What is the ruling on bringing in non-Muslim workers and placing them in a workshop next to the mosque?
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The questioner : In the workshop next to our mosque, there are Christian workers, and the owner of this workshop...
The Shaykh : What kind of workers?
The questioner : Christian, Christians.
The Shaykh : Say Christians, my brother. Christ is innocent of them. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Fine.
The questioner : Christians.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And the owner of this workshop does not take advice, and when you speak to him...
The Shaykh : What did you advise him about?
The questioner : That he should remove these workers from the mosque, and that this workshop is next to the mosque. And when I told my father about this, even though my father is his colleague and friend, my father told me: It is permissible in the Shari'ah to bring in workers. Because I was... because I was in a situation where my father says: Because I was with one of the Shaykhs, and I saw a non-Muslim worker, and I told the Shaykh, "This one has a non-Muslim worker," and I said to him, "It is permissible in the Shari'ah." What do you think of this? And what is my role in this?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : As for bringing non-Muslims to this country, I have no doubt that it is contrary to what is best, and that it is better that only Muslim men and Muslim women come to this country. And Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Baqarah 2:221] But we do not say that it is forbidden. The forbidden thing is for a disbeliever to come and reside in the Peninsula. This is what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited, and he ordered the Jews and Christians to be expelled from the Arabian Peninsula. But if they come as workers or traders, there is no harm. And likewise if they come as servants, because they are followers of their masters. For this reason, who killed 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him)? A Zoroastrian slave in Madinah belonging to al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah. And likewise, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) died while his armor was pledged to a Jew in Madinah. So these workers who are Christians near the mosque: if they cause harm to the mosque such that they are working while people are praying, then they must be prevented. But if they do not cause harm, it is not permissible for us to prevent them, because if we prevented them, the one who brought them would be harmed. In summary, we say: whenever it is possible to bring in Muslim workers, that is better. And if it is not possible, there is no harm in these workers coming and working. But if the mosque or its people are harmed by them, then they are prevented. And with this, this meeting ends. Until the meeting of the week after next, if Allah wills. May Allah guide us and you to good, and reward you...
The Shaykh : What kind of workers?
The questioner : Christian, Christians.
The Shaykh : Say Christians, my brother. Christ is innocent of them. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Fine.
The questioner : Christians.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And the owner of this workshop does not take advice, and when you speak to him...
The Shaykh : What did you advise him about?
The questioner : That he should remove these workers from the mosque, and that this workshop is next to the mosque. And when I told my father about this, even though my father is his colleague and friend, my father told me: It is permissible in the Shari'ah to bring in workers. Because I was... because I was in a situation where my father says: Because I was with one of the Shaykhs, and I saw a non-Muslim worker, and I told the Shaykh, "This one has a non-Muslim worker," and I said to him, "It is permissible in the Shari'ah." What do you think of this? And what is my role in this?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : As for bringing non-Muslims to this country, I have no doubt that it is contrary to what is best, and that it is better that only Muslim men and Muslim women come to this country. And Allah the Exalted said: