Fatwa ID: 09181
Answered by Mufti Ateiq-ur Rehman
Question:
Is it ja’iz for a girl who observes hijab to do apprenticeship for accounting even if it means interacting with males?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Thank you for your question. We ask Allah ﷻ to grant our sisters protection, dignity, and success in both their worldly pursuits and their faith.
Allah ﷻ says:
يٰۤـاَيُّهَا النَّبِىُّ قُلْ لِّاَزۡوَاجِكَ وَبَنٰتِكَ وَنِسَآءِ الۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ يُدۡنِيۡنَ عَلَيۡهِنَّ مِنۡ جَلَابِيۡبِهِنَّ ؕ ذٰلِكَ اَدۡنٰٓى اَنۡ يُّعۡرَفۡنَ فَلَا يُؤۡذَيۡنَ ؕ وَكَانَ اللّٰهُ غَفُوۡرًا رَّحِيۡمًا
“O Prophet, tell your wives, your daughters and the believing women to draw their outer garments over themselves. That is more suitable so that they will be recognised and not harmed. And Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
(Surah al Ahzab 33 59)
This verse establishes the importance of modesty and protection for believing women.
In principle, it is better for a Muslim woman to pursue work or training in an environment where she does not need to work closely alongside non-mahram men. Such environments are safer for maintaining modesty and avoiding situations that may lead to discomfort or temptation.
However, if accounting is a field in which the sister wishes to qualify and it is difficult to avoid some level of interaction with non-mahram men, then it may be permissible provided that proper Islamic etiquette is maintained. She should observe full hijab, keep interactions strictly professional and limited to what is necessary, and ensure that she is never in seclusion with a non-mahram man.
At the same time, it is important not to be naive about the realities of many modern workplaces. In mixed environments, boundaries sometimes become relaxed over time. What begins as ordinary workplace conversation or humour can gradually become inappropriate. People may become desensitised, and situations that initially appeared harmless can develop into problematic relationships.
Unfortunately, there have been cases where even practising and sincere individuals have found themselves in difficult situations due to prolonged interaction in mixed environments. Marriages and families have sometimes been harmed because of inappropriate workplace relationships. For this reason, we should always take reasonable steps to protect our faith and dignity.
Therefore, although such an apprenticeship cannot be declared impermissible in itself, caution and strong personal discipline are necessary. If the sister chooses to pursue this path, she should remain firm in her religious commitments. Maintaining the five daily prayers, engaging in regular adhkar, studying the Qur’an and its tafsir, and learning the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ will help strengthen her spiritual awareness and protect her from the traps of Shaytan.
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Mufti Ateiq-ur Rehman
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
و وَنِسَآءِ الۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ يُدۡنِيۡنَ عَلَيۡهِنَّ مِنۡ جَلَابِيۡبِهِنَّ ؕ ذٰ لِكَ اَدۡنٰٓى اَنۡ يُّعۡرَفۡنَ فَلَا يُؤۡذَيۡنَ ؕ وَكَانَ اللّٰهُ غَفُوۡرًا رَّحِيۡمًا
