Female Working as an Air Hostess
QUESTION:
My wife works as an air hostess, the harms of which are widely known, and it is now taking its toll on our marriage. Please advise what the Shar’i ruling is regarding such employment for females?
ANSWER:
From the onset, it should be borne in mind that Islam is a complete and perfect religion. Allah Ta’ala states in the Quraan Majeed:
الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا
“Today I have perfected for you your religion and completed My blessings upon you and I am pleased with Islam as your religion”.
Hadrat Umar Radiallahu Anhu used to say:
إنا كنا أذل قوم فأعزنا الله بالإسلام، فمهما ابتغينا العزة بغير ما أعزنا الله به أذلنا الله (المستدرک للحاكم #207)
“We were a humiliated nation then Allah honoured us through Islam. If we seek honour in other than what Allah honoured us, then Allah will humiliate us”.
Hence, if we hold onto Deen, Allah Ta’ala will honour us, and if we discard the injunctions of Deen, we will be humiliated.
Now, coming to the queried scenario, Allah Ta’ala explicitly commands women in the Quraan Majeed:
وَقَرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ الْأُولَىٰ
(الأحزاب آ:33)
“Remain in your homes and do not make a display of yourselves as was the practice of the former period of ignorance.”
Also consider the following Hadith:
عن عبد الله رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: إن المرأة عورة فإذا خرجت استشرفها الشيطان وأقرب ما تكون من وجه ربها وهي في قعر بيتها
(مسند البزار، الرقم: 1820)
Hadrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood Radiallahu Anhu reports that Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “A woman should be concealed (from strange men). When she leaves her home, Shaytaan looks at her. The time that she is closest to her Rabb is when she is within the confines of her home.”
From the above mentioned Aayat and Hadith, we understand that women should not venture outdoors unnecessarily. When it comes to the expenses of women, Islam has made provisions under all circumstances. Prior to Nikaah, it is the responsibility of the father to take care of his daughter, and after Nikaah, it is the responsibility of the husband to take care of his wife. If the husband passes away or separation takes place, then too our Deen commands the close family members to fulfill the needs of such a woman.
وَالْأُمُّ إذَا كَانَتْ فَقِيرَةً فَإِنَّهُ يَلْزَمُ الِابْنَ نَفَقَتُهَا، وَإِنْ كَانَ مُعْسِرًا، أَوْ هِيَ غَيْرَ زَمِنَةٍ (الفتاوى الهندية 1/565)
تَجِبُ عَلَى الرَّجُلِ نَفَقَةُ امْرَأَتِهِ الْمُسْلِمَةِ وَالذِّمِّيَّةِ وَالْفَقِيرَةِ وَالْغَنِيَّةِ دَخَلَ بِهَا أَوْ لَمْ يَدْخُلْ كَبِيرَةً كَانَتْ الْمَرْأَةُ أَوْ صَغِيرَةً يُجَامَعُ مِثْلُهَا كَذَا فِي فَتَاوَى قَاضِي خَانْ سَوَاءٌ كَانَتْ حُرَّةً أَوْ مُكَاتَبَةً كَذَا فِي الْجَوْهَرَةِ النَّيِّرَةِ (الفتاوى الهندية 1/544)
From the above we understand that is impermissible for a woman to go out and work, as this will be a means of opening many doors of Fitnahs such as intermingling of sexes, Zina, travelling without a Mahram and a host of other evils that are required to be serving as an air hostess. Hence, we strongly advise that you should encourage your wife to quit her job, as this is in essence selling her Aakhirah for a few coppers of this world.
ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Mufti Abdul Kader Fazlani
Date: 13 Muharram 1447 / 09 June 2025
CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:
Mufti Yacoob Vally Saheb