Is it allowed in islam to keep a house maid at home?.Secondly iam planning to start a business to recruit house maids to muslim homes in the Middle East Countries.Many people tell me that this business is haram as a woman is not allowed to travel without a mahram.Further they say that so many incidents including sexual harassment are taking place at the employers house.Thus the house maid becomes a victim.Can islam hold us (the recruiting agent) responsible for possible misuse by the employer, as we only send them for work? If you tell me that it is not permissible to do this business due to the non compliance of mahram by the woman, I would like to know whether same applies to recruiting female for employment and education purposes. Please send your answers with full explanations, as Iam struggling since long time to have a proper answer in light of quran and hadeeth.Finally, I ask you whether it is permissible to start this business? May Allah Bless you for your work.

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 is His Slave and Messenger.

First of all, we say that it is permissible to employ maids in homes as long as the Islamic guidelines are followed.

As regards the business of sending maids to work in other countries, then the ruling on it varies according to circumstances: if those who use maids in that country predominantly do not wrong them and do not violate their rights, then it is permissible for you – Allaah willing – to set up such a business provided other Islamic guidelines are followed, such as the maids abiding by the Hijab, them being accompanied by a Mahram while traveling and being safe from temptation and so forth.

But if the people in the country you provide maids to predominantly wrong such maids and violate their honor, then it is forbidden for you to export maids to them in general. Nevertheless, if you know in particular that the rights of the maids will be observed by certain persons, and that they will abide by the Islamic guidelines that we have already mentioned, then it is permissible (to export maids to those persons). The general rule here is the saying of Allaah (which means): {And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allaah; indeed, Allaah is severe in penalty.} [Quran 5:2]

Since we have probable cause to believe that following the Islamic guidelines is not easily attainable, we recommend that you avoid such a business and look for another job that does not involve anything forbidden; and Allaah will facilitate this for you by His Grace; Allaah says (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. And whoever relies upon Allaah — then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allaah will accomplish His purpose. Allaah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent.} [Quran 65:2-3]

Imaam Ahmad reported that the Prophet said to one of his Companions: “You do not leave anything out of fear of Allaah, except that Allaah gives you what is better than it.”

For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 1962, 92230, 91455, 86138.

Allaah Knows best.