My mother is ill, and I spend the post-natal period with her, and she is exhausted on top of her illness. Is it permissible for me to bring in a maid to help her?

The questioner:
May Allah reward you. The questioner, S.A.H., says: My mother is ill, and I spend the post-natal period with her, and she is exhausted on top of her illness. Is it permissible for me to bring in a maid to help her? What is the ruling on this? May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh:
Employing maids carries great danger, and it has resulted in many harms. So, as much as one can do without foreign maids, that is safer for a person and purer for his conscience. If he is compelled to bring in a maid, he must adhere to the Shari'ah rulings with her. She comes with her mahram (a relative one may not marry) and returns to her country with her mahram. He, or any of his sons, or anyone in his house, must not be alone with her. No man is to be alone with a woman, whether a maid or not. She is required to cover herself and observe hijab (the covering prescribed for women), and she is ordered to pray and to perform the obligatory acts. The condition for her is that she be a Muslim, committed to the rulings of the religion. One does not bring in a disbeliever, an open sinner, or one who is corrupt in her conduct. Yes.

The questioner:
If he is unable to meet some of these conditions, such as being unable to provide for her mahram.

The Shaykh:
If he is unable to meet some of these conditions, he does not bring her in, because it is not permissible for him to do so unless these conditions are met.

The presenter:
May Allah reward you.