· Women working with men
You have explained the limits of man's interaction with women, and what is permissible and what is not. What is the ruling on the relationship between a man and woman at work? Is she allowed to work in a place where there are non-Mahram (marriageable) men, since this is common in many countries?
My opinion is that intermixing between men and women at governmental work, or work in the private sector, or in governmental or private schools is not permissible. Intermixing between the sexes brings about great evil the least of which is banishing the woman's bashfulness and the man's gravitas.
In addition, free intermixing between the sexes is against the objectives of the Islamic Sharee‘ah (Islamic legislation) and the practice of the righteous predecessors. Do you not know that the Prophet, , prepared a special area for women when they would go to the ‘Eed place of prayer where they did not mix with men? In an authentic Hadeeth (narration), after the Prophet, , had delivered a Khutbah (sermon) for men, he went to the women to admonish and remind them. This action indicates that they did not hear the Khutbah of the Prophet, , or they heard it but they did not comprehend what the Prophet, , said, which indicates that women were not in the same place where men were.
Furthermore, the Prophet, , said: "The best rows of women [in prayer] are the last ones and the most evil rows are the first ones; the best rows of men [in prayer] are the first ones and the most evil rows are the last ones." [Muslim] The rationale behind the evil is the close distance between the women's rows and the men's rows, and the rationale for superiority is the remote distance between the last rows of women and men.
This ruling takes place in acts of worship that are performed by both men and women, so what about activities which are not acts of worship? It is known that during worship a man’s thoughts would be far from matters related to sexual instinct more than anything else. So, what will the case be if intermixing occurred outside acts of worship? Satan runs in man as blood runs in veins, and, thus, it is not impossible that such intermixing would cause temptation and great evil.
I call upon my Muslim brothers to avoid intermixing with women and I inform them that it is one of the most harmful things to them. The Prophet, , said: "I am not leaving after me a temptation that is more harmful to men than women." We, as Muslims, have a special characteristic that we must distinguish ourselves with from others, and we have to thank Allah The Almighty for granting us this characteristic. We should know that we are following the wise Sharee‘ah (Islamic legislation) of Allah The Almighty Who knows what is best for people and nations. We should know that people who have turned away from the path of Allah The Almighty and His Sharee‘ah are in error and their affairs are doomed to corruption. For that reason, we hear that the nations whose women intermix with men are trying to end it as much as they can, but it seems to be too late for them to do that. We ask Allah The Almighty to protect our countries and Muslim countries from every evil and every temptation.
· Lawful work
What are the fields of lawful work that a woman may do without disobeying the teachings of Islam?
The fields that a woman may work in are the jobs that are specific to them, such as working in girls’ educational institutions, whether in the administration or as teachers. She may work at home in dressmaking for women or the like. However, it is impermissible for a woman to work in fields where men work, because this necessitates intermixing with non-Mahram men which causes a great temptation that must be avoided. We should know that the Prophet, , was authentically reported to have said: "I am not leaving after me a temptation that is more harmful to men than women." A Muslim should keep himself and his family away from the places and means of temptation.
· Co-education is not permissible
Co-educational systems in some Muslim countries require male and female students to sit side by side in a row of desks inside one room. What is the ruling on that?
My opinion is that it is not permissible for the Muslim man or woman to study in co-educational schools due to the great danger to his/her chastity, uprightness and morals. Any man, regardless of his uprightness, morals, and innocence, can hardly be safe from temptation and evil if he sits beside a woman, particularly if she is beautiful and does not adhere to Hijab (Islamic covering). This is not permissible. We ask Allah The Almighty to guard the Muslims from these matters which bring about nothing but evil, temptation and corruption.
If the country has only co-educational universities, what should the student do?
Even if the country of the student has only co-educational universities, he should study in another country that does not have mixed universities. I personally do not consider it permissible; other scholars may have a different opinion.