Muslimah is unfairly treated on her job
Fatwa No: 88962

Question

My wife is having problems with her colleagues. Her in-charge is treating her very unfairly. She and another colleague is most of the times communicating in Chinese which my wife does not understand. When there is any latest update regarding work my wife is not informed and she feels she is left out. When once she told her in-charge about this her in-charge was not happy and it resulted in quarrel. My wife is being patience for many years and still the treatment is the same. Can she informed about this to her higher superior to get a solution or keep it to herself and be patient. This makes her very miserable, depressed. Is Islaam how long should a person be patience? She is not able to resign as we are in financial difficulties. Any Du'a' to help. How to go about this. Why are non-Muslims treating Muslims in this way as we are just doing a Halaal job to earn a living? Please help.

Answer

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. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

 

Generally, when a person socialises with people in order to obtain some benefits, he is encountered with some envy and hatred; so he has to be patient. So we advise your wife to be patient about the harm of her female colleagues and endeavour to face their bad deeds with kindness; may Allaah make her a means of their guidance to Islam. There is no harm for her to take the matter to her superior if she is sure that she will get her right from him/her, and if she is safe from getting a greater harm than the present harm. Finally, we would like to draw your attention to the following matters:

Firstly, in principle a woman should stay at home to do the housework and educate and take care of her children. However, if she goes out she has to observe the Islamic requirements among which is to wear the Hijab, and the workplace should be free of forbidden mixing with marriageable men (in case there are men in the workplace).  

Secondly, it is more appropriate for your wife to leave this job if there is no need for it, because it is most likely that she will be harmed regarding her worldly life and her religion by socialising with such people. 

Thirdly, when the Prophet feared a people, he would supplicate: "O, Allaah, we ask You to restrain them by their necks and we take refuge in You from their evil." [Abu Daawood]

Allaah knows best.

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