What is the ruling on bringing a maid?

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.

Bringing maids in these days has become a cause of general distress. It is permissible in general, due to the statement of Allaah The Almighty (which means): {and have raised some of them above others in degrees [of rank] that they may make use of one another for service.} [Quran 43:32] It is included under private hiring. Nonetheless, it is due on the one who wants to bring a maid to avoid the following things:

1-      To be a non-Muslim, in view of her effect on the household with her customs and beliefs.

2-      To come without a Mahram (non-marriageable male relative), given that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa salam, forbade that a woman should set out on journey for three days without a Mahram.

3-      To be in seclusion with any of the men in the house, or the male servants be in seclusion with any of the women in the house.

4-      To be a Muslim but impious, due to the great potential evil.

However, many people have indulged in this matter, and thus have fallen into violations.

So, it is due on the Muslim to seek what is best, and then the better and so on, and endeavor to choose out of these matters the closest to goodness and the farthest from any aspect of dissoluteness.

Some Muslims show (that they are following) Islam although they do not abide by the religious teachings and rulings, which aggravates the harm they cause to others.

On the other hand, it is due on the employer to observe the servant's rights agreed upon between them, and not to undervalue them, in view of the statement of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa salam: "The Muslims should abide by their stipulations."

Allaah Knows best.