Why do we speak about the unemployment of women?

It is not strange to speak about the unemployment of men and about the percentage of the unemployed, for it is a problem which its causes should be studied and practical solutions should be put for it. However, it is strange to speak about women unemployment, does the general rule say that women should have jobs like men?

Should they leave their houses for work?

Is it a defect that they sit in their homes to care for their husbands and rear their children?

Does it mean that they do nothing at homes?

They do the greatest work because rearing is not something easy, especially in our time in which corruption prevailed and seditions increased.

Why do you seek to get them out of their homes?

A woman has the right to enjoy staying home and frequent coming out and dealing with men contain evils and prohibited matters that are not hidden.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "I have not left after me a turmoil for the people more harmful than the harm done to men by women." [Authentic as graded by Al Albany in Sahih At-Tirmidhy: 2780].

We do not deny that there are women need to work to lead an honorable life because she cannot find anyone to spend on her however this is strange for the Muslim society and the general rule is: It guarantees expenditure for every woman, but Allah is the one sought for help!

On the other side, we see women occupy some jobs which they should leave them for men. Young people could no longer marry because they are incapable of supporting a family, is not it a shortage in the balance.

Men and woman are created to construct the universe and every person works in his place and in the field for which he was created.

So, it is not permissible to mix the roles: Men work outside the house, and this is their nature for which they were created and they are charged to support their families. As for women, they work inside the house and exert efforts in rearing their children, and this is their prime job.

In addition to their prime job, they contribute in the pious and righteous work as well as teaching other women their religion.

Many women have high vigor in many venerable works; so are those women idle?

Women can benefit their nation except if they have a job.

How many working women who harm their nation more than benefit! So, job is not the standard for benefit and achievement.

We do not want to put women in improper place that is not fit for their feminity and shyness; we need them doctors, nurses, and teachers who can teach other girls their religious and worldly matters.

We need them educators and instructors, so why do you want to put them in improper jobs?

Sayyid Qutb said: "Home is the proper place for women in which they find their realities as meant by Allah (may He be Exalted) not distorted, deviated, contaminated and not humiliated in a job which they were not created for. However, Islam prepares the house from inside and prepares the care for offspring, as it ordained a man to support his family and made it obligatory so as a mother can have enough effort, time, and tranquility to take care for her children. A mother who is troubled by work and working hours cannot accommodate the proper atmosphere for her children and cannot give them their full rights.

The meaning of home is created by women and their touch. A working woman will be unable to spread joy and life inside the house but will spread tiredness and boredom inside it.

The job of women is catastrophic for the house and has dangerous effects on children, but in some cases work is essential when they have no one to support them.

However, the problem is: Women go to work while they do not need to go, this is the problem and the great evil.

Women at the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to go out for Salah without any barrier because it was the time of chastity and women used to go covering their entire bodies and nothing of their adornments are seen, however `A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) disliked that women go out after the desmise of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

It was reported in Sahih Al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim that `A'ishah said: "Had Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) known what the women were doing, he would have forbidden them from going to the mosque as the women of Banu Israel had been forbidden."

What was innovated in the time of `A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her)? What could they innovate so as the Prophet (peace be upon him) would have forbidden them from going to perform Salah in the masjid? What were these new events in compare to what we see these days?

Matters became confusing, roles were mixed, and man and woman could no longer know their rights and their duties, so may Allah bestow mercy on us and we seek refuge with Allah against the bad end! Amen.

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.