Assalamu alaikum... I read that according to islam a woman 1 Must observe hijab and cover her face and head and entire body in front of any non-mahram telling that the hadith’s contrary to this are weak. 2 Her work is suited to the nature and aptitude of women, such as medicine, nursing, teaching, tailoring and so on. 3 The work should be in a place that is for women only, with no mixing between the sexes. It is not permissible for a woman to study or work in a mixed school. Personally I need your advise since I am a woman who have finished my graduation in aeronautics and I learnt more about my religion while in college and is still doing so and I don have anyone to ask…is my degree of such league such a waste as a woman? I haven’t joined for any work and time is passing by. My family is not Islamic, my mother has spend a lot of money for my studies and all my people are taunting us about my being jobless. My mother is a widow and without her job I know our life would have been terrible. I live in India and I don’t know whether there is any place in the world to live like said according to shariah in these deadful times? In my area even the Islamic institutions don’t follow islam . Also I feel terrible in living on my mother’s money as she avails money with interest from bank. Isn’t wrong?. Also the only option that I see is to teach boys and girls in college of my degree, because my mother is against working in school as she says it wouldn’t be fair to her after she spend so much money on my studies. Shall I go against her wishes? Also my maternal uncle works in Saudi so is it right for me to go all alone there and find some work? Please help me…

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

What you have read about the obligation of a woman to cover her head and entire body in front of men who are non-Mahram to her, is correct, over which there is no dispute among the scholars. Similarly, that it is obligatory on her to cover her face is the opinion of many scholars; and this is better and safer for her especially at this time, where evil and its people have increased so much.

Hence, it is impermissible for a woman to work in a mixed place unless there is a dire necessity, in which case, she should abide by the Sharee‘ah-defined Hijab, and abstain from being in seclusion with men. We have previously issued many Fataawa in this respect. For further information, see Fatwa 83033 about the Hijab of the Muslim woman, and the difference among the scholars over the ruling of covering her face and hands; and Fatwa 83607 about the pre-conditions for the woman to work.

So, we advise the asking sister first of all to fear Allaah. No doubt, Allaah The Almighty promised the one who fears Him to make for him a way out, and provide for him from sources he expects not, as He The Almighty Said (what means):

• {And whoever fears Allaah - He will make for him a way out and will provide for him from where he does not expect.}[Quran 65:3-4]

• {And whoever fears Allaah - He will make for him of his matter ease.}[Quran 65:4]

In addition to this, if she could manage to work in her field of study in a place where there is no mixing between men and women, that is good, otherwise, it is impermissible for her to work unless there is a dire necessity in such a way that it becomes unbearably difficult for her not to work, in which case, she may work, provided that she should abide by what we have previously mentioned. Of course, she has no right to obey her mother in anything which violates the law of Allaah; since there is no obedience of a creature in disobeying the Creator.

As for teaching in mixed universities or colleges, we have already mentioned, in a previous Fatwa, that the woman's teaching to male adults depends, in its ruling, on how it is regulated with Sharee‘ah criteria. If she abides by Hijab, and she neither stays in seclusion with men, nor softens the tone of her voice while talking with them, then it will be permissible, even though it is preferable to leave it and keep away from it entirely, due to its risk on her and them. No doubt, nothing is equal to safety, because the nature of teaching requires mixing, which causes Fitnah (temptation) to her as well as them, as it is well-known. It is well-established, under Sharee‘ah, that whatever leads to Fitnah is forbidden, because it is an obligation to eliminate the means which lead to evil. That is confirmed more if the woman does not need work, or if we are in a time of Fitnah and moral dissolution of the students.

On the other hand, it is impermissible for you to travel to your maternal uncle without a Mahram, because the woman is forbidden, under Sharee‘ah, to travel without a Mahram, as we have previously clarified in Fatwa 83795.

Also, it is impermissible for your mother to get what is called bank interests because it is utterly usury. You should advise her kindly and leniently, perchance Allaah would open her breast to accept the advice.

Finally, it is noted here that at the beginning of your question, you mentioned that your mother is working, and that your livelihood comes from her job. Then, at the end of the question, you said that you live on the income of your mother which she gets from the bank usurious interests. However, if you mean that she receives her salary from the state or so via a usurious bank or so, there is no doubt that it is better for a Muslim to have no relation, whatsoever, with a usurious bank, if it is possible. But this is not forbidden if the usurious bank acts as an intermediary between the employee and his work in delivering the salary.

Again, if you mean that your mother practices usury, and gets benefit from its interests, then this is indeed one of the greatest major sins, we seek refuge with Allaah from it. So, if you have spent on your needs from those usurious interests out of your ignorance of the Sharee‘ah ruling, there will be no sin on you. But if you have done so while knowing that it is unlawful, you would be sinful. In both cases, you are obligated to guarantee those interests according to the opinion we adopt here in Islamweb. The ignorance of the ruling does not exempt you from guaranteeing those interests to be given to those who are entitled to receive them, i.e. the public benefits of Muslims, or the needy poor, unless you yourselves are poor, in which case, you are not obligated to guarantee this money, because it has been spent in a proper place.

Allaah Knows best.