Please read the question completely and carefully.
I had asked for a general case where we encounter with females in our daily life…. Quotes from question: “…female teacher is teaching me…. or when a girl wants to ask me a doubt…. or when i’m doing a project with these girls… or when my interviewer for a job is a lady… ..or when my shop keeper is a lady… …. and so on….. ” In the end of your answer you have suggested that i join a boys-only college !
Questions:
1) Does this mean that all muslim males in the world should join boys only colleges?
2) Should I & other muslims presently studying in mixed colleges resign ?
3) Is it HARAM in itself to join mixed colleges (for eg: Masachussets Institute of Technology (MIT),Indian Institute of technology(IIT),Indian Institute of Management(IIM) etc..?
4) If not then what care should we take to render it JAAIZ (refer original question)?
5)How do we respond to an female interviewer?or a female grocer, shopkeeper,team mate in a project etc…(REFER ORIGINAL QUESTION)?
6)How did prophet (saw) clarify the doubts posed by female OR how did he preach them ?
JAZAAKALLAHU KHAIRAN!!
In the name of Allāh, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalāmu ῾alaykum wa Rahmatullāhi Wabarakātuh
You are right that your question was general. Therefore, our reply was also general. What we mentioned applies in most cases, including in the cases asked about in the query. We will mention some more details in this reply regarding interacting with unrelated women.
It seems that your concern is with our suggestion of joining a boys-only college. The reason why we suggested joining a boys-only college is because without the presence of females, resisting and staying away from haraam acts, such as having haraam relationship and impermissible interactions with a female, will be much easier.
According to Islam, having a relationship with someone of the opposite gender out of wedlock is a heinous act.
Consider the following:
“And do not go close to adultery; surely it is an indecency and an evil way.” (Quran 17:32).
Usama ibn Zaid (May Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “”After me I have not left any affliction more harmful to men than women.” (Bukhari and Muslim).
Abu Saeed Al-Khudri May Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “The world is sweet and green and verily Allah is going to install you as successors upon it in order to see how you act. So be on guard against (the deception of) the world and be on guard against (the allurement of) women. Verily, the first trial for the Children of Israa’eel was caused by women.” (Muslim)
It is mentioned in Saheeh Bukhari that one of the afterlife punishments of those who commit adultery is that they will be closed in an oven like pit naked; when a huge, unbearably hot flame from under them rises, they will also rise with it till they will come close to its top. Then, as the flame slowly goes down, they will also go down with it. This will keep on repeating. (See: Bukhari, hadith 1297)
In a university or college, generally, females dress themselves in revealing clothes. This is enough of a test for a Muslim who wants to follow the teachings of Islam and wants to stay away from committing sins. However, on top of that, they also put on perfume, they mix with males, they joke with them, they laugh with them, they touch them, they talk in a way that is alluring to a normal male, etc. All these things add to the test of faith for a Muslim. And hence, even a person with strong iman is prone to eventually fall in for the temptations of his desires. It is no wonder that so many haraam acts happen in coeducation schools, colleges and universities around the world. And this not a thing that happens on rare occasions; instead, it has become so rampant and ‘normal’ that people no longer consider such a thing to be immoral and shameful.
Because Islam is a religion of fitrah, it keeps in view the intrinsic nature of people. Therefore, to achieve the goal of eliminating adultery and fornication, it has given some very practical measures. For example, Islam has a dress code for both men and women, which minimises immorality by minimises the attraction of the opposite gender. Islam forbids women to go out of their homes with perfume on. Sayyiduna Abu Musa (Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said, “If a woman wears perfume and passes by a group of [non-Mahram] men, and they smell her perfume, she is such and such.” The narrator says that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) used stern words. (Sunan Abi Dawud 4170)
It is not permissible, according to the teachings of Islam, for a male and female to be together in a room or place where a third person cannot easily gain access. The Messenger (peace and blessing be upon him) has stated that in such a case Shaitaan is the third of them.
Similarly, it is forbidden for a man and a woman to interact with each other in an informal way, by talking freely and casually, joking around, being flirtatious in the conversation etc. In Surah al-Ahzab (v: 32), Allah Most High commands the wives of the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) in particular, and all Muslim women in general, to abstain from conversing with non-Mahram men in a soft and sweet tone. As such, when the need arises to talk, both the content and manner of conversation must be appropriate and free of anything enticing. The dialogue must be in a modest and restrained manner, and limited to the extent of need.
The Quran commands both the men and women to keep their gazes away from unrelated people of the opposite gender. Allah Ta’ala says:
قُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا فُرُوجَهُمْ ذَلِكَ أَزْكَى لَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ (30) وَقُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ
“Tell the believing men to lower their gaze, and protect their private parts. That is purer for them. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and protect their private parts” (Quran 24:30-31)
The verses above suggest that lowering the gaze helps one to protect his/her chastity and that not controlling ones gaze becomes the means of one falling into adultery and fornication. This has also been proven by the way women dress nowadays and the unrestrained, preying eyes of men that fall on them; the billboards, magazines, TV programs and movies depicting semi-nude pictures of men and women etc. If all these things are not the means of making adultery and fornication rampant in the society, then what is?
