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Date: Thursday , April 26, 2012 |
Question
I am a muslimah from the city of Mumbai, India. I have completed my masters two years back. Earlier, I was this super career oriented kind of a lady, hence the over-education (over-education because I feel I have just wasted my time pursuing worldy education). But as I started learning more about Islam (not that m a newbie to Islam)…I started implementing the same in my day to day life, Alhumdullillah. I understood the concept of why women can't work in a free environment (intermingling). Hence I gave up upon many lucrative job offers as working for a good organisation meant intermingling. I was home doing nothing on the job front for a period of 2 years. Many suggested I take up teaching as it was a very noble profession and does not involve much of intermingling as compared to when working for some other organisation would. I thought, I will just have to teach college students who are younger to me, so not much of a problem. Yes, there were guys (3 in a class of 30 students)…I thought, I would be teaching…no mingling would take place (And I observed my hijab, was always clad in my burqa). But later I realised, what is wrong is wrong. One should not justify or make excuses. Hence I decided to quit. But I could not just go and tell them that I am quitting the job. The students portion was at stake and it seemed unprofessional. I had given them a commitment, because of me they had let go of other teachers. So I completed my term and have quit, Alhumdullillah.
Yaa Sheikh, so much of a story because now I am wondering whether the income that I have earned out of the job of a teacher is halaal or haraam upon me. Because it is prohibited for a muslimah to work in a free environment, so how can the income be halaal?? And secondly, by showing my commitment towards the students, did I fail towards my commitment towards Allah swt??
Answer
Muhtaram / Muhtaramah
In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāh wa-barakātuh.
We commend you on your decision to leave working outside the home environment for the sake of upholding the teachings of Shar’ah. May Allah Ta'aala accept your sacrifice and bless you with istiqaamat. Aameen!
The income that you’ve earned will not be considered haraam. However, if you wish you may voluntarily give your earnings or a portion of it in charity as part of your taubah. A Sahaabi Radiyallahu Anhu was performing salaat in his garden when the beauty of the garden distracted him thus causing him to forget the number of rak’aat he had performed. He was greatly saddened and gave the entire garden as sadaqah.
Allah Ta'aala is our Creator, Master, Controller, Nourisher and Sustainer. Our greatest commitment and obligation is to Allah Ta'aala. Thus, by showing commitment to the students you had not fulfilled the right of Allah Ta'aala upon yourself. Masha’Allah you have now left and made taubah so you have now given preference to your commitment with Allah Ta'aala which will be a means of earning His pleasure and true success in this world and in the next.
And Allah knows best
Darul Iftaa
Madrasah Inaa’miyyah
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