Question

Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh,

I would like to ask you regarding a job offered to me but my father refused it from the point of view that this society is corrupt, and that his duty as a father is to keep his daughter away from malicious issues that are circulated within some members of the community.

As for the context of the work, I will work as a guide and paramedic to children at the age of nine. The guidance will be for Jerusalem; its gates, mosques and everything related to it. I will be working with a female colleague. My father however, told me that this work will not be limited to my personal work with this colleague, and that matters will evolve to other undesired embranchments. To my knowledge, and as it was given to me that I will be dealing with this colleague, but my father insists to reject this work as much as my insistence to engage in this experience. He told me that any such action is unacceptable before the establishment of the Khilafah "Caliphate" state and the presence of a shepherd protecting his citizens, what is your opinion?

Answer

Wa Alaikum Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh,

The priority for you is to obey your father who loves for you serenity and purity. Your work as a guide to children for Jerusalem, if it is limited to this, is Mubah (permissible). But the institute that you will work with may not be limited to work with children, it is likely to request subsequent activities which involve mingling of men and women or so; and apparently this is what your father fears. After all, you with no doubt know that the Sahabah, may Allah be pleased with them, men and women, refrained from certain types of Mubah that bordered the Haram (forbidden) so as not to fall into Haram.

In conclusion: Discuss the issue with your father; if he becomes convinced that this work is not mixed with dust from the haram and he becomes reassured that the institute, which you would like to work with, will commit to be free of mixing of men and women, and the work is limited to instruct children. If he is reassured, than that is good. However, if he does not agree with you, than obey him. Even if that work is a pure permissible work, and your father does not want you to work in that job, then you should obey him and you will have the reward. Allah, the Almighty has coupled worshiping Him with kindness to parents, and as part of being kind to them is to obey them in what is good. He (swt) says:

(وَقَضَى رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِنْدَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُلْ لَهُمَا أُفٍّ وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُلْ لَهُمَا قَوْلًا كَرِيمًا)

"And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment" ]Al-Isra: 23[

And as directed by Ahmad in his Musnad, that Abdullah bin Amr said: My father had complained to the Messenger of Allah (saw) about me. So he (saw) said: «أَطِعْ أَبَاكَ مَا دَامَ حَيًّا، وَلَا تَعْصِهِ»

"Obey your father as long as he is alive, and do not disobey him."

Your brother,
Ata Bin Khalil Abu Al-Rashtah

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