My mom and me are thinking of starting babysitting at home. It is usually that the parents work and they leave their kids for certain amount of dollars/hour. It is a big business here. That was just the explanation of the job. My question is can we baby-sit knowing that some parents might tell us to feed their kids food that might not be halal. Most likely they will be non-muslim and eat haram food and some might be muslim who wont care if the baby food is halal or not. And we will have to feed them. And also I know that TV is haram but my parents doesn’t think that way, so we have TV in our house. Would I be responsible if those kids watch TV? Will I get gunnah? And also with all this kind of stuff (feeding anything haram,tv) would the rozy be halal? Please I am very concerned about whether to start babysitting or not?
Allah Ta’ala says in an Aayat of the noble Qur’aan, ?Help one another in al-Birr and al-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety), but do not help one another in sin and transgression and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is severe in punishment.? (Surah al-Maaidah Aayat3)
Allah Ta’ala has explicitly explained to us that we should not assist people in those actions that involve sin and Haraam. TV and Haraam food are not permissible, irrespective of who is going to be involved in it, hence, the income that will be derived from such actions will be tainted and doubteful. It will be your responsibility as a teacher and guardian of those children to see that they get the correct guidance and that everything they do and consume be totally in accordance to Shari?ah. Therefore, you may start babysitting but at the outset, i.e. soon as parents bring in their children, you should inform them of your Islamic ethos and values and that you would not be doing anything that goes against the laws of Shari?ah. There are plenty of alternatives to the TV, etc. which may be implemented.
May Allah Ta’ala guide you and assist you in your endervours, Aameen.
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai