Employee to Wear Veil

Regarding Company that Forbids Its Female Employee to Wear Veil

Regarding Company that Forbids Its Female Employee to Wear Veil

Question:

Assalamu’alaikum.

Honorable Ustadz, I am a woman who already have a husband and children. Currently I am also working at a private company. All this time I’ve been wearing veil, but when I enter the area where I work, I remove my veil. It is because the company where I work forbid its employee to wear veil, so that the uniform will be equal for all. And the truth is most of the employees at work are non muslims.

Honestly, when I had to remove my veil, I felt really guilty although I still wear clothes that cover up my body. I have been searching for another place to work but there were no responses. I’d like to stay working to help my husband. He also know about this fact. But he also supports me.

My question is, am I sinning? Should I protest to my company? Or is there any other way?

Thank you.

Wassalam.

From: Desiani

Answer:

Wa’alaikumussalam.

All praises be to Allah, peace and prayer of Allah be upon His messenger.

We understand how hard the dilemma that you’ve been facing is; the choice between obtaining worldly necessity and obeying shari’a rules. For those who are easily ‘feel compelled’, he or she would legalize every way to get the worldly matter. That is the type of a loser. What important most to him is that he could eat fully, sleep tightly; about the sin, it is something that he think he could repent about. ‘Hopefully, the Lord will forgive me.’ That is the picture of those who are not willing to be patience in facing the hardships of life.

Unfortunately, the amount of this kind of people are plentier than those who aren’t. Probably, this is the reality that the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- had spoken about. In a hadith narrated by Ka’b Ibn Iyadh -may Allah be pleased with him-, he -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said,

إِنَّ لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ فِتْنَةً وَفِتْنَةُ أُمَّتِي المَالُ

“Every nation has its trial. And the biggest trial for my nation is wealth.” (Narrated by Ahmad, Tirmidhi, and classed valid by al Albani).

You could see, how many people whose personality have turned bad, they violated the shari’a rules, even worse, changed their religion, because of wealth and wealth. That is because, once again, -the wealth- is the biggest trial for us.

The Sustenance is 100% comes from Allah

This is the principle that we are supposed to instill inside our heart, as declared by Allah in the Qur’an:

وَمَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا عَلَى اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا

“There is not a single moving creature on earth except that Allah is responsible for providing its sustenance.” (QS. Hud: 6).

In another verse, Allah have reminded us,

وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَوْلَادَكُمْ مِنْ إِمْلَاقٍ نَحْنُ نَرْزُقُكُمْ وَإِيَّاهُمْ

“and do not slay your children out of fear of poverty. We provide you and will likewise provide them with sustenance;” (QS. Al-An’am/The Cattle : 151).

We should bear in our hearts that sustenance comes from Allah, whereas the work we do is merely a cause to obtain that sustenance. And of course, there are many causes, many ways to obtain sustenance.

We need to realize that it is impossible for Allah to keep some sustenances that He previously had ordained for one of His slave, of which he could only get through the unlawful way. In another word, it is impossible that there are sustenances which are already belong to certain person, that he could only get by violating the shari’a rules. Because if it is true, then it means that Allah has wronged His slave. Therefore, His sustenances are certainly obtainable through the lawful ways, without having to break the shari’a rules.

Those who do not understand about this principle, will think that the amount of sustenance is solely determined by their work and effort. The result is, they will rely on their abilities rather than Allah. They will grab any chances to increase their income, without paying any attention to the rules around them. No wonder if they assume that, “If I were following the shari’a rules, I wouldn’t get any job.” At that very moment, the world was more important to him than the shari’a rules.

It is different with those who understand the true principle of sustenance well. When they have to face failures, since the chance offered was against the shari’a rules, they believe that Allah will certainly replace that loss with a better one. By having such belief, they will be more cautious in pursuing the sustenance. Even if there were failures, they will spontaneously turn to Allah for hopes.

Examples of The Failure in Understanding the Principle of Sustenance

A bank employee, an insurance company employee, a civil servant who loves to have illegal levies, gratification and corruption, a prostitute, a liquor seller, and all who enjoys working in unlawful sectors, when they were reminded about the shari’a rules, almost all of them would answer:

“If I left this job I’m currently working on, what would I eat? What would my wife and children have for meal? At this time, looking for a lawful income is just a dream! It is hardly enough to find unlawful job, moreover the lawful! ”

Have you ever heard about such remark? Probably you’ve heard it more often than I did. Whatever they said, you could tell them:

Who will guarantee that if you leave the bank, or the insurance company, you’ve been anti-illegal levies, gratification, and corruption, you leave the prostitution, etc, you’ll certainly starve?

Is the share of your sustenance, your wife’s and children’s sustenances, could only be obtained through usury, illegal levies, gratification, corruption, or any other unlawful ways?

If so, then how tragic your condition is. To get your share of sustenance, you should go through the threat of Hell. Even if now you are content with the facilities that you have, don’t you worry that you’ll be deserted later in the Hereafter?

Sustenance is Like the Rain

Among the wisdoms that we could take from the rain is that it is a real illustration of how Allah sends down His sustenance to us. Rain pours down little by little, unlike the waterfall. Allah has done this not because of stinginess, or worries of running out of sustenance, but it is completely for the sake of His slaves. Therefore, enjoy your life, cause the truth is, Allah has prepared enough sustenances for you.

Allah has implicitly told us about it in His verse: ,

وَلَوْ بَسَطَ اللَّهُ الرِّزْقَ لِعِبَادِهِ لَبَغَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَكِن يُنَزِّلُ بِقَدَرٍ مَّا يَشَاء

“ If Allah were to grant ample sustenance to His servants they would go about transgressing in the land. But He sends down in due measure whatever (sustenance) He wills.” (QS. As Syuura/The Consultation: 27)

You could imagine, if Allah sent down the rain as waterfall. It would certainly turn to chastisement, and not graces. It is similar with the sustenance. You’ll be devastated it Allah sent His sustenances down not in the right time. Once again I emphasize, that whatever and whenever Allah gives sustenance to you, that’s the best for your condition. This is what the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- had told his followers about, in his saying,

لا تستبطئوا الرزق ، فإنه لن يموت العبد حتى يبلغه آخر رزق هو له، فأجملوا في الطلب: أخذ الحلال، وترك الحرام

“Don’t you think that your sustenance is being late, because indeed, a slave would not die until he had enjoyed his last share of sustenance. Take a decent way in pursuing the sustenance, by taking the lawful and leaving the unlawful ones.” (Narrated by Ibn Maja, Ibn Hibban, and classed valid by Al Albani).

Hence, the way you work by removing your veil is a wrong way, since you’ll certainly expose you awrah in front of the non mahram men. Repent to Allah, and we advise you to find another place to work that is free from trials, such as at home. Moreover, women are not obliged to support the family living.

Remember, Allah is The One Who gives sustenances. Even if our hopes are not fulfilled, Allah will still take care of our sustenances.

And Allah knows best.

Answered by: Ustadz Ammi Nur Baits

One thought on “Regarding Company that Forbids Its Female Employee to Wear Veil

  1. What a joy to find such clear thgnniki. Thanks for posting!

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