Fatwa #577530 May 2002United States of America
Is it allowed for women to go to universities where the male and female are studying together? what about work?
Question
Dear Imam, Peace be upon you. I have the following questions: 1) Is it allowed for women to go to universities where the male and female are studying together? Is it co-education allowed in Isalm? Is it the males are allowed to go to those universities where there are wanton displays by women? 2) In your website, you have mentioned that the female are allowed to work with valid sharee reason and necessity. I understand it includes the social and personal importance. Can you give me some present day example of this sharee reason. Or may be you can recommend me some available authentic books. 3) Are they female allowed to work wearing hijab, but needs to deal with male colleagues and staffs? Moreover, how can they work if they practice perfect niqaab (veil type where it hangs from the scarf). The other people in the office won't even no is it the right person or not unless she expose her face.
Answer
1. Women may not attend such universities. Intermingling of sexes is not%0D%0Aallowed in Islam. Males should attempt to avoid such universities. If there%0D%0Aare no alternatives, the males attending such universities should keep their%0D%0Acontacts to an absolute bare minimum as is practically possible.%0D%0A2. If a woman does not have anyone to support her, and has no other source%0D%0Aof income, then such circumstances permit her to work. In Islam, it is the%0D%0Aduty of her male relatives to provide for her. if they neglect this duty%0D%0Adespite having the ability to do so, they will be sinful.%0D%0A3. If a woman, out of genuine necessity, has to work, she should preferably%0D%0Awork from home. If she has no other option but to emerge, then she should be%0D%0Adressed in Hijaab. There is no need for fancy interpretations of 'how will%0D%0Ashe be recognized(?)' The people in the office will just have to trust her%0D%0Athat she is who she says she is. People accept such a trust over the phone a%0D%0Ahundred times a day. Such queer excuses will never justify the abandonment%0D%0Aof Hijaab.%0D%0A%0D%0Aand Allah Ta'ala Knows Best%0D%0A%0D%0AMoulana Imraan Vawda%0D%0AFATWA DEPT.%0D%0A%0D%0ACHECKED AND APPROVED CORRECT: Mufti Ebrahim Desai