The Ruling on Employing Non-Muslim Female Servants and Free Mixing with Them
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Q: What is the ruling on free mixing, and on free mixing with the female servants working in many Muslim homes today? Is it permissible to employ a female servant who is a disbeliever?
A: The danger posed by servants is great, and the calamity they bring is significant. It is not permissible for a Muslim to be alone with a non-mahram woman, whether she is a servant or otherwise, such as his brother’s wife, his uncle’s wife, his wife’s sister, his maternal uncle’s wife, or others. He must not be alone with a female neighbor or any other non-mahram woman. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Al-Mustadrak lil-Hakim 2:94. Therefore, he must not be alone with a non-mahram woman, whether a servant or otherwise. He must not employ disbelieving servants, disbelieving workers, or disbelieving female servants in this Peninsula.
Therefore, only Muslim men and women may be brought to this Peninsula, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the disbelievers to be expelled from it and recommended this at his death, stating that only Islam should remain there. It is the stronghold of Islam and the source of Islam, so it is not permissible to bring disbelievers to it. It is not permissible to bring disbelievers to the Arabian Peninsula, in its entirety, length and breadth.
Nor should a person of sound mind be deceived by what people do in employing disbelievers, because most of creation do not adhere to the ruling of the Shari'ah, as Allah the Exalted said: [Al-An'am: 116], except when dire necessity demands it, such as the Muslims’ need for a doctor they are compelled to employ, or a worker they are compelled to employ, if the one in authority deems it necessary to bring them in for the benefit of the Muslims on a temporary basis. In that case, there is no blame on them, just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) employed the Jews in Khaybar out of dire necessity for them, and then 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) expelled them when he no longer needed them.
Likewise, if they come for the benefit of the Muslims without settling there, such as those who come to sell goods and then return for a known period and a few days.
In summary: It is not permissible to employ non-Muslims except in cases of extreme dire necessity as determined by the one in authority.
A: The danger posed by servants is great, and the calamity they bring is significant. It is not permissible for a Muslim to be alone with a non-mahram woman, whether she is a servant or otherwise, such as his brother’s wife, his uncle’s wife, his wife’s sister, his maternal uncle’s wife, or others. He must not be alone with a female neighbor or any other non-mahram woman. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
A man should not be alone with a woman, for Satan is the third among them.
لا يخلون رجل بامرأة فإن الشيطان ثالثهماTherefore, only Muslim men and women may be brought to this Peninsula, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the disbelievers to be expelled from it and recommended this at his death, stating that only Islam should remain there. It is the stronghold of Islam and the source of Islam, so it is not permissible to bring disbelievers to it. It is not permissible to bring disbelievers to the Arabian Peninsula, in its entirety, length and breadth.
Nor should a person of sound mind be deceived by what people do in employing disbelievers, because most of creation do not adhere to the ruling of the Shari'ah, as Allah the Exalted said:
And if you obey most of those upon the earth, they will mislead you from the way of Allah. They follow not except assumption, and they are not but falsifying.
وَإِنْ تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ إِنْ يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلا الظَّنَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلا يَخْرُصُونَLikewise, if they come for the benefit of the Muslims without settling there, such as those who come to sell goods and then return for a known period and a few days.
In summary: It is not permissible to employ non-Muslims except in cases of extreme dire necessity as determined by the one in authority.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.
