A questioner says: I am a girl who is seventeen years old, and I am committed, but my father hates me and prevents me from continuing my education, so I came to hate him and
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The questioner : This questioner, may Allah forgive her, mentions that she is a girl who is seventeen years old. She says, “I am committed, and praise be to Allah, and I love giving advice and guidance, but my father, may Allah forgive him, hates me and prevents me from continuing my education, so I came to hate him and suffered a nervous breakdown. My relatives advised him, so I completed my education. Now I want to enter university, knowing that I will specialize in Islamic education, if Allah wills, and become a caller to Allah, Mighty and Majestic. He refuses this on the grounds that he says education is forbidden. Please advise us, may you be rewarded?”
The Shaykh : I say that the father’s statement that education is forbidden is something to be wondered at. Who has forbidden education? Who has forbidden learning the Shari'ah? Who has forbidden learning the means by which one assists oneself in knowing the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family)? So, a woman’s learning in schools or in university colleges, whether separate or not, is permissible if there is no concern involved. In fact, it is something that is sought, for women are the counterparts of men. Just as it is obligatory for men to learn the Shari'ah of Allah, and just as it is obligatory for men to learn from the Shari'ah of Allah what establishes their religion, so it is obligatory for women to learn from the Shari'ah of Allah what establishes the religion. Because the man and the woman are equal in the obligation to learn what they need in their religion. Yes, if this learning includes something forbidden, such as a woman going to school with a driver who is not her mahram, then in that case we say she must be prevented from going alone with a driver who is not her mahram. But even so, we do not say that it is forbidden for her to learn if she adopts a permissible means.
As for you, we say: be patient with what has happened from your father. Perhaps Allah the Exalted will open the matter from another angle, such that the father sees clearly in his matter and consults those of opinion and religion, and Allah changes the situation to another. When a person is patient, seeks reward, and waits for relief from Allah, Mighty and Majestic, Allah makes it easy for him, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: So do not let your nerves fray and do not let anxiety overtake you, but seek help from Allah and be patient, for Allah is with the patient. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh : I say that the father’s statement that education is forbidden is something to be wondered at. Who has forbidden education? Who has forbidden learning the Shari'ah? Who has forbidden learning the means by which one assists oneself in knowing the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family)? So, a woman’s learning in schools or in university colleges, whether separate or not, is permissible if there is no concern involved. In fact, it is something that is sought, for women are the counterparts of men. Just as it is obligatory for men to learn the Shari'ah of Allah, and just as it is obligatory for men to learn from the Shari'ah of Allah what establishes their religion, so it is obligatory for women to learn from the Shari'ah of Allah what establishes the religion. Because the man and the woman are equal in the obligation to learn what they need in their religion. Yes, if this learning includes something forbidden, such as a woman going to school with a driver who is not her mahram, then in that case we say she must be prevented from going alone with a driver who is not her mahram. But even so, we do not say that it is forbidden for her to learn if she adopts a permissible means.
As for you, we say: be patient with what has happened from your father. Perhaps Allah the Exalted will open the matter from another angle, such that the father sees clearly in his matter and consults those of opinion and religion, and Allah changes the situation to another. When a person is patient, seeks reward, and waits for relief from Allah, Mighty and Majestic, Allah makes it easy for him, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
And know that victory is with patience, and that relief is with distress, and that with hardship there is ease.
واعلم أن النصر مع الصبر وأن الفرج مع الكرب وأن مع العسر يسراThe questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh.