Is it permissible for a father to force his young son to sit at home and not seek a noble job, and what should the son do in this case? Is he obligated to obey him?
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The questioner : Is it permissible for a father to force his young son to sit at home and not seek a noble job from which he earns lawful income? And what should the son do in this case? Is he obligated to obey his father, or is it permissible for him to disobey his order, given that Islam encourages work and lawful earning?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
If this young man is an adult, sane, and prudent in his conduct, then it is not permissible for his father to prevent him from earning lawful income. This is because in this state, he is not under legal interdiction, nor is he prevented from earning, as long as he wants to earn through lawful means. Indeed, a person needs this, both to chaste himself through marriage and to restrain himself from begging, and there is no way to this except by striving to seek lawful sustenance.
Then, even if it were assumed that the father has money with which he can provide for this person’s needs of maintenance and marriage, remaining without work may harm a person psychologically and physically. For the person, as came in the hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):, must have something that moves his ambition and something that moves his body, so that he may relieve what lies within him.
Therefore, what I indicate and advise this father is not to place his son under legal interdiction, but to let him earn through what is lawful, as long as he is an adult, sane, and prudent.
As for the son, I advise him not to disobey his father with open disobedience and not to rush into rebellion, even if the father has no right to prevent him from earning. Rather, he should be diplomatic with his father, manage his dealings with him, and persistently hope that he will grant him permission to seek work, perhaps Allah will guide him. If his father does not do so, and if the son is in need of this income, then he is not obligated to obey his father by leaving it. If he is not in need, then he should look into this matter and see which is more beneficial and better: to agree with his father or to disobey him. This is provided that the father is not in dire necessity for his son to remain in the house. If the father is in dire necessity for his son to remain in the house, such that he is ill or has a disability that prevents him from managing the affairs of his house, then in this case, the son must agree with his father, because that is part of dutifulness to parents, and dutifulness to parents is obligatory.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
If this young man is an adult, sane, and prudent in his conduct, then it is not permissible for his father to prevent him from earning lawful income. This is because in this state, he is not under legal interdiction, nor is he prevented from earning, as long as he wants to earn through lawful means. Indeed, a person needs this, both to chaste himself through marriage and to restrain himself from begging, and there is no way to this except by striving to seek lawful sustenance.
Then, even if it were assumed that the father has money with which he can provide for this person’s needs of maintenance and marriage, remaining without work may harm a person psychologically and physically. For the person, as came in the hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
You are all shepherds, and each of you is responsible for his flock.
كلكم حارث وهمامTherefore, what I indicate and advise this father is not to place his son under legal interdiction, but to let him earn through what is lawful, as long as he is an adult, sane, and prudent.
As for the son, I advise him not to disobey his father with open disobedience and not to rush into rebellion, even if the father has no right to prevent him from earning. Rather, he should be diplomatic with his father, manage his dealings with him, and persistently hope that he will grant him permission to seek work, perhaps Allah will guide him. If his father does not do so, and if the son is in need of this income, then he is not obligated to obey his father by leaving it. If he is not in need, then he should look into this matter and see which is more beneficial and better: to agree with his father or to disobey him. This is provided that the father is not in dire necessity for his son to remain in the house. If the father is in dire necessity for his son to remain in the house, such that he is ill or has a disability that prevents him from managing the affairs of his house, then in this case, the son must agree with his father, because that is part of dutifulness to parents, and dutifulness to parents is obligatory.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.