Academics, lawyers reject fatwa allowing Saudi women to work as maids

By MUHAMMAD AL-SULAMI | ARAB NEWS

JEDDAH: Saudi academics and lawyers have rejected the fatwa of legal adviser Saleh bin Saad Al-Laheedan allowing Saudi women to work as maids, saying such work is humiliating for them.

They said Saudi people in general opposed the idea when Labor Minister Ghazi Al-Gosaibi issued a decision two years ago allowing Saudi women to work as house managers and servants.

Speaking to Islamonline.net, Suhaila Zainul Abideen, a member of the National Society for Human Rights, expressed her surprise at Al-Laheedan’s fatwa or religious edict. She strongly opposed the idea of Saudi women working as maids.

She said the state is responsible for taking care of women if they are in need of financial assistance. “Where is social insurance?” she asked. She also wondered why scholars were not applying the principle of preventing the reason (Sadd Al-Dharai) in this issue in the same way that it is applied in other issues such as women driving and mingling with the opposite sex.

Sheikh Al-Laheedan said it is permissible for Saudi women to work as maids if they cannot find other jobs, if they are over 50 and accompanied by a mehram (a close male relative). Suhaila asked whether any family would allow their womenfolk to work along with their mehrams.

Suhaila urged the concerned authorities to take up the matter with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, who she said is sure would not accept the humiliation of Saudi women. She said Al-Laheedan should have instead asked the authorities to make monthly payments to poor Saudi women.

Fahd Al-Johani, dean of students affairs at Taif University, opposed the idea, saying working as maids would force women to violate certain Islamic principles. He said Al-Laheedan should have considered the present condition of maids before giving his fatwa.

Ibrahim Al-Saqhabi, a Saudi, said it is shameful for the ministry and Al-Laheedan to allow Saudi women to work as maids. “Saudi Arabia has the financial ability to support its poor women by paying them monthly salaries, instead of allowing them to work as maids,” he said.

Comments

FAROOK AMIN

Report abuse
I was surprised on the contents of this news. I wonder what kind of Islam is being practised in Saudi Arabia. If an Egyptian, Indonesian or a Bengla Deshi woman can be a house maid in Saudi Arabia which are in hundred thousands in deed, then why a Saudi woman can not be a house maid. A Saudi female house maid will return to her home after work whereas the poor non-Saudi house maid have to live in the same house for months and years.

You call Israel a racist state. Are you Saudis are not racist?

AISHA C.

Report abuse
I support the sheik's ruling that allows a Saudi lady to work as a maid. The prophet (saw) said the solution to poverty is to work. Working as a house maid is not demeaning if someones needs or perfer this kind of work and is in need of money. It is better than begging, stealing or earning money in a non halal ways. There are many single family homes ru\n by women whereby there is no need for a mahran. Besides, If a Saudi lady needs a mahran, then all other muslim maids need a mahran too. A Muslimah is a Muslimah no matter of the race or color. In addition it would teach Saudi ladies become more responsible in their own homes and understand the daily demanding work that house maid are subjected to do.

NOURA MANSOURI

Report abuse
Such an argument could reflect a racist mentality, are current maids not Muslim? Are they also not humiliated? The fatwa is to "allow' whoever needs to work and did not force Saudi women to work. I think it is important to keep the option open and let her decide. I also think it is about time to 'systemize' and institutionalize the whole house-maids / drivers sector -- to reduce injustice being practiced by Saudis (especially women) inside the houses. What goes around comes around. Having said that, I am also for advancing our 'social security' services and offering services for women especially the elderly and disadvantaged.

SOHAIL

Report abuse
And I thought there is nothing wrong in earning a living no matter what the job is if its earned through hard work and honesty. What's so humilating about working as a house maid. And if it is humilating than you Saudis should be ashamed of hiring thousands of maids from India, Indonesia and so on. Are you ever going to learn that no job is humialting and embarassing as long as you are earning your money through honesty and is halal. Make sense?

AHMAD

Report abuse
This is just not understandable - Non Saudi women including many of them Muslims work as maids in the Kingdom. Now Saudi has oil, in some time, it may not have enough - why should these women ask for State's aid? If they are capable of working they should themselves work. Even in many of the western countries everyone is given aid to the point they can restart working and not sitting idle on state's expense.
Post your comment

required

required (email will never be displayed)

Please enter the following characters in the box provided (case sensitive). This helps us prevent automated programs from creating accounts and sending spam.

All comments are subject to approval

Terms and conditions

Latest comments