Advice for those studying in a mixed environment
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
Shaykh Abdulaziz! Three letters have come to me in this session, and their senders are our Muslim sisters, the listeners. Their issue is roughly the same, and perhaps one of these letters expresses that issue. One of them says: I am your sister in Islam, and I am suffering from problems in my life. I live in an environment where everyone is far from religion. I am studying in an institute, and this institute is mixed between the two sexes, and wearing any type of hijab is forbidden there. Everyone present in it is far from religion. I find myself being affected by their behavior, and my distance from Allah and from establishing His obligatory duties, which is prayer, increases. I say to myself: What is the benefit of my prayer, when I am forced every day to commit forbidden acts and sins, intentionally and unintentionally? I want you to guide me to the path that brings me safety from the anger of Allah and peace for the soul. Even though I cannot leave the studies and maintain isolation, because the certificate is very necessary in this time, especially for me. Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good.
Another letter arrived from Iraq with the same meaning, and a third from the Arab Republic of Egypt. We ask His Eminence the Shaykh to please guide the sisters to the best path while they are in that environment they described in their letters.
Answer:
The requirement of the Sharia evidence is that if the study includes what harms the female or male student, then there is no need for it. This is because it is obligatory for the Muslim to learn what he cannot afford to be ignorant of, and he is able to learn this from the teachers in the mosques with hijab and distance from fitnah, in sound private schools, at home through his father or mother or a righteous woman or something similar to that.
As for this mixed study, its danger is great and its corruption is large, especially also with the exposure and lack of hijab. All the evil comes together. What I advise these sisters is to leave this study and to stay away from this study to preserve their religion and their morals. And Allah will make for them a relief and an exit through a sound study by which they obtain knowledge of the religion without falling into what Allah has forbidden.
Jobs are not necessary, and certificates are not necessary. The early Salaf passed through without being among those who engage in this matter, and it is possible to work in other things without this certificate.
It is also not necessary to work, because men are the protectors and maintainers of women. It is possible for her to marry and the husband takes care of her, or her father or her brothers take care of her in what she needs. Men are the protectors and maintainers of women.
In any case, this study is a munkar and a great evil, and its consequences are severe. And Allah will make for whoever leaves it a relief and an exit. And Allah will facilitate for him his sound seeking if he is sincere in that, and his intention is for the face of Allah and the Hereafter. As Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Talaq: 2-3], [Al-Talaq: 4]. So upon the male and female student in these sections is caution, and upon her is caution. Upon them both is caution. Remaining in this study exposes the self, the honor, and the religion to what has no good outcome. And the Muslim is commanded to protect himself from what Allah has forbidden, and to stay away from the causes of danger. And Allah has promised His servants to relieve distress and ease matters. So when there is tightness, relief comes. [Al-Talaq: 4].
So this is my advice to these sisters and to those similar to them among the female students in the mixed schools, institutes, and colleges. My advice to all of them is to leave this study and to demand from the rulers a non-mixed study for women separately and for men separately. When the people are sincere in these matters and ask the rulers to separate the women and separate the men, each separately, each in a study specific to them, then the rulers must respond. Because this is a reasonable matter and its benefit is apparent. And if the good people exert themselves in this and show the rulers the great harms and severe consequences, then the rulers, if Allah wills, will respond to this matter when they see from the people sincerity in that and high ambition in that.
It is not permissible for a person to say: This is impossible, or this is an impossible matter. No, all of this is a claim that is not fitting. Rather, we should have good opinion of Allah and not despair of reform. The rulers in the lands of the Muslims are hoped for guidance if they are sincere and if they desire the good. And Allah is the one asked to guide them and make them successful for the good, and to reform for them the hearts and the deeds and the inner circle, and to expand their chests for holding fast to the Shari'ah of Allah and for judging by the Shari'ah of Allah. So upon the people is to assist them in this, and not to comply with what Allah has forbidden. Rather, there should be in them energy and high ambition in doing what Allah has commanded and leaving what Allah has forbidden. May Allah grant all of them success and guidance.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good.
