Is it permissible to employ non-Muslim workers?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
Some institutions employ Christian, Bosnian, and Korean workers who are not Muslims, as well as workers who claim to be Muslim only on their identification cards but contradict Islam. Why are the owners of these institutions not prevented from employing these workers who violate the Shari'ah of Allah? And you know the harm these people cause to the children of Muslims?
Answer:
This is the case, and the rulers have resolved to remove these people, to mitigate their evil, to terminate the contracts of those who cause no harm, and to replace them with Muslim laborers. Orders have been issued to prohibit the employment of disbelieving nannies, disbelieving maids, and disbelieving drivers. We ask Allah to help in implementing these orders, to guide the state to the good it has promised, to help it abandon evil, and to alleviate unemployment. It is obligatory to follow up on the advice given to the rulers and to remind them of this matter. It is obligatory for the owners of institutions to fear Allah and to be wary of employing disbelievers. It is obligatory for institutions to avoid employing disbelievers and to employ the Muslims they need. They must also be careful even among Muslims, because some people claim Islam but are not actually Muslim. Therefore, it is obligatory for them to be careful and to avoid employing disbelievers, because it is not permissible for two religions to remain in this Arabian Peninsula, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade and ordered the expulsion of the polytheists from this Peninsula. This Peninsula is not like Egypt, the Levant, or other places. No, this Peninsula has a special status. It is not permissible for two religions to remain in it. It is not permissible for the owners of institutions and contractors to employ disbelievers. On the contrary, they must be wary of doing so, fear Allah, and cooperate with the state in abandoning these people. Even if we assume that the state needs many specialists, such as doctors or engineers or the like, they cannot use the state as an excuse. Rather, they must be wary of what Allah has forbidden and stay away from what Allah has forbidden. Even if the state did the thing they were prevented from doing, and they did not fear Allah, and if others did what they were ordered to leave, others might have an excuse, but they do not. If others disobey, they do not have the right to disobey Allah. If you know that this is not permissible, you must warn against it, even if others do it. You must be wary of what Allah has forbidden for you, and do not use other people as an excuse.
Their work will not harm you if Allah guides you, you are upright, you fulfill the obligatory duties, you enjoin what is right, and you forbid what is wrong. This is, in reality, a great and serious matter. However, the love of money, the desire for cheap wages, and the indifference to the affairs of Muslims are what led these people to import disbelievers. This is because some disbelievers may be cheaper than some Muslims, or some say that they continue working without praying, and so on. We ask Allah for safety from this. The result is that this is a great affliction. It is obligatory for the owners of institutions and contractors to be wary of it, to fear Allah, and never to employ anyone but a Muslim in this Peninsula. It is also obligatory for the state, may Allah guide it, to adhere to this, to help in this, and to prohibit the employment of disbelievers except in cases of extreme necessity for those whom the state cannot do without for the benefit of Muslims.
Some institutions employ Christian, Bosnian, and Korean workers who are not Muslims, as well as workers who claim to be Muslim only on their identification cards but contradict Islam. Why are the owners of these institutions not prevented from employing these workers who violate the Shari'ah of Allah? And you know the harm these people cause to the children of Muslims?
Answer:
This is the case, and the rulers have resolved to remove these people, to mitigate their evil, to terminate the contracts of those who cause no harm, and to replace them with Muslim laborers. Orders have been issued to prohibit the employment of disbelieving nannies, disbelieving maids, and disbelieving drivers. We ask Allah to help in implementing these orders, to guide the state to the good it has promised, to help it abandon evil, and to alleviate unemployment. It is obligatory to follow up on the advice given to the rulers and to remind them of this matter. It is obligatory for the owners of institutions to fear Allah and to be wary of employing disbelievers. It is obligatory for institutions to avoid employing disbelievers and to employ the Muslims they need. They must also be careful even among Muslims, because some people claim Islam but are not actually Muslim. Therefore, it is obligatory for them to be careful and to avoid employing disbelievers, because it is not permissible for two religions to remain in this Arabian Peninsula, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade and ordered the expulsion of the polytheists from this Peninsula. This Peninsula is not like Egypt, the Levant, or other places. No, this Peninsula has a special status. It is not permissible for two religions to remain in it. It is not permissible for the owners of institutions and contractors to employ disbelievers. On the contrary, they must be wary of doing so, fear Allah, and cooperate with the state in abandoning these people. Even if we assume that the state needs many specialists, such as doctors or engineers or the like, they cannot use the state as an excuse. Rather, they must be wary of what Allah has forbidden and stay away from what Allah has forbidden. Even if the state did the thing they were prevented from doing, and they did not fear Allah, and if others did what they were ordered to leave, others might have an excuse, but they do not. If others disobey, they do not have the right to disobey Allah. If you know that this is not permissible, you must warn against it, even if others do it. You must be wary of what Allah has forbidden for you, and do not use other people as an excuse.
Their work will not harm you if Allah guides you, you are upright, you fulfill the obligatory duties, you enjoin what is right, and you forbid what is wrong. This is, in reality, a great and serious matter. However, the love of money, the desire for cheap wages, and the indifference to the affairs of Muslims are what led these people to import disbelievers. This is because some disbelievers may be cheaper than some Muslims, or some say that they continue working without praying, and so on. We ask Allah for safety from this. The result is that this is a great affliction. It is obligatory for the owners of institutions and contractors to be wary of it, to fear Allah, and never to employ anyone but a Muslim in this Peninsula. It is also obligatory for the state, may Allah guide it, to adhere to this, to help in this, and to prohibit the employment of disbelievers except in cases of extreme necessity for those whom the state cannot do without for the benefit of Muslims.
Source
قناة «فضيلة الشيخ ابن باز Alsheikh Binbaz»، 104 هل يجوز استقدام العمال غير المسلمين؟ للإمام ابن باز — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.
