Fatwa ID: 07907

 

 

Answered by Maulana Muhammad Altaf Hossen.

 

 

Question

 

A question of a brother who works in the caring industry. He has to tend to them, cleans them, touches them, many times he has to look at Awrah to clean them but all of this without any ‘شهوة’ from his side. All the women are very old with dementia. No ‘شهوة’ from any of the parties. Also, he’s a refugee here in the UK, and he is only allowed to work in this industry. What’s the ruling to work in such an industry?

 

 

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

 

 

Answer:

 

In the scenario you have described, where a brother is working in the caring industry and has to tend to elderly women who need assistance due to illness such as dementia, the primary concern is to maintain professionalism, modesty, and respect for the dignity of both the caregiver and the care recipient.

 

Here are some consideration points:

 

1. Intention: (Niyyah) If the brother’s intention is purely to fulfill his duties of caring for these elderly women out of compassion and necessity, without any intention of deriving pleasure or acting inappropriately ( ‘شهوة’ ), then his intention is aligned with the principles of Islam. (i)
2. Avoiding unnecessary contact: He should strive to minimize physical contact as much as possible and only touch the elderly women when necessary for their care and well-being.
3. Modesty and averting the gaze While attending to their needs, he should lower his gaze and avoid looking at their Awrah (parts of the body that should be covered) unless it is necessary for providing care. In such cases, he should strive to maintain a professional demeanor and focus solely on the task at hand. (ii)
4. Seeking permission: Before attending to any intimate care needs that may involve exposing Awrah, he should seek permission from the elderly women or their guardians, ensuring that they are comfortable with the assistance provided.

 

Overall, while working in the caring industry may present challenges in maintaining gender boundaries, it is possible to navigate these challenges while upholding Islamic principles with sincerity, professionalism, and respect for the dignity of those being cared for. May Allah SWT make it easy for your brother to fulfill his duties in a manner that is pleasing to Him.

 

 

Only Allah knows best

Written by Maulana Muhammad Altaf Hossen.

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

 

 

Reference( i)
Chapter: How the Divine Revelation started being revealed to Allah’s Messenger

باب كَيْفَ كَانَ بَدْءُ الْوَحْىِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم

وَقَوْلُ اللَّهِ جَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ: {إِنَّا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ كَمَا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى نُوحٍ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ}

حَدَّثَنَا الْحُمَيْدِيُّ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ ، قَالَ : حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ ، قَالَ : حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ ، قَالَ : أَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ التَّيْمِيُّ ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ عَلْقَمَةَ بْنَ وَقَّاصٍ اللَّيْثِيَّ ، يَقُولُ : سَمِعْتُ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ، قَالَ : سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، يَقُولُ : ” إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى، فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى دُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا أَوْ إِلَى امْرَأَةٍ يَنْكِحُهَا، فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِ ”

 

Narrated ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab:

I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) saying, “The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended. So whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration was for what he emigrated for.” Sahih al-Bukhari 1

 

( ii)  Sura An-Nur  , Ayat No. 30 -31

 

: ٣٠  قُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا فُرُوجَهُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَزْكَىٰ لَهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ

Sahih International: Tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what they do

Verse (24:31)

 

٣١  وَقُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا ۖ وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّ ۖ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَائِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَائِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي أَخَوَاتِهِنَّ أَوْ نِسَائِهِنَّ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُنَّ أَوِ التَّابِعِينَ غَيْرِ أُولِي الْإِرْبَةِ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ أَوِ الطِّفْلِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يَظْهَرُوا عَلَىٰ عَوْرَاتِ النِّسَاءِ ۖ وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِنْ زِينَتِهِنَّ ۚ وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

 

Sahih International: And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.