Surah Al-Ahzab v59
وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ: كَانَ الرُّكْبَانُ يَمُرُّونَ بِنَا وَنَحْنُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مُحْرِمَاتٌ فَإِذَا جَاوَزُوا بِنَا سَدَلَتْ إِحْدَانَا جِلْبَابَهَا مِنْ رَأْسِهَا عَلَى وجهِها فإِذا جاوزونا كشفناهُ. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد وَلابْن مَاجَه مَعْنَاهُ
Mishkat al-Masabih 2690
(وَتُمْنَعُ) الْمَرْأَةُ الشَّابَّةُ (مِنْ كَشْفِ الْوَجْهِ بَيْنَ رِجَالٍ) لَا لِأَنَّهُ عَوْرَةٌ بَلْ (لِخَوْفِ الْفِتْنَةِ)
كتاب حاشية ابن عابدين = رد المحتار ط الحلبي 1:406 المكتبة الشاملة
(قَوْلُهُ عَلَى الْمُعْتَمَدِ) أَيْ مِنْ أَقْوَالٍ ثَلَاثَةٍ مُصَحَّحَةٍ، ثَانِيهَا عَوْرَةٌ مُطْلَقًا، ثَالِثهَا عَوْرَةٌ خَارِجَ الصَّلَاةِ لَا فِيهَا. أَقُولُ: وَلَمْ يَتَعَرَّضْ لِظَهْرِ الْقَدَمِ. وَفِي الْقُهُسْتَانِيِّ عَنْ الْخُلَاصَةِ: اخْتَلَفَتْ الرِّوَايَاتُ فِي بَطْنِ الْقَدَمِ اهـ وَظَاهِرُهُ أَنَّهُ لَا خِلَافَ فِي ظَاهِرِهِ، ثُمَّ رَأَيْت فِي مُقَدِّمَةِ الْمُحَقِّقِ ابْنِ الْهُمَامِ الْمُسَمَّاةِ بِزَادِ الْفَقِيرِ قَالَ بَعْدَ تَصْحِيحِ أَنَّ انْكِشَافَ رُبْعِ الْقَدَمِ مَانِعٌ، وَلَوْ انْكَشَفَ ظَهْرُ قَدَمِهَا لَمْ تَفْسُدْ، وَعَزَاهُ الْمُصَنِّفُ التُّمُرْتَاشِيُّ فِي شَرْحِهَا الْمُسَمَّى إعَانَةَ الْحَقِيرِ إلَى الْخُلَاصَةِ، ثُمَّ نَقَلَ عَنْ الْخُلَاصَةِ عَنْ الْمُحِيطِ أَنَّ فِي بَاطِنِ الْقَدَمِ رِوَايَتَيْنِ، وَأَنَّ الْأَصَحَّ أَنَّهُ عَوْرَةٌ ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَقُولُ: فَاسْتُفِيدَ مِنْ كَلَامِ الْخُلَاصَةِ أَنَّ الْخِلَافَ إنَّمَا هُوَ فِي بَاطِنِ الْقَدَمِ؛ وَأَمَّا ظَاهِرُهُ فَلَيْسَ بِعَوْرَةٍ بِلَا خِلَافٍ وَلِهَذَا جَزَمَ الْمُصَنِّفُ بِعَدَمِ الْفَسَادِ بِانْكِشَافِهِ، لَكِنْ فِي كَلَامِ الْعَلَّامَةِ قَاسِمٍ إشَارَةٌ إلَى أَنَّ الْخِلَافَ ثَابِتٌ فِيهِ أَيْضًا، فَإِنَّهُ قَالَ بَعْدَ نَقْلِهِ: إنَّ الصَّحِيحَ أَنَّ انْكِشَافَ رُبْعِ الْقَدَمِ يَمْنَعُ الصَّلَاةَ، قَالَ لِأَنَّ ظَهْرَ الْقَدَمِ مَحِلُّ الزِّينَةِ الْمَنْهِيِّ عَنْ إبْدَائِهَا، قَالَ تَعَالَى – {وَلا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِنْ زِينَتِهِنَّ} [النور: ٣١]
حاشية ابن عابدين 2:96 دار المعرفة
بَدَنُ الْحُرَّةِ عَوْرَةٌ إلَّا وَجْهَهَا وَكَفَّيْهَا وَقَدَمَيْهَا. كَذَا فِي الْمُتُونِ وَشَعْرُ الْمَرْأَةِ مَا عَلَى رَأْسِهَا عَوْرَةٌ وَأَمَّا الْمُسْتَرْسِلُ فَفِيهِ رِوَايَتَانِ الْأَصَحُّ أَنَّهُ عَوْرَةٌ. كَذَا فِي الْخُلَاصَةِ وَهُوَ الصَّحِيحُ وَبِهِ أَخَذَ الْفَقِيهُ أَبُو اللَّيْثِ وَعَلَيْهِ الْفَتْوَى
كتاب الفتاوى العالمكيرية = الفتاوى الهندية 1:58 المكتبة الشاملة
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ السَّلاَمِ بْنُ مُطَهَّرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، عَنْ مَعْنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْغِفَارِيِّ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ “ إِنَّ الدِّينَ يُسْرٌ، وَلَنْ يُشَادَّ الدِّينَ أَحَدٌ إِلاَّ غَلَبَهُ، فَسَدِّدُوا وَقَارِبُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا، وَاسْتَعِينُوا بِالْغَدْوَةِ وَالرَّوْحَةِ وَشَىْءٍ مِنَ الدُّلْجَةِ ”.
Sahih al-Bukhari 39
[5]
٢٧- الْمَشَقَّةُ تَجْلِبُ التَّيْسِيرَ
٢٧-الْأَمْرُ إِذَا ضَاقَ اتَّسَعَ
٢٩- الضَّرُورَاتُ تُبِيحُ الْمَحْظُورَاتِ
٣٠- الضَّرُورَاتُ تَقَدَّرُ بِقَدَرِهَا
٣٣- العادة محكمة
p40-p46 القواعد فقهية دار الترمذي