Is it permissible to sit in a gathering where there is a female servant without seclusion?
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
And blessings and peace be upon the noblest of the prophets and messengers. A questioner asks: Is it permissible to sit in a gathering where there is a female servant without seclusion?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. First: We speak about the issue of the female servant, which has now, in my view, become one of the social problems due to its great danger. We hear many matters that cause the forehead to sweat because of bringing in these servants, whether they are male or female. We have become aware of their great harm in society, and that, being merely a display of luxury rather than a matter of pressing need, they carry dangers and causes of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) that necessitate wisdom in prohibiting them. So we say:
First: It is not befitting for any person of sound mind to bring a servant into his home except in cases of extreme necessity. Mere need or mere luxury is harm in religion, folly in intellect, and waste of wealth. It is harm in religion because fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) is feared from them, especially if she is young and beautiful, and especially if there are adolescent boys in the house. That is among the strongest causes of major sins. We ask Allah for safety.
Also, it is necessary that this female servant be committed to the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law) such that she covers herself completely from the men in the house, who are naturally not mahram (a relative one may not marry) to her. As for her coming with her face, hands, forearms, feet, and part of her legs exposed, this is haram (forbidden) and not permissible, even if she is a servant.
Also, it is necessary that her presence be with a mahram (a relative one may not marry) because she is a woman. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 9:2565.
Some people today have made these servants a fashion, as they say. Their neighbors brought a servant, so we must bring a servant. Their friends brought a servant, so we must bring a servant. And what has befallen these people?
If the women in the houses remained, the women would not move, and they would suffer physical harm, because the body must move, the blood must circulate, and food must be digested. The woman in the house may not be able to bear being confined to the house, so she goes out and wanders in the markets. Perhaps bad ideas will occur to her, leading to evil and harm.
If the woman in the house works in a school or other place, and leaves her children with these servants, this is also a clear social harm, because maternal tenderness is lost between these children and their mother. The original work of the woman is the house, not working outside the house. So the woman, by working, departs from the original purpose for which she was created, which is to work outside her house. This is undoubtedly a social harm.
So we say that the original existence of servants must be restricted by conditions that must be present, and that not everyone who wants to bring a servant should bring one. After this, we return to the question the questioner presented, where he says, what did he say?
The questioner : What is the ruling on sitting in a gathering where there is a servant?
The Shaykh : He says: What is the ruling on sitting in the gathering where there is a servant?
The questioner : Without seclusion.
The Shaykh : Without seclusion. So we say: If the servant is covered completely, as if she were in the market, or as if she were not a servant, meaning she has covered her face and what must be covered of the rest of the body, then there is no harm in sitting in the gathering where she is, and there is no blame, as long as there is no seclusion and no exposure of what must be covered.
And blessings and peace be upon the noblest of the prophets and messengers. A questioner asks: Is it permissible to sit in a gathering where there is a female servant without seclusion?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. First: We speak about the issue of the female servant, which has now, in my view, become one of the social problems due to its great danger. We hear many matters that cause the forehead to sweat because of bringing in these servants, whether they are male or female. We have become aware of their great harm in society, and that, being merely a display of luxury rather than a matter of pressing need, they carry dangers and causes of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) that necessitate wisdom in prohibiting them. So we say:
First: It is not befitting for any person of sound mind to bring a servant into his home except in cases of extreme necessity. Mere need or mere luxury is harm in religion, folly in intellect, and waste of wealth. It is harm in religion because fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) is feared from them, especially if she is young and beautiful, and especially if there are adolescent boys in the house. That is among the strongest causes of major sins. We ask Allah for safety.
Also, it is necessary that this female servant be committed to the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law) such that she covers herself completely from the men in the house, who are naturally not mahram (a relative one may not marry) to her. As for her coming with her face, hands, forearms, feet, and part of her legs exposed, this is haram (forbidden) and not permissible, even if she is a servant.
Also, it is necessary that her presence be with a mahram (a relative one may not marry) because she is a woman. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
A woman should not travel except with a mahram
لا تسافر امرأة إلا مع ذي محرمSome people today have made these servants a fashion, as they say. Their neighbors brought a servant, so we must bring a servant. Their friends brought a servant, so we must bring a servant. And what has befallen these people?
If the women in the houses remained, the women would not move, and they would suffer physical harm, because the body must move, the blood must circulate, and food must be digested. The woman in the house may not be able to bear being confined to the house, so she goes out and wanders in the markets. Perhaps bad ideas will occur to her, leading to evil and harm.
If the woman in the house works in a school or other place, and leaves her children with these servants, this is also a clear social harm, because maternal tenderness is lost between these children and their mother. The original work of the woman is the house, not working outside the house. So the woman, by working, departs from the original purpose for which she was created, which is to work outside her house. This is undoubtedly a social harm.
So we say that the original existence of servants must be restricted by conditions that must be present, and that not everyone who wants to bring a servant should bring one. After this, we return to the question the questioner presented, where he says, what did he say?
The questioner : What is the ruling on sitting in a gathering where there is a servant?
The Shaykh : He says: What is the ruling on sitting in the gathering where there is a servant?
The questioner : Without seclusion.
The Shaykh : Without seclusion. So we say: If the servant is covered completely, as if she were in the market, or as if she were not a servant, meaning she has covered her face and what must be covered of the rest of the body, then there is no harm in sitting in the gathering where she is, and there is no blame, as long as there is no seclusion and no exposure of what must be covered.