Fatwa ID: 07578
Answered by: Moulana Sarfraz Mohammad
Question
Asslamalualaikum, please bear with me as this will be a long post.
I grew up in Kuwait, and have teachers who follow the Salafi manhaj, but now as I am in BD, I also study Hanafi fiqh on the side. My question is regarding teaching the opposite gender as I am getting conflicting reports, and it does not seem to be due to madhab but rather each sheikh based on their understanding and I was hoping that you could shed some light.
The problem is that, in our country we have coaching institutes, which are basically after school classes, which involve batches and you can choose your teacher.
My first question is: are we allowed to study under a female teacher even if male teachers are available because she teaches better? And secondly; the teacher had a daughter who we grew friends with. I know this is not allowed, but she asked me to tutor her. Some of my teachers said this is ok without khalwa but makruh, while others said it is impermissible (mostly my Kuwaiti teachers) I’m now confused.
In addition, I should add that I do have a crush on the daughter, but she does not have a good deen so I am very confused as to what I should do and if we can maintain our friendship.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer
- Studying under a female teacher: According to the Hanafi school, it is permissible to study under a female teacher as long as the necessary conditions of modesty (hijab, lowering the gaze, etc.) are observed, and there is no fear of fitnah (temptation or inappropriate behaviour). If she teaches better than the available male teachers, it can be permissible, provided the learning environment maintains Islamic decorum.
Allama Ibn-e-Abidin Shami Dimishqi rahmatullah ta’ala alaihi writes: “ We permit women to speak to strangers and to converse with them when necessary. We do not permit them to raise their voices, or to stretch them out, or to soften them, or to cut them short, because that attracts men to them and stirs up desires in them. For this reason, it is not permissible for a woman to call adhan for prayer.”
Tutoring the teacher’s daughter:
Ibn ‘Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) has reported: I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) delivering a sermon and making this observation:
” No person should be alone with a woman except when there is a Mahram with her, and the woman should not undertake a journey except with a Mahram.”
(Muslim)
As for tutoring the daughter, While some scholars say it’s permissible to tutor without khalwa (being alone with her), the fact that you already have emotional feelings might make this a risky situation in terms of your deen. This is why others, especially your Kuwaiti teachers, may view it as impermissible. In the Hanafi madhab, safeguarding one’s intentions and preventing fitnah is critical, so it would be safer to avoid this situation.
Only Allah Knows Best.
Answered by Moulana Sarfraz Mohammad
Checked and approved by Mufti Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
لاَ يَخْلُوَنَّ رَجُلٌ بِامْرَأَةٍ إِلاَّ وَمَعَهَا ذُو مَحْرَمٍ
Sahih Muslim (1341)
قُلْ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ یَغُضُّوْا مِنْ اَبْصَارِهِمْ وَ یَحْفَظُوْا فُرُوْجَهُمْ ذٰلِكَ اَزْكٰى لَهُمْ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ خَبِیْرٌۢ بِمَا یَصْنَعُوْنَ وَ قُلْ لِّلْمُؤْمِنٰتِ یَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ اَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَ یَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوْجَهُنَّ وَ لَا یُبْدِیْنَ زِیْنَتَهُنَّ اِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَ لْیَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلٰى جُیُوْبِهِنَّ ﴾
( ،سورۃ النور ، 30 ، 31)
”عن عقبة بن عامر، أن رسول اللہ صلى اللہ عليه وسلم قال :ایاکم والدخول علی النساء“
(شعب الايمان ،تحریم الفروج ، جلد 7، صفحہ309 ،)
نجيز الكلام مع النّساء للأجانب ومحاورتهنّ عند الحاجة إلى ذلك، ولا نجيز لهنّ رفع أصواتهنّ ولا تمطيطها ولا تليینها وتقطيعها لما في ذلك من استمالةالرّجال إليهنّ وَتحريك الشَهوَات منهم ومن ھذا لم تجز ان تؤذن المراۃ “
(رد المحتار على الدر المختار،کتاب الصلاۃ،باب شروط الصلاه ۃ ،مطلب فی ستر العورۃ،جلد 2،صفحہ97
