Is it permissible to teach in co-educational schools?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Well, from this perspective—for example—they say that, in that case, it is not permissible for a Muslim to teach; to work as a teacher or instructor in a school, for example, that has mixing, and so on.
The Shaykh: Allah is the Greatest!
The questioner : Male and female teachers.
The Shaykh : Of course, of course, it is not permissible, neither to learn nor to teach; because, first of all, among the principles of Islamic jurisprudence is their saying: "Removing harm takes precedence over seeking benefit." So the Muslim does not put himself in a situation where he throws himself into harm in order to obtain what? A benefit. And he may not even obtain this benefit; because it is possible that he studies and does not succeed; because his mind and intellect may not be compatible with the nature of this study, and this happens often. So some students waste years and then do not pass; and therefore you find them traveling to other countries to study a different field or something similar. This is one thing.
The Shaykh : Another thing is that they speak with Western logic that does not prohibit or permit. Western logic says: "The end justifies the means," or they justify these means that contradict the Shari'ah in order to obtain the goal that they imagine. And this is not permissible in Islam; therefore, this doubt has no value, neither religiously nor rationally. Religiously, because the Shari'ah says: "Removing harm takes precedence over seeking benefit," and because the Shari'ah combats the European rule: "The end justifies the means." Rationally, as we mentioned, it is not obligatory, and it is not practically possible for every member of the population to study in university; there must be people who study...
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : That is it.
The questioner : Well, and if, for example, this teacher... keeps to himself—for example—he conducts his lesson and leaves the school.
The Shaykh : What do you mean? Does he not teach? Does he teach a mixed group or not?
The questioner : No, he is in the institution with professors and female professors, meaning he enters the institution, delivers a lesson in his department, and then leaves. When his hours are over, he leaves this institution.
The Shaykh : What do you mean by institution? Do you mean university?
The questioner : No, the school or high school.
The Shaykh : The school. The lesson he delivers, I told you: does he deliver it to a mixed group or what?
The questioner : For example, there are two departments, one for girls and one for boys.
The Shaykh : ... I am telling you, I am asking you; so do we come... the problem is, what is the difference? I imagine that he mixes in the same courtyard, in the same square, in the same lesson—also—it is not permissible...
The questioner : And what is the solution?
The Shaykh : Be at ease.
Yes?
The questioner : What is the solution?
The Shaykh: What is it?
The questioner : If all the schools... are co-educational and the universities.
The Shaykh : The solution is:Sunan Ibn Majah 3979Sahih (Darussalam).
The Shaykh: Allah is the Greatest!
The questioner : Male and female teachers.
The Shaykh : Of course, of course, it is not permissible, neither to learn nor to teach; because, first of all, among the principles of Islamic jurisprudence is their saying: "Removing harm takes precedence over seeking benefit." So the Muslim does not put himself in a situation where he throws himself into harm in order to obtain what? A benefit. And he may not even obtain this benefit; because it is possible that he studies and does not succeed; because his mind and intellect may not be compatible with the nature of this study, and this happens often. So some students waste years and then do not pass; and therefore you find them traveling to other countries to study a different field or something similar. This is one thing.
The Shaykh : Another thing is that they speak with Western logic that does not prohibit or permit. Western logic says: "The end justifies the means," or they justify these means that contradict the Shari'ah in order to obtain the goal that they imagine. And this is not permissible in Islam; therefore, this doubt has no value, neither religiously nor rationally. Religiously, because the Shari'ah says: "Removing harm takes precedence over seeking benefit," and because the Shari'ah combats the European rule: "The end justifies the means." Rationally, as we mentioned, it is not obligatory, and it is not practically possible for every member of the population to study in university; there must be people who study...
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : That is it.
The questioner : Well, and if, for example, this teacher... keeps to himself—for example—he conducts his lesson and leaves the school.
The Shaykh : What do you mean? Does he not teach? Does he teach a mixed group or not?
The questioner : No, he is in the institution with professors and female professors, meaning he enters the institution, delivers a lesson in his department, and then leaves. When his hours are over, he leaves this institution.
The Shaykh : What do you mean by institution? Do you mean university?
The questioner : No, the school or high school.
The Shaykh : The school. The lesson he delivers, I told you: does he deliver it to a mixed group or what?
The questioner : For example, there are two departments, one for girls and one for boys.
The Shaykh : ... I am telling you, I am asking you; so do we come... the problem is, what is the difference? I imagine that he mixes in the same courtyard, in the same square, in the same lesson—also—it is not permissible...
The questioner : And what is the solution?
The Shaykh : Be at ease.
Yes?
The questioner : What is the solution?
The Shaykh: What is it?
The questioner : If all the schools... are co-educational and the universities.
The Shaykh : The solution is:
withdraw from all their groups
اعتزِلْ تلك الفرق كلَّها
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.