Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assallamoualaikoum,

I am a Muslim and I live in Mauritius, a multiracial country where the Muslims are minority. I have a bachelor degree in management. I would like to know if I can apply for a job like “Human Resource Manager”. I am doubtful about that post because by doing such a job I will be responsible for the personnel who consist of men and women working together. Moreover, I shall be responsible for the recruitment on new employees, men and women. Since I am living in a non-Muslim country, it will be impossible for me to choose only men for vacancies. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that in Mauritius, both in the public and private sectors, men and women work together.

I would like to have your opinion and a religious ruling about the job above mentioned, whether it is halaal or haraam in my particular situation.

May Allah reward you.

Jazaak Allah

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Recruit or hire women employees

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: I would like to have your opinion and a religious ruling about the job above mentioned, whether it is halaal or haraam in my particular situation.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 27 Surah Noor verses 30-31:

30 Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and scrupulously guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do.

31 And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and scrupulously guard their modesty.

In principle, as long as the believers, men or women, do not violate any of the tenets of Shariah, there is absolutely no harm in placing or seeking lawful work in any field which is deemed lawful in Shariah.

What is of paramount importance is that the believers, men and women, should fear Allah at all times, scrupulously guard their modesty, and abstain from working, facilitating, or indulging in any work which has been declared as ‘haraam’ or unlawful by Allah and His Messenger (saws). As long as none of the tenets of Shariah are violated, the believers, men and women alike, may seek work in any lawful field of their choice.

Islam neither forbids the womenfolk from working, nor does Islam forbid men and women from working with each other or together provided the conditions of ‘hijaab’ are scrupulously honored.

A believer is well within their rights to apply or work as a ‘human resource manager’ and place recruits, men or women, into their jobs; provided of course one fears Allah and places the recruits in a lawful business.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan