Question:
My husbands job entails him working with women the whole day. Close contact and interaction regarding different matters. Various women of different ages, nationalities etc,
Please advice is it haraam? How is it possible to constantly lower ones gaze and not to interact with them when it is haraam to do so with ghair mahrams.
Answer:
In Islam, it is the job of the man to venture outdoors and earn sustenance. As for the women, the Quraan states that they should remain within the confines of their homes. However, to afford and pay for the lavish lifestyles that we live, all the household members (both males are females) go out to work. It is for this reason that many parents educate their daughters (at university) so that they may enjoy financial freedom later in life. This is against the very grain of Shariah. Also, due to living in a non-Muslim country we find non-Muslim women being employed by the majority of the businesses and companies.
Now, after understanding the above, you will realize that your husband is within his rights to go out and work and women being out there is something beyond our control. Yes, controlling our gazes, our chastity, minimizing our interaction with the opposite gender, confining our discussions to the bare necessity is within our control and this is what is required of us in Shari’ah. As long as your husband doesn’t have an alternate job, he should remain at the current job and control himself as explained above. In The case of any deficiency in any of the above matters he should resort to Taubah and he should keep supplicating before Almighty Allah to grant him a job which entails no interaction or minimal interaction with the opposite gender. Establishing a relationship with a Sheikh of Tasawwuf (who will offer advice and direction) will also be of great benefit.
In conclusion, to lower the gaze and interact with the opposite gender is possible as the injunction of lowering the gaze is a clear injunction of the Quraan Sharif. If it was not possible, then the Quraan wouldn’t have commanded us to do, as the Quraan Sharif doesn’t command anything that is futile or beyond our ability. So, constantly lowering the gaze is within every person’s ability.