❀ Shar‘i Ruling on Working in Mixed-Gender Environments ❀
Fatwa by: Fadhilat al-‘Ālim Khizr Hayat ḥafiẓahullah
Is it permissible for men and women to work together in the same space, and to engage in casual conversation and joking with one another?
Allah ﷻ states in Surah al-Aḥzāb:
وَقَرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ
"And stay in your homes."
[Sūrah al-Aḥzāb: 33]
In the same verse, women are instructed not to speak freely with non-maḥram men, in order to prevent the door to fitnah (temptation) from opening.
If it is not permissible for a woman to speak freely and casually with a non-maḥram man even at her doorstep, then it is even more prohibited for her to work outside the home in an environment where she must freely engage with men.
Engaging in jokes and idle conversation in mixed settings is even more inappropriate than general speech, as it increases the risk of immodesty and negligence in observing Islamic boundaries.
In today’s world, mixed work environments have become widespread, where men and women work side by side, often leading to:
➤ Violations of Sharʿī limitations
➤ Undue interaction
➤ And an environment that fosters moral decline
Based on the clear guidance of the Qur’an and practical observation of current environments, the unanimous stance of the scholars is:
❖ It is not permissible for a Muslim woman to take up employment in any setting where she must interact directly with non-maḥram men.
وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ
And Allah knows best.
Fatwa by: Fadhilat al-‘Ālim Khizr Hayat ḥafiẓahullah
❖ Question:
Is it permissible for men and women to work together in the same space, and to engage in casual conversation and joking with one another?
❖ Answer:
Allah ﷻ states in Surah al-Aḥzāb:
وَقَرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ
"And stay in your homes."
[Sūrah al-Aḥzāb: 33]
In the same verse, women are instructed not to speak freely with non-maḥram men, in order to prevent the door to fitnah (temptation) from opening.
If it is not permissible for a woman to speak freely and casually with a non-maḥram man even at her doorstep, then it is even more prohibited for her to work outside the home in an environment where she must freely engage with men.
✿ Joking and Casual Talk in Mixed Settings
Engaging in jokes and idle conversation in mixed settings is even more inappropriate than general speech, as it increases the risk of immodesty and negligence in observing Islamic boundaries.
In today’s world, mixed work environments have become widespread, where men and women work side by side, often leading to:
➤ Violations of Sharʿī limitations
➤ Undue interaction
➤ And an environment that fosters moral decline
✿ Scholarly Consensus
Based on the clear guidance of the Qur’an and practical observation of current environments, the unanimous stance of the scholars is:
❖ It is not permissible for a Muslim woman to take up employment in any setting where she must interact directly with non-maḥram men.
وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ
And Allah knows best.
