Answered by: Muftiyah Sofia Mirza
Question:
My question regards my remote job in IT. I work on a website for a laptop company. I do a basic IT role: consume data from the content team, save it to the database, and display data on the page. I see pros and cons in my job.
Some pros include rizq from Allah, sadaqa through employer match program, dawah through interfaith group calls, working at home so no in-person interaction with non-mahram, the block-image tool allows me to not see any non-mahram during online meetings, the flexibility of work allows me to spend time with parents and pursue Islamic studies Alhamdulillah.
Some cons include: non-mahram on my team (I don’t see them, just hear them during meetings), the website we work on has pictures of laptops and desktops but also some pictures of non-mahram (I don’t choose the pictures, I just digest the data and display it)
Because of the cons, I worry if it is better for me to look for a new role. A new role takes time to look for. And it might not have all the pros of my current role. After istikhara, I am leaning towards staying in my current role. But how do I deal with the cons? Do I just ignore the fact that non-mahrams are on my team and on the website that is displayed? I work at a large company so I can’t just change things for myself. I fear Allah will ask me on the Day of Judgement, please advise.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Your mindset is very commendable, regarding women going out of their homes it has been mentioned in the Quran “Remain in your homes and do not make a display of yourselves as was the practice of former period of ignorance”1, hence if your work is from home which does not require you to go out it will be permissible for you to work from home.
However, regarding the voice of a woman, it has been mentioned in another verse “O wives of the Prophet! You are not like other women if you are God-fearing. So, do not be soft in your speech. Lest in whose heart is disease should be moved with desire.”2 Furthermore a woman should not raise her voice in a manner that may seem attractive to other men, however, she may speak with non-Mahram when it is necessary for a serious tone.3 Hence, it will be permissible for you to continue with your job as long as you limit speaking with non-mahram to necessity and remain within the laws of Shariah.
Only Allah knows best
Written by Muftiyah Sofia Mirza
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
1 “وقرن في بيوتكن ولاتبرجن تبرج الجاهلية الاولي”
(Ahzaab:33)
2 ا نِسَاء النَّبِيِّ لَسْتُنَّ كَأَحَدٍ مِّنَ النِّسَاء إِنِ اتَّقَيْتُنَّ فَلَا تَخْضَعْنَ بِالْقَوْلِ فَيَطْمَعَ الَّذِي فِي قَلْبِهِ مَرَضٌ
(Ahzaab:32)
3 Raddul Muhtaar, Darul Fikr Beirut, Vol 1, Pg. 406
وَلَا يَظُنُّ مَنْ لَا فِطْنَةَ عِنْدَهُ أَنَّا إذَا قُلْنَا صَوْتُ الْمَرْأَةِ عَوْرَةٌ أَنَّا نُرِيدُ بِذَلِكَ كَلَامَهَا، لِأَنَّ ذَلِكَ لَيْسَ بِصَحِيحٍ، فَإِذًا نُجِيزُ الْكَلَامَ مَعَ النِّسَاءِ لِلْأَجَانِبِ وَمُحَاوَرَتِهِنَّ عِنْدَ الْحَاجَةِ إلَى ذَلِكَ، وَلَا نُجِيزُ لَهُنَّ رَفْعَ أَصْوَاتِهِنَّ وَلَا تَمْطِيطَهَا وَلَا تَلْيِينَهَا وَتَقْطِيعَهَا لِمَا فِي ذَلِكَ مِنْ اسْتِمَالَةِ الرِّجَالِ إلَيْهِنَّ وَتَحْرِيكِ الشَّهَوَاتِ مِنْهُمْ