Q675 :In some countries, particularly those
experiencing high inflation, women find themselves obliged to go out to
work. It is often the case, however, that such Muslim women find it
difficult to observe Islamic requirements in dress because of pressures
from different sources. How should a woman behave in such
circumstances? Could you suggest the type of professions which are most
suitable for Muslim women when going out to work is their only option?
Is it not better for a Muslim housewife to economize as much as she can
rather than work in these circumstances? How about working
abroad?
A675 : This letter raises one of the real problems
which affect many Muslim countries. Inflation has grossly aggravated
the economic difficulties prevailing in several countries, particularly
where it continues to rise unchecked, and wages do not rise in similar
proportion. A head of the family, who has been earning enough to ensure
a decent standard of living for his family a few years ago, has
helplessly watched his innete dwindle in real terms to the extent that
he is unable to meet the basic needs of his wife and children. His
wife, who has been fulfilling the most important role of looking after
their children, has gradually nete to the conclusion that she must go
out to work in order to add some extra innete. This state of affairs
plays havoc with the lives of people. It does not affect a single
family or a small section of society; it affects all. Most importantly,
it affects the poor who soon find themselves in a desperate situation,
unable to earn enough to feed their children. My reader asks whether
it is preferable that women should economize as hard as they can rather
than go out to work. In many cases the choice does not exist. First of
all we are assuming that employment is available for women who want to
work and they can have it if they want it. We are also assuming that
most, if not all, women are in situations that allow them to work. I
realize that this does not apply in many cases. Some women cannot find
work even if they most eagerly want it, while others cannot go out to
work because they have to look after their young children. When a woman
is able to work, and she has an offer of employment, should she
consider the alternative of economizing hard? I say that the
alternative may not exist. Inflation can soon deny her that choice. She
realizes that unless she goes out to work, her family will sink further
and further down the social ladder. For many people, this is not easy
to accept if it can be prevented at all. The ideal solution is that
which provides a well considered economic policy which tries to make
use of all resources of the country and make use of the talents and
skills of all people in society as to increase the productivity of the
country and make basic netmodities available in abundance. This is by
no means an idealistic solution. It is a real one, although governments
are rarely willing to consider it, because it takes a great deal of
effort to implement. Moreover, where corruption exists, it is sure to
block it. The point is that most of the economic problems of the world
are the result of mal-distribution of wealth at the local, national and
international levels. In those societies where inflation has more or
less ruined the economy of the country, you will still find that a
small minority of people are enjoying the benefits of the greater share
of the country’s wealth. Their wealth increases more and more and they
get fatter and fatter because they can easily exploit the situation to
their own interest, in total disregard to the interest of the
netmunity. Moreover, powerful nations, like American and Western
European nations, are not willing to provide more than derisory aid,
while they watch the gap between themselves and the rest of the world
continue to increase. The Islamic system is geared to reduce this
mal-distribution of wealth wherever it exists. When Islam is the way of
life in a country, the netmunity will soon benefit by its
implementation in ensuring that there will be no section of society
which endures a standard of living below the line of subsistence. If
there is such a section in a particular society, then that society does
not implement Islam properly. When Islam has been implemented for a
longer period, it ensures a decent standard of living for all. When
Islam is implemented over a wide area, i.e. in a number of countries,
its benefits will be apparent to all. If all humanity were to follow
the Islamic way of life, it will enjoy a high standard of living and
poverty will be non-existent. That is because Islam ensures fair
distribution of wealth. However, in the present world, we have real
problems like the one our reader has raised. Women must go out to work
in order to help with the finances of the family and they endure social
pressures which force them to abandon certain Islamic practices. The
appearances of certain working women is perhaps one of the most
immediate problems working women have to face. It is important to
realize that social pressure can be very hard on women. When a woman is
desperate to work in order to help her family and when she is told that
she has to work in uniform or appear in a certain way which does not
observe Islamic standards, she finds herself in an unenviable
situation. The pressures may be too hard. Once again, I say that it is
the responsibility of the governments to ensure that those women of
their population who want to work can do so observing Islamic values.
Many governments do not do so. The responsibility remains that of the
individual. It is not possible for me or any human being to tell a
woman in such a situation that she is allowed to forego her Islamic
dress. No human being can change a requirement made by Islam because
requirements have the authority of Allah. We must state to individuals,
men and women, that “no creature may be obeyed in what constitutes
disobedience to Allah.” Therefore, if the employer of a Muslim woman
requires her to dress like a Western woman, she should not obey him. It
is indeed wrong for the employer to make such a request. Those women
who succumb to the pressure should always seek Allah’s forgiveness. I
counsel them to maintain their Islamic values and continue to offer
their Islamic duties in the same way as good Muslim women throughout
the world. Let them remember the Qur’anic verse which tells every
Muslim: “Be God fearing as much as you can.” This means that when
circumstances force a Muslim to be in breach of Islamic standards and
values, he should try his best to limit his breach to the narrowest
possible area and the shortest possible time. In practical terms, woman
[in such a situation] should first of all, try to find alternative work
where she can observe Islamic standards without any pressure. Secondly,
if she cannot find such alternate employment, she should consider
leaving work altogether. However, if she cannot, because she has
children to feed and there is no other wage earner in the family, or if
she is in similar difficult circumstances, she should declare her
objection to being forced to violate Islamic values. Moreover, the fact
that she has to dress in a certain fashion at her place of work should
not give her a license to carry on with that violation elsewhere. In
other words, she should confine the requirements of work to her
workplace. If she is obliged to dress in a certain fashion while
working, once she finishes her work, she should wear her Islamic dress.
She must not carry the violation home or to the rest of her social
life. If a woman wants to travel abroad to work, she must also observe
Islamic standards and requirements. For example, Islam requires that a
woman does not travel alone, or stay in a foreign place alone.
Therefore, when a woman wants to go to work abroad, she must be
acnetpanied by her husband or a close relative whom she cannot marry.
If she is certain that she can do that, there is no objection to her
travel abroad to work.
Our Dialogue ( Source : Arab News – Jeddah )