Fatwa ID: 09150
Answered by Muftiyah Maryam Badshah
Question:
Assalamu alaykum. I work as a foreign language teacher in a non-Islamic country. I live in a small town with my sister, father, and younger brother. My salary goes toward paying for utilities, food, and clothing. I work in a school, and in this school, I am faced with the fact that according to my employment contract, I am obliged to assess students objectively. However, for the school to maintain high performance indicators, I am told to give grades that students do not actually deserve. This usually applies to students who have good grades in other subjects, but their true grade in the foreign language is lower.
Secondly, in the school, there is gender mixing (free mixing of males and females). This typically involves students from ages 7 to 15–16.
Thirdly, the students do not learn the vocabulary, and as a result, I am unable to properly complete the curriculum.
Fourthly, the female teachers do not wear hijab there, even though most of them consider themselves Muslim, and most of them do not pray due to laziness, negligence, etc.
Given the above reasons, are my earnings haram (sinful)? I cannot find another job in my place of residence, and I cannot save up enough money to move to another city in search of other work either, because in my family, I am the only one who is officially employed.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
To start, when an individual is hired to perform permissible work, any wage they receive for the work itself will also be permissible, regardless of the Islamic practice of other workers. The problem here lies with your honesty in grading your students, your ability to complete your designated tasks, and your ability to lower your gaze when encountering the opposite gender.[1]
As a teacher, you are required to grade your students in a way that reflects governmental guidelines and exam-board standards. In the UK, predictive grades of teachers are usually moderated by a second individual to ensure accuracy and fairness. The permissibility of editing your student’s grades due to the suggestion of your school depends on the intent. It may be the case that your employer is instructing you to give higher mock-grades as they believe you are marking too strictly. It should also be noted that predicted grades, especially for language-based subjects, are not expected to be perfectly accurate as several aspects are considered before a predictive grade is awarded. A teacher should endeavour to be as fair and accurate as possible, since mis-grading a student is deceiving the pupil and their parents into thinking the child is more or less capable than they are, which will affect their final grades as a result.[2]
As for the mixed-gendered environment of the school, this is something you should have considered before applying for your teaching position. In the situation where you encounter the opposite gender, whether they be students or staff, you are required to lower your gaze, avoid unnecessary or prolonged dialogues, and ensure you are not alone with them in a room.[3]
Allah (ﷻ) says: “Say to the believing men, they should lower their gaze and guard their chastity. That is purer for them. Indeed Allah is All-Aware of what they do.” Surah Nur (24:30) [4]
Lastly, as a secular school teacher, you should aim to complete the syllabus required in order to prevent your students from being at a disadvantage when it comes time to sit their exams. You should discuss the failure to complete the curriculum with your employer or head of department, and follow the school’s policy and interventions when students are failing to engage or learn their designated work.
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Muftiyah Maryam Badshah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
قَوْلُهُ وَجَازَ إجَارَةُ بَيْتٍ إلَخْ) هَذَا عِنْدَهُ أَيْضًا لِأَنَّ الْإِجَارَةَ عَلَى مَنْفَعَةِ الْبَيْتِ، وَلِهَذَا يَجِبُ الْأَجْرُ بِمُجَرَّدِ التَّسْلِيمِ، وَلَا مَعْصِيَةَ فِيهِ وَإِنَّمَا الْمَعْصِيَةُ بِفِعْلِ الْمُسْتَأْجِرِ وَهُوَ مُخْتَارٌ فَيَنْقَطِعُ نِسْبِيَّتُهُ عَنْهُ
Raddul Muhtār (Vol.6, pg.392, Dār Al-Fiqr)
قَالَ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ – (وَلَهُ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ فِيهَا كُلَّ شَيْءٍ) لِمَا ذَكَرْنَا مِنْ أَنَّهَا لَا تَخْتَلِفُ بِاخْتِلَافِ الْعَامِلِ وَالْعَمَلِ فَجَازَ لَهُ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ فِيهَا مَا شَاءَ عِنْدَ الْإِطْلَاقِ…
Al-Bahr Al-Rāiq (Vol.8, pg.11, Dār Al-Kitab Al-Islami)
قَالَ: – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ – (وَإِجَارَةُ بَيْتٍ لِيُتَّخَذَ بَيْتَ نَارٍ أَوْ بِيعَةً أَوْ كَنِيسَةً أَوْ يُبَاعَ فِيهِ خَمْرٌ بِالسَّوَادِ) يَعْنِي جَازَ إجَارَةُ الْبَيْتِ لِكَافِرٍ لِيُتَّخَذُ مَعْبَدًا أَوْ بَيْتَ نَارٍ لِلْمَجُوسِ أَوْ يُبَاعَ فِيهِ خَمْرٌ فِي السَّوَادِ وَهَذَا قَوْلُ الْإِمَامِ وَقَالَا: يُكْرَهُ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ لِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى {وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَلا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ} [المائدة: ٢] وَلَهُ أَنَّ الْإِجَارَةَ عَلَى مَنْفَعَةِ الْبَيْتِ وَلِهَذَا تَجِبُ الْأُجْرَةُ بِمُجَرَّدِ التَّسْلِيمِ وَلَا مَعْصِيَةَ فِيهِ وَإِنَّمَا الْمَعْصِيَةُ بِفِعْلِ الْمُسْتَأْجِرِ وَهُوَ مُخْتَارٌ فِيهِ …
Al-Bahr Al-Rāiq (Vol.8, pg.230, Dār Al-Kitab Al-Islami)
[2]
فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ لِنتَ لَهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لَانفَضُّوا مِنْ حَوْلِكَ ۖ فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ ۖ فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ
Qur’an (3:159)
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، وَوَكِيعٌ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ شَقِيقٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالصِّدْقِ فَإِنَّ الصِّدْقَ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْبِرِّ وَإِنَّ الْبِرَّ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ وَمَا يَزَالُ الرَّجُلُ يَصْدُقُ وَيَتَحَرَّى الصِّدْقَ حَتَّى يُكْتَبَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ صِدِّيقًا وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَالْكَذِبَ فَإِنَّ الْكَذِبَ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْفُجُورِ وَإِنَّ الْفُجُورَ يَهْدِي إِلَى النَّارِ وَمَا يَزَالُ الرَّجُلُ يَكْذِبُ وَيَتَحَرَّى الْكَذِبَ حَتَّى يُكْتَبَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كَذَّابًا ” .
Sahih Muslim 2607c (Bk.45, ch.29, sunnah.com)
[3]
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
Raddul Muhtār (Vol.1, pg.406, Dār Al-Fiqr)
قَالَ: – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ – (وَلَا يَنْظُرُ مَنْ اشْتَهَى إلَى وَجْهِهَا إلَّا الْحَاكِمَ وَالشَّاهِدَ وَيَنْظُرُ الطَّبِيبُ إلَى مَوْضِعِ مَرَضِهَا) وَالْأَصْلُ أَنَّهُ لَا يَجُوزُ أَنْ يَنْظُرَ إلَى وَجْهِ الْأَجْنَبِيَّةِ بِشَهْوَةٍ لِمَا رَوَيْنَا إلَّا لِلضَّرُورَةِ إذَا تَيَقَّنَ بِالشَّهْوَةِ أَوْ شَكَّ فِيهَا وَفِي نَظَرِ مَنْ ذَكَرْنَا مَعَ الشَّهْوَةِ ضَرُورَةٌ فَيَجُوزُ…
Al-Bahr Al-Rāiq (Vol.8, pg.218-9, Dār Al-Kitab Al-Islami)
[4]
قُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا فُرُوجَهُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَزْكَىٰ لَهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ
Qur’an (24:30)