The Ruling on a Domestic Worker Staying in the Home with Her Husband

Question : We hired a domestic worker along with her mahram, who is her husband. The contract between us states that she may stay overnight with her husband once a week outside the home. We accepted this contract, and the situation continued for more than a year. One of the scholars issued the following fatwa: It is absolutely not permissible for the worker to stay overnight in our home, even out of necessity.

Answer : We hold that there is nothing wrong with her staying in the home, provided the man does not have seclusion with her, meaning that there are other people in the home, because there is no khalwah (seclusion). However, their condition that she not stay with her husband except one night a week is a harsh condition. I see that they should relax this condition so that the man can enjoy his wife, and likewise the woman can enjoy her husband.