Women taking jobs requiring uncovering of her face

27-4-2003 | IslamWeb

Question:

Can women work as a News reader, journalist, TV advertisements, lecturer, etc. and uncover her face while holding these jobs?

---

Answer:

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

No doubt that visual media presents some benefits and positive aspects as it contains negative ones and disadvantages. Working in the field of negatives and disadvantages is equally forbidden for men and women because working in such a field constitutes a cooperation in sin and transgression. Moreover, it comes under spreading the evil and obscenity among Muslims if one works in the field of films, singing, etc. However, it is permissible for men to work in beneficial fields taking into consideration the rulings of Shariah.
We would like to draw your attention to the ruling of Allah that Says: (interpretation of meaning): {…"And the male is not like the female, …} [3: 36]. A woman is totally different from a man; she is different in her body, features, appearance and in her body functions. She faces monthly period, pregnancy, etc. All the above matters demand her to act in accordance with her nature.
Know that the most important job a woman has to take care of is her home. The job of motherhood, taking care of the family and home is, in fact, among the most important and greatest jobs. It is a great mistake to see it as easy or to degrade it.
Actually, a woman is the basic pillar of a family and the safety of a family can be assured if a woman understands her basic job and remains true to it.
On the other hand, if a woman neglects her natural and important job and leaves her home to work in the fields that do not suit her nature, she will destroy rather than build. What possible benefits could she accomplish if she destroys her own home to build for others?
The point we wish to make is that a woman has work peculiar to her nature just as a man has work peculiar to his.
Therefore, a woman is not allowed to work in visual media as a newsreader, program presenter, etc. because such a work leads to great harms. For example, a woman will do her best to tone her voice and make her appearance attractive to the spectators. In addition, more likely, she will stay in seclusion with men in the recording room or presenting room, or the like. So, all Muslims should try their best to block this door totally, or at least try to stop it according to their ability. A man can easily do this kind of job, and it suits him.
Note that many media persons use women only to attract the public, otherwise the personality of a woman cannot add anything to the program or the news itself.
Allah knows best.