Is it permissible to employ a non-Muslim maid, whether she is a People of the Book or otherwise?

The questioner : The question asks: Is it permissible to employ a non-Muslim maid, whether she is a People of the Book or otherwise, meaning Buddhist or Christian? Is it permissible to employ them in the homes?

The Shaykh : It is permissible to employ a non-Muslim woman, regardless of the type of her disbelief and misguidance, on the condition that the woman being employed lives with the employer as if she were living with a man... she was not the mistress of the house in this way; it is not permissible for her to employ or use this disbelieving woman. This is because Allah, Mighty and Majestic, when He permitted Muslim women to display their hidden adornment, mentioned in that context, after He said at the beginning of the verse , then He said at the end of it or its ends , meaning Muslim women. This is the correct interpretation that we find in the books of tafsir generally. As for interpreting this phrase of this verse as "their women" in terms of creation, not in terms of religion, this is an interpretation by an innovator that has no basis in the interpretations of the pious predecessors. This is an example of hundreds of examples that lead us to adhere to the methodology of the Salaf, which is based on the Book and the Sunnah. As we have said more than once, we call to the Book and to the Sunnah, and to the methodology of the pious predecessors, because we know that many Muslims come to verses and interpret them with their own opinions. So by what do you establish the argument against him if he says to you, "My brother, this is my opinion and this is my independent legal reasoning"? We say to him, "You have no right to independent legal reasoning that contradicts what the pious predecessors were upon." The exegetes, including the Companions and others, agreed on interpreting this verse to mean that the intended meaning is the women of the Muslims. It is not permissible for us to say, "No, the intended meaning is not the Muslims, but rather those who adopt the morals of Islam, whether they are Muslim or non-Muslim." Therefore, these countries, which Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has blessed with these blessings and abundant wealth, which He expanded for them in provision and they enjoy what many Islamic countries do not enjoy, the consequence of that was that they employed women, and even men, while they know that it is not permissible for a woman, specifically the lady who is the mistress of the house, to appear before a man. And yet, we find many of them being lenient, knowing that their wives are lenient in going out before the servant, as if he were her brother or her son. So how is the situation regarding the maids? The mistresses of the houses are more lenient in going out before the maids than before men. Therefore, I say a word of truth: It is not permissible for a husband to allow his wife to employ a man, and it is not permissible for him to allow his wife to employ a non-Muslim woman except on the condition that he knows from her that she is religious and fears Allah, Mighty and Majestic, so that she veils herself from this woman whenever she enters or exits. This is a very difficult matter, except for believing women who are accustomed to living in their homes while veiled. And in this time, this hardly exists. Therefore, practically, it is not permissible to hire these disbelieving maids. And I lived there in the Emirates, specifically in Sharjah, for two months or more, and I found a great calamity there of complaints about these disbelieving maids entering upon the Muslim mistresses of the houses as if they were Muslim. And when we remind them, they say, "What can we do? It is a dire necessity." And what is the dire necessity? And dire necessity has its rulings. And here Satan plays with the desires of people. So we ask Allah, Mighty and Majestic, to protect us from violating the Shari'ah. Yes?

The questioner : ... .