The Sunni Barelvi Markaz of Dargah Ala Hazrat’s Mufti Mohammed Saleem Noori has passed a fatwa saying that Muslim women can run their own business with full Hijab. There is, however, a hitch that they can only run those businesses in which their interaction is limited to only women.
The fatwa came after Zaima Shaikh, from UK, on June 22, asked the body whether women from the community are allowed to run their own business.
“Shaikhs have expressed fatwa saying that first wife of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), Hazrat Khadeeja(RA), was the biggest entrepreneur in Mecca. She used to deal in foodgrain and send her products to other countries with the help of a mediator,” said Mufti, who passed the fatwa.
However, the directive mentions certain conditions in Islam. Accordingly, Muslim women should enter only into such businesses which have no effect on their Hijab. “Women should run businesses in which they have to interact with women only or appoint a mediator for communicating with male customers”, he said.
“If they are involved in a trade in which women have to deal with men, women should appoint a mediator (a family member in whose presence there is no need to do purdah). It also said that women should not enter into any unfair dealing while managing their business that creates trouble for them.
The mediator should interact or deal on behalf of businesswoman with her male clients,” said Noori. The fatwa also mentioned that women should stay away from business which are “unethical and are related to pig and alcohol.”