Is It Permissible for a Freelance Writer to Work with Non-Muslim Women Without Hijab?


Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

As a freelancer writing for clients with halal businesses, is it permissible to work with non-Muslim women who do not wear hijab if their social media profiles may be viewed through my work?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

Yes, it will be permissible to work with non-Muslim women even if their social media account profiles may be viewed through your work.

The reason is that your work is permissible in itself and does not assist in sin or call to it. If it leads to viewing other people’s profiles, it is their individual choice of action.

In the Hanafi School, the degrees of assisting another in sin are:

– Direct assistance in sin.
– Indirect assistance in sin.
– Possible cause for sin.

[Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar; Nahlawi, Durar al-Mubaha; Usmani, Fiqh al-Buyu‘]

I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. In sha Allah, you will receive guidance and direction.
Provision and Work: A Reader
Assisting in sin
What Are the Principles of Work and Assisting in Sin? [Video]

I pray this helps answer your question.

[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat 

Mawlana Ilyas Patel has received traditional education in various countries. He started his schooling in the UK and completed his hifz of the Quran in India. After that, he joined an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied secular and Aalimiyya sciences. Later, he traveled to Karachi, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern countries to further his education. Mawlana has served as an Imam in the Republic of Ireland for several years and taught the Quran and other Islamic sciences to both children and adults. He also worked as a teacher and librarian at a local Islamic seminary in the UK for 12 years. Presently, he lives in the UK with his wife and is interested in books and gardening.