The ruling on employers teaching domestic workers, drivers, and laborers matters of religion
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The questioner: There is a Muslim domestic worker who is uneducated. She prays all the obligatory prayers without perfecting them, and she has some missed fasts from last year that she needs to make up. When she is told to fast and make them up, she does not understand anything. Her employer has brought her some religious tapes that teach her how to pray, fast, and perform other obligatory acts. She listened to them but did not understand them. Is there a sin on her employer or not? Is he free of blame?The Shaykh: And Allah, it is obligatory for employers regarding those who come as domestic workers and others, such as drivers and laborers. It is obligatory for them to call them to Islam;Because Allah the Exalted ordered that: [Surah al-Nahl: 125]; and because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered Mu'adh ibn Jabal to call the people of Yemen to Islam, and ordered 'Ali ibn Abi Talib to call the people of Khaybar to Islam. So it is obligatory for employers to call the non-Muslims among those in their care to Islam, to the best of their ability. If they know how to teach her how to cook, how to wash the dishes, how to arrange the place, why do they not teach her prayer and ritual purity? Which is more beneficial for a person? The most beneficial is that we teach her matters of religion; she benefits, and he benefits, and perhaps Allah will guide through her some of her people as well.
Then you say that she does not understand?The questioner: Yes?The Shaykh: Glory be to Allah! She does not understand? Does she not understand cooking and the things she did not know in her country? She understands, but people are short in their effort. If they speak to her once or twice or three times and she does not know,He said: there is no good in that, or they should answer, for example, by having her counterpart who came before teach her. Otherwise, at first when she arrives, there is difficulty, until she does not know anything except by gesture.
And with this, this meeting ends.
And until the next meeting, if Allah wills, and may Allah reward you with good, and be glad with good, for (whoever travels a path seeking knowledge therein, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise).
We ask Allah the Exalted to make easy for us and for you a path to Paradise, for He is Able to do all things.
Call to the way of your Lord
ادْعُ إِلَى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَThen you say that she does not understand?The questioner: Yes?The Shaykh: Glory be to Allah! She does not understand? Does she not understand cooking and the things she did not know in her country? She understands, but people are short in their effort. If they speak to her once or twice or three times and she does not know,He said: there is no good in that, or they should answer, for example, by having her counterpart who came before teach her. Otherwise, at first when she arrives, there is difficulty, until she does not know anything except by gesture.
And with this, this meeting ends.
And until the next meeting, if Allah wills, and may Allah reward you with good, and be glad with good, for (whoever travels a path seeking knowledge therein, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise).
We ask Allah the Exalted to make easy for us and for you a path to Paradise, for He is Able to do all things.