Fatwa ID: 06790
Answered by: Alimah Jannatun Nessa
Question:
I have a fiqh concern. Should I look for a better job? In this job, I’m a cashier at a mainly sporting goods clothing store in the mall and I’m inevitably exposed to immodest women constantly almost the entire time I’m there working. Should I immediately quit this job? And another thing is that kids come here to buy candies with pork gelatin. Should I immediately quit this job and go do something else more halal? I don’t have kids and I’m 29 living with my father. I’m just trying to save up money to go propose to a sister’s parents in my home country overseas which includes making money for her mahr.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Allah says in the Quran:
O Prophet! Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their chastity. That is purer for them. Surely Allah is all aware of what they do.
In the commentary of this verse, it is mentioned that Hazrat Ali RA said: The first glance is forgivable but the second is a sin. If someone’s gaze accidentally falls on something unlawful, it is forgiven as it is not intentional; however, intentionally looking is forbidden.
Hazrat Jarir RA narrated I asked the Apostle of Allah(ﷺ) about an accidental glance (on a woman). He (ﷺ) said, “Turn your eyes away.”
The permissibility of working at a certain job will depend on the main business activities of the company. If the main business provides halal services, then it will be permissible to work here even if there is a bit of haram involved in a certain aspect of the job, but if the main business is run on providing haram, it would be considered impermissible for a Muslim to work in such a company.
This is because most businesses nowadays are not purely halal; therefore, there must be some flexibility in determining what is permissible for a Muslim to work in; otherwise, it would become very difficult for the vast majority of Muslims to earn a living.
In this case, even if the job provides a little bit of haram service on the side, a Muslim will not be considered to be promoting the sale of haram and is simply working to earn a living. However, the same cannot be said for a Muslim who works for a business that focuses on providing haram goods or services. Given that there are numerous employment options that are primarily halal, ignoring them in favour of one that is not can be seen as encouraging haram.
Based on this, the earnings from your current job, which is working as a cashier at a company that mainly sells sports clothing, will be considered halal. You will not be sinful for accidentally and unintentionally looking at immodest women; however, if it becomes excessive and you decide to look for a better or completely halal job out of taqwa, then that is a commendable decision. May Allah bless you with success in your pursuit of a more halal and fulfilling career. Remember that intentions and actions are key, and striving for righteousness in all aspects of life is always rewarded.
Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Alimah Jannatun Nessa
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
[Qawaid Fiqhiyyah, page 32, 42]
الأمر إذا ضاق اتسع.
إذا تعارضت مفسدتان روعي أعظمهما ضررا بارتكاب أخفهما
[Ma’ariful Quran, Surah 24, verse 30]
قُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا۟ مِنْ أَبْصَـٰرِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا۟ فُرُوجَهُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَزْكَىٰ لَهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ ٣٠
O Prophet! Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their chastity. That is purer for them. Surely Allah is All-aware of what they do.
[Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6229]
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَامِرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرٌ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ ـ رضى الله عنه أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ” إِيَّاكُمْ وَالْجُلُوسَ بِالطُّرُقَاتِ ”. فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا لَنَا مِنْ مَجَالِسِنَا بُدٌّ نَتَحَدَّثُ فِيهَا. فَقَالَ ” إِذَا أَبَيْتُمْ إِلاَّ الْمَجْلِسَ فَأَعْطُوا الطَّرِيقَ حَقَّهُ ”. قَالُوا وَمَا حَقُّ الطَّرِيقِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ ” غَضُّ الْبَصَرِ، وَكَفُّ الأَذَى، وَرَدُّ السَّلاَمِ، وَالأَمْرُ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَالنَّهْىُ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ ”.
Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘Beware! Avoid sitting on the roads.” They (the people) said, “O Allah’s Apostle! We can’t help sitting (on the roads) as these are (our places) here we have talks.” The Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘ l f you refuse but to sit, then pay the road its right ‘ They said, “What is the right of the road, O Allah’s Apostle?” He said, “Lowering your gaze, refraining from harming others, returning greetings, and enjoining what is good, and forbidding what is evil.”
[Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 2148]
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنِي يُونُسُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي زُرْعَةَ، عَنْ جَرِيرٍ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ نَظْرَةِ الْفَجْأَةِ فَقَالَ ” اصْرِفْ بَصَرَكَ ” .
Hazrat Jarir RA narrated I asked the Apostle of Allaah(ﷺ) about an accidental glance (on a woman). He (ﷺ) said “Turn your eyes away.”
