Wants to Lie in Order to Work from Home to Avoid Mixing with Men

18-2-2023 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalam Alaikoum I am a young woman, about to get married Inchaa Allah. I work for a foreign company, at first we used to work from home, and then they decided to open an office in my town. I do not like working from the office and prefer working from home to avoid mixing with men (we have an open space) The company will not approve my request to shift to remote work unless I move far away. Is it haram to lie in this situation to work from home? (please note that there is absolutely no difference)

---

Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

The basic principle in lying is that it is forbidden as mentioned in the Hadith: “...Avoid (you people) falsehood, for falsehood leads to wickedness and wickedness leads to Hellfire….” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Regarding working in a place where there is mixing, the ruling differs according to the kind of mixing: If the separation between males and females is available, with the possibility of avoiding the causes of temptation, then there is nothing wrong with that. However, if it is of the same type of mixing we are noticing today, in which there is possibility of temptation, then it is considered forbidden mixing. Therefore, it is forbidden to work - in this situation - except if it is a necessity.

Based on that, it is not permissible for you to lie and violate the employer’s terms and conditions. If the mixing at work is of the forbidden kind, then it is obligatory to leave the work there. We advise you to strive to hasten to get married so that Allah may save you from what leads to forbidden mixing that one fears for one’s religion and honor.

There is a consensus among the scholars that the husband is obliged to provide for his wife.

Allah knows best.