Consider the following hadith:
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger (Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Allah has written for each limb its share of adultery (zina). The eye commits adultery and its adultery is by looking (at haraam). The tongue commits adultery and its adultery is by speaking (about haraam). The hands commit adultery and its adultery is by touching (what is haraam). The foot commits adultery and its adultery if by walking (towards haraam). The ear commits adultery and its adultery is by listening (to haraam). The private part either accepts it or rejects it.” (Mushkilul Aathar, hadith: 2283)
Because in a coeducation school, college and university, the unrestrained intermingling of the sexes, the revealing dressing of the females, the free and casual conversations between the sexes and the prevalence of boyfriend-girlfriend relationship etc. is quite rampant, it becomes extremely difficult for a person to stay away from haraam. A Muslim’s iman also demands that he not put himself in a situation where committing sins is highly probable just as intellect demands that a person not put himself in a situation where physical harm is highly probable. Would any sensible person throw himself in a blaze hoping that he will not get burnt?
Although acquiring education is important for Muslims, it should not be done at the expense of the teachings of Islam. Allah Ta’ala wants us to enter into His submission fully. He says, “O you who believe! enter into submission (Islam) one and all (i.e. fully) and do not follow the footsteps of Shaitan; surely he is your open enemy.” (Quran 2:208). This verse suggests that to follow anything but the teachings of Islam is infact following the footsteps of Shaitan. And, obviously, the footsteps of Shaitaan will lead one to the fire of Hell.
Although opting for a single-sex school, college or university in many places poses difficulties and hardships due to lack of such institutes etc, the extra effort required for this will be well worth the effort, as Allah Ta’ala will recompense such a person with immense rewards. The companions of the cave (as-haab al kahf), thousands of years ago, separated themselves from their people in order to safeguard their faith. Allah Ta’ala loved this act of theirs so much that he narrated their story in the Holy Quran for us to read and to derive strength and comfort from. Also, keep in mind the hadith “A time will come upon the people when one who is steadfast on practising deen will be like a person holding hot coal.” (Tirmizi, hadith 2186).
That said, now the question comes: is it not permissible for a Muslim to study in a coeducation institute under any circumstances? Well, the answer to this is as follows:
If one has no alternatives but to study in a coeducation institute and he is certain that he has the firmness and steadiness to stay away from haraam acts in such a place and he fully understands the teachings of Islam regarding interacting with the opposite gender and is also aware of the dangers of studying at such a place, then only will it be permissible for him to study at such a place. He should, however, at all times be firm and particular about the teachings of Islam and he should be constantly aware and vigilant lest Shaitaan tricks and misleads him. He should also constantly read books and ahaadith on the topic of haraam relationship with a woman. Constant dua to Allah Ta’ala for protection from being misled by Shaitan is also a must.
The above answers your questions from one to four.
5) You should keep your gaze away from her. If there is a need for conversation, keep the conversation formal, restrained, restricted to the topic and limited to the extent of need. In the case of a female interviewer (or any other female), do not be alone with her in a room. Keep someone you know present in the room. To have a female as a partner in a project is a very bad idea, as doing a project will require constant interaction with her. Therefore, avoid this and insist on working with a male partner.
6) The Prophet (Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) preached to the women, answered their questions and even allowed them to take bai’at with him all within the boundaries of the Shariah. Consider the following:
Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her) says that the Prophet (Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) never touched the hand of any unrelated woman. (Bukhari, hadith 6674)
Jareer bin Abdullah (Radiyallaahu anhu) said: I asked Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) about unintentional glance (at non-related women). Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) commanded me to turn away my eyes. (Mishkaat pg. 268; Qadeemi)
Buraidah (Radiyallaahu anhu) says that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said to Ali (Radiyallaahu anhu): O Ali! Do not follow the first (unintentional) glance with a second glance. Because for you is (forgiven the sin of) the first glance and not the second. (Mishkaat pg. 269; Qadeemi)
If any woman had a question to ask the Prophet (Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) or she had something to discuss with him, she would ask him from behind a curtain or partition. Consider the following:
Aisha (Radiyallahu anha) says that a woman from behind a curtain gestured a letter to the Prophet (Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) withheld his hand. The woman said, “O Prophet of Allah, I extended my hand to you with a letter and you did not take it?” He said, “I could not know if this is a man’s hand or a woman’s”. She said, “It is a woman’s hand.” The Prophet (Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “If you were a woman you ought to have changed your fingernails with henna.” (Sunan An-Nasaa’i, hadith 5002)
Even the young girls would go behind the curtain when they saw the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam):
Aisha (Radiyallahu anha) says, “I used to play with dolls in the presence of the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam). I had friends who used to play with me. When the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) would enter the house, they (her friends) would disappear from him (and go behind the curtain). He would send them to me. They would then come and play with me.” (Bukhari, hadith 5665)
The method of interacting with an unrelated woman is mentioned in the Quran:
And when you ask of them (i.e. the wives of the Prophet) any goods, ask of them from behind a curtain; this is purer for your hearts and (for) their hearts (Quran 33:53)
Although the verse addresses the sahabah, the injunction contained in it equally applies to all the Muslims; rather, it applies more so to the other Muslims, as the sahabah were the most righteous and pious of all people after the Prophets. In other words, how can it be imagined of a sahabi to have any bad thoughts about the wives of the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam), the mothers of all believers? Similarly, how can it ever be imagined of the wives of the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) to have any bad thought about any sahabi? Yet, the Quran states that following this injunction of being behind a curtain is purer for both the hearts of the illustrious sahabah and the hearts of the mothers of the believers. Therefore, how can we even dare to say that we are in no need of following this injunction of the Shariah? Are we more righteous and do we have more taqwa than the sahabah and the wives of the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam)?
Hopefully that answers all your questions.
And Allāh Ta῾āla Knows Best
Wassalāmu ῾alaykum
Ml. Faizal Riza
Correspondence Iftā Student, Australia
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Dārul Iftā, Madrasah In῾āmiyyah