there is no harm, and if one persists in it, there is no harm in that either. Leaving it off sometimes is not more preferable than persisting in it; rather, persisting in it is also a recommended practice, but if one leaves it off sometimes, there is no harm. As for the matter of the domestic worker and teaching her, this is an obligatory matter. First, bringing foreign women into this country or any other country without their mahrams (relatives one may not marry) is not permissible, because it is not permissible for a woman to travel except with a mahram, whether to this country or another. The one who brings her in or hires her without a mahram is a partner in the sin. Also, if he brings her into his house and mixes her with his daughters and his women, this necessitates that he may look at her and may be alone with her at times, which is not permissible. This matter is dangerous, especially since she is a stranger and may not be committed to these matters, posing great risks. Bringing in foreign women entails great risks for Muslims, so they should avoid it with the utmost caution. If the woman is a disbeliever, if the woman hired is a disbeliever, the matter is even more dangerous. May Allah protect you. It is not permissible to bring disbelievers into the lands of Muslims in this extensive manner because of the danger involved.
And if she is a Muslim, then it is obligatory to teach her the religion of Islam, to command her to pray, to command her to wear the hijab, and to require her to fulfill what is required of Muslim women, because she is a Muslim woman. Her being a domestic worker or a hired person does not exempt her from responsibility. She is a Muslim woman, and what is obligatory upon Muslim women is obligatory upon her. She is also a fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), indeed she is a greater fitnah. Therefore, she must be required to pray, required to wear the hijab, required to fulfill the obligations, and prevented from the forbidden and from sins. Whoever brings her in must take charge of her, protect her, and not leave her to her own devices to corrupt herself or others, or to become righteous. If she mixes with his women and daughters and she is not upright, she will influence them or they will imitate her at the very least. The danger in this is severe and the matter is great. Bringing in women and men into this country is among the greatest fitnahs that have occurred in this time. There is no power and no strength except with Allah. Yes.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، 4364- خطر استقدام الخادمات بغير محرم ووجوب تعليمها أمر دينها - الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.
