Regulations of Woman’s Work outside the Home - III

20/01/2014| IslamWeb

Seventh: Not to wear perfume

When the woman works outside the home, she must not wear perfume or be scented with incense. Scholars of Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) stated this condition among the conditions of woman’s work outside her home. It is stated in Haashiyat Ad-Disooqi, “When women go outside their homes, they should not wear perfume or adorn themselves lest they tempt men.” In Al-Majmoo‘, An-Nawawi said, “When the woman wants to go to the mosque, it is disliked for her to wear perfume.” Ibn Qudaamah said in Al-Mughni, “It is recommended for them (women) to go out— meaning to go out to witness ‘Eed prayer— without wearing perfume.” Scholars of Fiqh supported this ruling with the following evidence:
Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet said: “Any woman who has scented herself with incense, let her not attend ‘Ishaa’ (night) prayer with us.” [Muslim, Ahmad and An-Nasaa’i]

Another narration states that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, met a woman and he found the scent of perfume on her. Her clothes were fluttering in the breeze. He said, ‘O servant of The Almighty, are you coming from the mosque?’ She replied, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘For it did you use perfume?’ She replied, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘I heard my beloved; Abul-Qaasim saying: ‘The prayer of a woman who uses perfume for this mosque is not accepted until she returns and makes Ghusl (ritual bath) like that of Janaabah (sexual impurity).’”

This Hadeeth (narration) indicates that it is impermissible for the woman to wear perfume or to scent herself with incense when she goes out. If she does so, then, she is disobedient even if she is going to the mosque. Her prayer in such a state is not accepted until she returns home and performs Ghusl. So, what about wearing perfume when the woman goes to any other place which would be beneath the mosque in rank? Undoubtedly, it is more prohibited, and the prohibition of wearing perfume and exposure to incense is established explicitly in the aforementioned Hadeeth.

Abu Moosa Al-Ash‘ari, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said: “Any woman who wears perfume, goes out and passes by people so that they can smell her fragrance, is an adulteress.” [Abu Daawood, An-Nasaa’i and Ahmad (Al-Albaani: Saheeh)] This Hadeeth clarifies that the woman should not wear perfume and then go out before men. The Prophet strongly warned of this act by describing her as an adulteress because she is a reason for drawing men’s attention to her and leading them to commit the Zina (adultery) of the eye. She is described with adultery because she is the motive behind it by leading men to look at her. This Hadeeth expresses severe prohibition of the woman’s going outside her home while she is wearing perfume. Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said: “Do not prevent the female servants of Allah from the mosques of Allah, and they are to go out unperfumed.” [Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Daawood, At-Tirmithi, An-Nasaa’i, Ibn Maajah and Ahmad]

This Hadeeth prohibits the woman from doing anything that arouses desire whether it is perfume or anything else like it. Since the woman is prohibited from wearing perfume when she wants to go to the mosque which is a place of worship and obedience, then, it is worthier to avoid this act when she goes out for any other reason.

Eighth: Walking decently

Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance.} [Quran 33:33] This verse warns women about displaying their adornments as the women used to do in the pre-Islamic era. Qataadah said, “They (women in pre-Islamic era) used to walk with an indecent twisting gait. Allah The Almighty prohibited this.”

Ninth: No fear of Fitnah (temptations)

When the woman goes out of her home to do permissible work, there should be no fear of the occurrence of temptation on the way or at the workplace, so that it is sure that she would not tempt or be tempted. If it is feared that she may tempt non-Mahram (marriageable) men or she herself may be tempted, then, it is impermissible for her to work outside the home in this case. Therefore, some scholars disliked young women going outside the home because they feared the occurrence of temptations. Scholars supported this condition by the Hadeeth of Usaamah ibn Zayd, may Allah be pleased with him, where the Messenger of Allah said: “I am not leaving behind me a more harmful Fitnah for men than women.” [Al-Bukhari, Muslim, At-Tirmithi, Ibn Maajah and Ahmad] The Prophet pointed out that the temptation of women is the most harmful temptation for men. Men must not be tempted by women and women must avoid the means of tempting men. The woman, for example, should not wear transparent or attractive clothes if she has to go out to work.

It should be noted that bashfulness is affected and the eyes gradually become familiar with previously disapproved matters. Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said: “Two types of the denizens of Hell that I have not yet seen: women who will be dressed but appear to be naked, inviting to evil; and they themselves will be inclined to it. Their heads will appear like the humps of the Bactrian camel inclined to one side. They will not enter Paradise and they will not smell its fragrance which is perceptible from such and such a distance...” [Muslim]

Tenth: No meeting in seclusion or intermixing with men

When the woman goes outside the home for permissible work, there should be no seclusion with non-Mahram men or intermixing with men. If this happens, it means that she replaces man in work that might be done more efficiently by man and she is appointed in these places either out of courtesy, nepotism, showing off the state of being civilized or following the course of the West and those who imitate it. This matter leads to the spread of unemployment among men who are the breadwinners of the family. It is rare that the woman’s work supports a family because the man is still the one in charge and he is responsible for supporting the family. Scholars stated that intermixing between the sexes is unlawful, and that the woman, when she works outside her home, should not crowd with men. Scholars of Fiqh support the impermissibility of intermixing between the sexes by the Hadeeth (narration) of Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, where the Prophet said: “Let there be no (non-Mahram) man in seclusion with a woman.” [Al-Bukhari, Ibn Maajah and Ahmad] This Hadeeth points out that it is impermissible for the non-Mahram man to be in seclusion with a woman because this gives way to the devil.

Further evidence in this regard is the Hadeeth of Usayd bin Hudhayr, may Allah be pleased with him. He heard the Messenger of Allah saying to women when he was coming out of the mosque, and men and women were mingling in the road: “Draw back, for you must not walk in the middle of the road; keep to the sides of the road.” After that, women kept so close to the wall that their garments were rubbing against it. [Abu Daawood (Al-Albaani: Saheeh)]

In this Hadeeth, the Prophet forbade women from walking in the middle of the road so that they would not intermix with men. Women should walk on the sides of the road. This is an explicit evidence of prohibiting intermixing between the sexes.