Fatwa ID: 07951

Answered by Maulana Yusuf Badshah

Question:

I work for an online transcription company where clients upload their files and we take whichever file we like and transcribe (type their conversation in words) them. I am a man. Is it permissible for me to transcribe a file where there are two women doing an interview about something halal, and I am transcribing just by listening and there is no video, only audio?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Answer:

There is no problem with listening to the voice of the opposite gender provided one’s intention is not improper and the conversation itself is not improper in terms of the content that is being discussed or the manner in which it is being discussed [1].

One should endeavour to listen only to the extent required to complete the task at hand.

Only Allah s.w.t knows best.

Written by Maulana Yusuf Badshah

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

[1] Surah Al-Ahzab 32:

{… إِنِ اتَّقَيْتُنَّ فَلَا تَخْضَعْنَ بِالْقَوْلِ فَيَطْمَعَ الَّذِي فِي قَلْبِهِ مَرَضٌ وَقُلْنَ قَوْلًا مَّعْرُوفًا ۞}