Fatwa ID: 07270
Answered by: Maulana Mohammed Shahbaz Aslam
Question:
I have to study under a female teacher due to necessity. She has a daughter who I was friends with and had tutored before because I was ignorant of the ruling that it is haram.
Unfortunately, my teacher wants me to tutor her again. I have said no, but she says that she will be present when I am teaching her daughter so it won’t be haram and that she can ensure that it will be online classes only or that her brother is with her.
My question is; is it permissible to teach her online, or if her mother is present, or if her brother is present. I fear that it may arise to fitna.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
If a third person is present, then it would be permitted. It is impermissible to be alone with a female who is not blood related or through marriage. As stated in hadith if a man is alone with a female, then the third present is shaytan.1 This guidance should also be the case for online classes, as it can lead to fitna.
1 حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ، أَنْبَأَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَعْنِي ابْنَ الْمُبَارَكِ، أَنْبَأَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سُوقَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ، رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ خَطَبَ النَّاسَ بِالْجَابِيَةِ فَقَالَ قَامَ فِينَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِثْلَ مَقَامِي فِيكُمْ فَقَالَ اسْتَوْصُوا بِأَصْحَابِي خَيْرًا ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ ثُمَّ يَفْشُو الْكَذِبُ حَتَّى إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَبْتَدِئُ بِالشَّهَادَةِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُسْأَلَهَا فَمَنْ أَرَادَ مِنْكُمْ بَحْبَحَةَ الْجَنَّةِ فَلْيَلْزَمْ الْجَمَاعَةَ فَإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ مَعَ الْوَاحِدِ وَهُوَ مِنْ الِاثْنَيْنِ أَبْعَدُ لَا يَخْلُوَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ بِامْرَأَةٍ فَإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ ثَالِثُهُمَا وَمَنْ سَرَّتْهُ حَسَنَتُهُ وَسَاءَتْهُ سَيِّئَتُهُ فَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ.
Musnad Ahmad 114
Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Maulana Mohammed Shahbaz Aslam
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham