Excerpted from the book “500 Questions and Answers for Women” based on the Fatāwā of the Scholars of the Ḥaramayn, translated by Ḥāfiẓ ʿAbdullah Salīm
For the past seven months, I have had a maid whom I brought without a maḥram. Now that my need for which she was brought has been fulfilled, is it permissible for me to transfer her sponsorship to another person who fulfills the administrative requirements, knowing that she does not want to return to her country due to her need for a job?
It is not permissible to bring non-Muslim women as maids. Similarly, it is not permissible to bring Muslim women either—except on the condition that they are accompanied by their maḥram relatives, because the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
"No woman should travel the distance of two days without a maḥram."
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Hadith No. 1893; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Hadith No. 827]
Therefore, what you did—bringing this woman without a maḥram—was impermissible. You are obligated, if possible, to bring her maḥram to accompany her during travel, or if she wishes to work with you or someone else, it must be under the presence and guardianship of her maḥram.
Regardless, it is your duty to ensure her safe return to the country from which she was brought.
We warn that there is great danger and fitnah in bringing strangers into Muslim lands, especially when those brought are disbelievers, people of corrupt beliefs, or those seeking to undermine Islam and its people. Sometimes they conspire to corrupt the religion and morals of Muslims.
Likewise, bringing women without maḥram, particularly when they are young, attractive, or of questionable character, poses immense risks and temptations.
Muslims must fear Allah and avoid such sources of trial.
– Fatwā by Shaykh Ṣāliḥ ibn Fawzān ibn ʿAbdullāh حفظه الله
❖ Question:
For the past seven months, I have had a maid whom I brought without a maḥram. Now that my need for which she was brought has been fulfilled, is it permissible for me to transfer her sponsorship to another person who fulfills the administrative requirements, knowing that she does not want to return to her country due to her need for a job?
❖ Answer:
It is not permissible to bring non-Muslim women as maids. Similarly, it is not permissible to bring Muslim women either—except on the condition that they are accompanied by their maḥram relatives, because the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
"No woman should travel the distance of two days without a maḥram."
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Hadith No. 1893; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Hadith No. 827]
Therefore, what you did—bringing this woman without a maḥram—was impermissible. You are obligated, if possible, to bring her maḥram to accompany her during travel, or if she wishes to work with you or someone else, it must be under the presence and guardianship of her maḥram.
Regardless, it is your duty to ensure her safe return to the country from which she was brought.
❖ A Warning to the Ummah:
We warn that there is great danger and fitnah in bringing strangers into Muslim lands, especially when those brought are disbelievers, people of corrupt beliefs, or those seeking to undermine Islam and its people. Sometimes they conspire to corrupt the religion and morals of Muslims.
Likewise, bringing women without maḥram, particularly when they are young, attractive, or of questionable character, poses immense risks and temptations.
Muslims must fear Allah and avoid such sources of trial.
– Fatwā by Shaykh Ṣāliḥ ibn Fawzān ibn ʿAbdullāh حفظه الله
