A Muslim maid who is uneducated and has missed fasts from Ramadan; he ordered her to make them up, but she did not understand, despite his giving her tapes; is he free of blame?
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The questioner : A shaykh, regarding a Muslim maid who is uneducated and prays all the obligatory prayers without perfection, and who has some missed fasts from last year. If he orders her to fast and make them up, she does not understand anything. It is known that her sponsor brought her some religious tapes to teach her how to pray, fast, and perform other obligatory acts, and she listened to them but did not understand them. Is there a sin on her sponsor, or not? And is he free of blame?
The Shaykh : By Allah, it is obligatory for sponsors regarding those who come as maids, other than maids, maids, drivers, and workers. It is obligatory for them to call them to Islam, because Allah the Exalted commanded that, 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 sponsors must call those among them who are not Muslims to Islam to the best of their ability. If they are teaching her how to cook, how to wash the dishes, how to arrange the place, yes, why do they not teach her prayer and ritual purity? Which is more beneficial for the person? Answer, everyone: to teach her what? Matters of religion, so she benefits and he benefits, and perhaps Allah will guide through her hand, she too, from her people. Yes.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Glory be to Allah, she does not understand. What does she understand? She understands cooking and the things she did not know in her country, she understands, but people fall short. If they speak to her two or three times and she does not know, that is it, they say there is nothing in it...
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Yes, or he brings, for example, her counterpart from those who came before. Or is it true that there is difficulty at first when she comes, there is difficulty, until, meaning, she does not know anything except by gesture. And here this meeting ends, and until the other meeting, if Allah wills, and may Allah reward you with good, and be glad with good, forSahih Muslim 2699a 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.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : It happens.
The questioner : It is permissible.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed.
The Shaykh : By Allah, it is obligatory for sponsors regarding those who come as maids, other than maids, maids, drivers, and workers. It is obligatory for them to call them to Islam, because Allah the Exalted commanded that,
Call to the way of your Lord
ادع إلى سبيل ربكThe questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Glory be to Allah, she does not understand. What does she understand? She understands cooking and the things she did not know in her country, she understands, but people fall short. If they speak to her two or three times and she does not know, that is it, they say there is nothing in it...
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Yes, or he brings, for example, her counterpart from those who came before. Or is it true that there is difficulty at first when she comes, there is difficulty, until, meaning, she does not know anything except by gesture. And here this meeting ends, and until the other meeting, if Allah wills, and may Allah reward you with good, and be glad with good, for
he who treads the path in search of knowledge, Allah would make that path easy, leading to Paradise for him
من سلك طريقا يلتمس فيه علما سهل الله له به طريقا إلى الجنةThe questioner : ...
The Shaykh : It happens.
The questioner : It is permissible.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed.