Working Moms and Baby Sitters

Author: Dr. Farheen Khan

With the slogan of women's liberalization engulfing Muslim communities, working Muslim women has no longer remained a novelty...!

Whether in high, middle or lower classes... Its ubiquitous..

Islam doesn't prohibit women from working, but it should be within the boundaries of Shariah, at segregated places, with halaal jobs, in halaal companies, institutions... And if not segregated then of Course IN HIJAAB !

Now why should a woman work outside home???

Its a Million Dollar Question!

To EARN A LIVING??

Or to utilize leisure time, after home management, in productive and fruitful activities.. ??

In case if she is working to 'Earn a Living' then it will fall in either of these 3 categories..

1. To earn for family in need.. For there are NO male family members available in productive age i.e they are too young or too old to earn.. (inside family pressure)
2. To earn for prestige... As she got high quality education.. So how can she sit at home? She must work and earn..! (pressure from society)
3. To earn to maintain standard of living.. As the self made standards of family status cannot be met by male earning members of family.. (self created pressure) 

Islam allows women to work, of course, for productive and fruitful utilization of her leisure time after management of home..

In case of women working outside home to 'earn a living', that too will be allowed if it falls in first category mentioned above..

The other two categories of working of women are rebuked.. Yes.. You read it correct... R.E.B.U.K.E.D in Islam.. Why?

In Islam MAN is the BREAD EARNER.. not woman..! Her main duty and responsibility is to manage home !!

Yes.. I Am Radical Extremist Muslim !

Women SHOULD NOT work, just because she got a high quality education.. or to maintain her standard of living as husband is unable to fulfill her requirements.. Or just for pressure from society and prestige issue !

Now.. what if a woman ceases to do her responsibility of home management and get into men's domain of earning?

The Whole Family Structure Gets Distorted.. !

The Topic of 'Working Moms' is burning issue today..

The height of hypocrisy of western society is, it says women should work, on one hand... and as she works she leaves her baby to baby sitter during her job hours.. Right..? Isn't that baby sitter a WOMAN herself !!!!!

In Islam, if at all there are professions which has utmost requirement of women, like doctors; teachers and professors in women's schools, colleges, and universities; in business sector sales women for women's clothing, at airports etc for checking women passengers etc etc.. Its definitely permissible..

Yet, even in these areas of work, timings of working Muslim women, in an Islamic society, will be limited, there will be shifts to give them safe and convenient timings and environment at work.

Also women in these working sectors preferably will be allowed either,

• Before marriage, as there will be less responsibilities, or;
• After marriage and before having children, or;
• After children, during times of spacing in between children. So that the child should not suffer while the mom is busy in job.. 
• And lastly after she completes her family 'naturally' ; and is healthy and fit enough, and wants to utilize her time, in productive and fruitful activities..

Another best thing, if at all a married woman wants to work, will be, that the working mother should leave the child to her ''close female relative'', when she is out for work..

'Close female relative' means...

• Either the woman's female relatives from her in laws i.e her mother in law or sister in law, or;
• If the woman is having her own home in the same city where she works, then her own sister and mother..

And if, you women don't have any close female relatives available to take care of your young ones, DON'T WORK And SIT AT HOME !

The love, care and attention required for the proper up bringing of a child, that which a mother can give, no one else can!

Yet, after her, her close female relatives will be courteous enough to the child, than a strange 'Baby Sitter'..! As we have ample number of stories about baby sitters, abusing and ill-treating the babies in worst way, behind their mothers..!

Also in west there are ample stories of these strange baby sitters getting physical with men in the given family..! Astaghfirullaah.. May Allaah protect..

So.. Boiling down to..

• In case of Muslim women...preference should be given to family , not career..
• And Men should respect this sacrifice..

For if they don't, they will fuel, in fact promote the western slogan of women's lib, by instigating women to rebel..!

Thus distorting the complete concept of family structure..

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About the Author

Dr. Farheen Khan is a Medical Doctor by professional training who loves to write on social issues especially related to youth, women and marriage, in an Islamic perspective. She is a counselor for women.