islamerica
1 Ummah under God
This topic can be touchy sometimes and the opinions from scholars out there can vary at times as well. I think it helps to have a broader perspective in all of this. Islam does not require a woman to work and the providing for her needs is the responsibility of the mahram. They also says a woman should not go outside her house needlessly and only out of necessity. This is how it was in our parents age and before that. Even Allah says in the Quran to stay indoors and do not make a wanton display of yourself. So clearly we know that a Muslim woman's place is at home, safe from the eyes of non-mahram and fitnah of mixing with non-mahrams. That is the ideal place to be, as queens to enjoy life at home and have whatever you require be delivered to you.
That being the conservative side, we also have the liberal side of things today. We have muslimahs who want their "rights" to go outside and do whatever they want. Who wear improper clothing and call it hijab. Who make friends with non-mahrams, even kuffars and think it's ok, going out to coffee and hanging with them and what not. These are the modern youth muslimahs. They start out in school and in college and end up as career women. They want to "work" and make a "career" out of their lives. They are not ready for marriage, they have to conquer the world. I've seen these girls still in high school and falling in love with kuffar boys they make friends with. As much as they are to blame, more so are their parents for failing to raising them up properly on Islam. And i fear that is where majority are and headed these days.
And then there are those somewhere in the middle. They don't sit home and they don't go all out thinking they own the world. These are the Muslimahs who know their deen and who study and educate themselves. who get married when a good proposal comes and not delay it, they work (or not) to get experience but only till kids come. There are those who put their kids in day care or leave'em with mum n dad so they can go work. I don't believe this is right. How can one leave part of their fless home or in hands of strangers at daycare while they go rub shoulders with non-mahrams a work. Being mom is a full time job and it doesn't end until they go to college and have been given good tarbiyyah to handle themselves in college. Even then it's good to get them engaged or married soon as possible.
With that said there are also situations out of the normal. For example. we need sisters in certain field and we need them to work. These include teaching, nursing, midwifes, pediatrician, gynecologist, and other such fields where ummah needs them so we don't have to go to males. Those sisters who have a strong desire to work should consider these fields and not male dominated that does not benefit the muslimahs and ones Ummah can do without them. Not only are they not needed in such fields but they also take jobs away from their Muslim brothers who need it to provide for their families. And then there are also those who have no choice but to work for one reason or another, such as having no mahrams to take care of them.
So this is not a clear cut topic. There are those who have to work, those who don't and those who want to. Some are misguided, some have no choice and some got the right intentions and plans.
That being the conservative side, we also have the liberal side of things today. We have muslimahs who want their "rights" to go outside and do whatever they want. Who wear improper clothing and call it hijab. Who make friends with non-mahrams, even kuffars and think it's ok, going out to coffee and hanging with them and what not. These are the modern youth muslimahs. They start out in school and in college and end up as career women. They want to "work" and make a "career" out of their lives. They are not ready for marriage, they have to conquer the world. I've seen these girls still in high school and falling in love with kuffar boys they make friends with. As much as they are to blame, more so are their parents for failing to raising them up properly on Islam. And i fear that is where majority are and headed these days.
And then there are those somewhere in the middle. They don't sit home and they don't go all out thinking they own the world. These are the Muslimahs who know their deen and who study and educate themselves. who get married when a good proposal comes and not delay it, they work (or not) to get experience but only till kids come. There are those who put their kids in day care or leave'em with mum n dad so they can go work. I don't believe this is right. How can one leave part of their fless home or in hands of strangers at daycare while they go rub shoulders with non-mahrams a work. Being mom is a full time job and it doesn't end until they go to college and have been given good tarbiyyah to handle themselves in college. Even then it's good to get them engaged or married soon as possible.
With that said there are also situations out of the normal. For example. we need sisters in certain field and we need them to work. These include teaching, nursing, midwifes, pediatrician, gynecologist, and other such fields where ummah needs them so we don't have to go to males. Those sisters who have a strong desire to work should consider these fields and not male dominated that does not benefit the muslimahs and ones Ummah can do without them. Not only are they not needed in such fields but they also take jobs away from their Muslim brothers who need it to provide for their families. And then there are also those who have no choice but to work for one reason or another, such as having no mahrams to take care of them.
So this is not a clear cut topic. There are those who have to work, those who don't and those who want to. Some are misguided, some have no choice and some got the right intentions and plans.