As someone who is a full-time mom, housewife and muslimah who has a passion for her religion and seeking Islamic knowledge, I definitely have my hands full on a day-to-day basis. Recently, I’ve come across a dilemma.
I’m also an entrepreneur who has a start-up business since a year which allows me to work from home, gives me flexibility, and entrepreneurism is something I am really enthusiastic about. My business has become an opportunity for me to learn so much and grow as a person.
While I love the challenges, struggles and joys that come with running a business, I am also torn with a question: is this the right thing for me in my Deen?
Here are some of the issues that come to my mind.
What does Islam say?
Does Islam allow women to work?
This is naturally the first concern that comes to mind. From my research, I haven’t been able to find a single hadith or ayah in the Quran that states it is strictly forbidden.
Do Muslim husbands allow their wives to work?
A woman has to obey her husband and try to make him happy, except if he is asking her to do something that is against Islam (for instance if he tells her not to pray her Salah). Just a note that this is not anti-feminist but a simple ingredient to happy marriage and works the other way for a husband too. So if a husband is displeased with his wife working, and there is no financial need for her to work, she should respect her husbands wishes. In this case (alhamdulilah) my husband has always been supportive.
Have there been women in Islam who worked/ran a business?
What I find fascinating is that the Prophet met his first wife, Khadijah, while he was working for her, and she was known to be a successful businesswoman. There is nothing that indicates she stopped running her business after her marriage and children, and if being a businesswoman was a distasteful trait, the Prophet would not have considered her to be marriage-material.
So, what are my concerns?
Hadith about Signs of the Last Day
There is a hadith that one of the minor signs of the Day of Judgement is that “A woman will enter the workforce out of love for this world. [Ahmad]“.
From what I have understood, this addressees a woman has no financial need to do a job but chooses to work to afford expensive unnecessary luxuries (Gucci bags, anyone?). Sadly, this is the state for many women I see nowadays, who will choose to have careers and not have children, due to the financial strain children can cause, and they are unwilling to give up their luxurious lifestyle and go down to a single income.
Best use of time
One of my favourite modern-day Islamic scholars, Hamza Yusuf, was asked about how he manages to read so many books and give so many Islamic talks, run an Islamic university and have a family life, and his reply was that he is very aware of how he uses his time.
The thought struck me then, that working even a few hours of the day on my business, are a few hours that could have been spent for Islam. I could have read the Quran, prayed extra Salah, read Islamic books or worked on my website and Quran videos.
I heard in a lecture (but I have forgotten the source) that it was said that the first Muslims and scholars were more vigilant about their time than most people are about their dinars and dirhams (money).
Another point I have heard (here I go again with my horrible memory on the source) is that on the Day of Judgement, people will beg Allah to be allowed to go back to dunya (world) so they can have even a moment to worship Allah and use their time better.
A hadith to keep in mind:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are two blessings which many people do not make the most of and thus lose out: good health and free time.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6412.
Muslimah modern-day entrepreneurs
I do highly encourage all fellow sisters out there who have an idea and a passion for a business to run with it and see what they are capable of. It’s better they spend their free time in a productive way than with idle chat and gossip that I see so many sisters engaging in. Most times, I feel like it’s because they have nothing productive to do in their free time so they occupy their mind with these futile thoughts.
Ultimately, I see life as being one big balancing act. As Muslim women, we know that our religion and family comes first, and we manage to fit in the housework, time for friends and some alone time too! If after all this a Muslimah feels she can run a business as well, I think she should go for it. I’ve seen so many Muslimah entrepreneurs nowadays and I find it highly motivating and important to show modern society, to show that a Muslim woman is capable of wearing many hats, and can be intelligent and modest too.
Conclusion
I started my post with three adjectives: A Muslimah, an entrepreneur, a mom: and I can conclude that certainly these can be used in the same sentence. Our Prophets beloved wife Khadijah was all of those, and infact one of the best Muslimahs. Whether I pursue a business or not remains to be seen, but inshaAllah may Allah guide us all towards what is best for us.
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