Shaykh Abdulaziz! Three letters have come to me in this session, and their senders are our Muslim sisters, the listeners. Their issue is roughly the same, and perhaps one of these letters expresses that issue. One of them says: I am your sister in Islam, and I am suffering from problems in my life. I live in an environment where everyone is far from religion. I am studying in an institute, and this institute is mixed between the two sexes, and wearing any type of hijab is forbidden there. Everyone present in it is far from religion. I find myself being affected by their behavior, and my distance from Allah and from establishing His obligatory duties, which is prayer, increases. I say to myself: What is the benefit of my prayer, when I am forced every day to commit forbidden acts and sins, intentionally and unintentionally? I want you to guide me to the path that brings me safety from the anger of Allah and peace for the soul. Even though I cannot leave the studies and maintain isolation, because the certificate is very necessary in this time, especially for me. Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good.
Another letter arrived from Iraq with the same meaning, and a third from the Arab Republic of Egypt. We ask His Eminence the Shaykh to please guide the sisters to the best path while they are in that environment they described in their letters.
Answer:
The requirement of the Sharia evidence is that if the study includes what harms the female or male student, then there is no need for it. This is because it is obligatory for the Muslim to learn what he cannot afford to be ignorant of, and he is able to learn this from the teachers in the mosques with hijab and distance from fitnah, in sound private schools, at home through his father or mother or a righteous woman or something similar to that.
As for this mixed study, its danger is great and its corruption is large, especially also with the exposure and lack of hijab. All the evil comes together. What I advise these sisters is to leave this study and to stay away from this study to preserve their religion and their morals. And Allah will make for them a relief and an exit through a sound study by which they obtain knowledge of the religion without falling into what Allah has forbidden.
Jobs are not necessary, and certificates are not necessary. The early Salaf passed through without being among those who engage in this matter, and it is possible to work in other things without this certificate.
It is also not necessary to work, because men are the protectors and maintainers of women. It is possible for her to marry and the husband takes care of her, or her father or her brothers take care of her in what she needs. Men are the protectors and maintainers of women.
In any case, this study is a munkar and a great evil, and its consequences are severe. And Allah will make for whoever leaves it a relief and an exit. And Allah will facilitate for him his sound seeking if he is sincere in that, and his intention is for the face of Allah and the Hereafter. As Allah the Exalted said:
And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him a way out (3) And will provide for him from where he does not expect.
وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لا يَحْتَسِبُAnd whoever fears Allah - He will make for him of his matter ease.
وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ يُسْرًاAnd whoever fears Allah - He will make for him of his matter ease.
وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ يُسْرًاSo this is my advice to these sisters and to those similar to them among the female students in the mixed schools, institutes, and colleges. My advice to all of them is to leave this study and to demand from the rulers a non-mixed study for women separately and for men separately. When the people are sincere in these matters and ask the rulers to separate the women and separate the men, each separately, each in a study specific to them, then the rulers must respond. Because this is a reasonable matter and its benefit is apparent. And if the good people exert themselves in this and show the rulers the great harms and severe consequences, then the rulers, if Allah wills, will respond to this matter when they see from the people sincerity in that and high ambition in that.
It is not permissible for a person to say: This is impossible, or this is an impossible matter. No, all of this is a claim that is not fitting. Rather, we should have good opinion of Allah and not despair of reform. The rulers in the lands of the Muslims are hoped for guidance if they are sincere and if they desire the good. And Allah is the one asked to guide them and make them successful for the good, and to reform for them the hearts and the deeds and the inner circle, and to expand their chests for holding fast to the Shari'ah of Allah and for judging by the Shari'ah of Allah. So upon the people is to assist them in this, and not to comply with what Allah has forbidden. Rather, there should be in them energy and high ambition in doing what Allah has commanded and leaving what Allah has forbidden. May Allah grant all of them success and guidance.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.