Can I Work in a Laboratory as a Physicist Where Male Members Will Also Be Working?
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
A woman says free mixing is intermingling when one passes unusual signals, chats, or gestures to the opposite sex. If you do this when you are between males, there is nothing wrong. Based on this, she promotes co-education, co-working, and especially jobs in a research lab for women maintaining proper Islamic rulings.
I know there is scholarly consensus that free mixing is haram, then what is your opinion on the above?
I am a girl, and I am very passionate about gaining and practicing knowledge of physics. I have to work in the laboratory. Can I do this for the love of physics, where I have to stay 8/9 hours? Can I take temporary contraceptives to do this smoothly? In sha Allah, I’ll maintain proper Islamic hijab and ethics and take permission from my husband.
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate
You are allowed to study physics and work in that field in a laboratory. However, one should always study and work in a field in which one is interested, which can help develop oneself and benefit the wider society.
However, one has to study and work around one’s role as a female in the future. It has to be around your role as a wife and mother. As a student now, if your parents and siblings give you full support, then by all means, and the same when you get married, if you speak to your husband and decide to continue, then with his permission, it will be fine.
Bear in Mind Three Things
On the whole, from beginning to starting to work and moving forward, one has to bear in mind that the work is permissible, environmentally safe, and Islamically acceptable. A Muslim male and female can study and work observing these three things.
As for intending to take contraceptives, you should discuss this with your husband. Ideally, if you discuss your plan before you get married, it will be better.
Strive for What Benefits You
Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Strive for that which will benefit you, seek Allah’s help, and do not lose heart or determination. If anything befalls you, do not say: ‘If only I had done such-and-such’; rather, say: ‘Allah has decreed, and whatever He wills, He does.’ Saying ‘if’ opens (the door to) the deeds of the devil.” [Muslim]
Check these links:
Provision and Work: A Reader – SeekersGuidance
(10) Can a Muslim woman have a career? Islam FAQ with Shaykh Faraz Rabbani – YouTube
Is It Impermissible for Me to Work Even If I Observe Proper Limits? (seekersguidance.org)
Should Women Work? – SeekersGuidance
gender interaction Archives – SeekersGuidance
Why not begin your search for knowledge by signing up for a course on SeekersGuidance?
SeekersAcademy (seekersguidance.org)
I pray this helps with your question.
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied within UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan and Turkey.
He started his early education in UK. He went onto complete hifz of Qur’an in India, then enrolled into an Islamic seminary in UK where he studied the secular and Alimiyyah sciences. He then travelled to Karachi, Pakistan.
He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for a number of years. He has taught hifz of the Qur’an, Tajwid, Fiqh and many other Islamic sciences to both children and adults onsite and online extensively in UK and Ireland. He was teaching at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences.
He currently resides in UK with his wife. His personal interest is love of books and gardening.
