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Ellen Brown
Well-Known Member
Or even having a paid driver? Actually, I think the discrimination against women is caused by Shaitan. Perhaps it is permissible if he is in the front and I am in the back?
Epic Beard Man
Bearded Philosopher
I'm no Muslim however I believe this may answer your question:
"As-salamu alaikum.
Is it halal or not for a Muslim to drive a taxi because a member of the opposite sex might be alone in the car with him which would be khulwah?
Praise be to Allaah.
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No man is ever alone with a woman (khulwah) but the Shaytaan is the third one with them.”
(Reported by Ahmad and by al-Tirmidhi in his Sunan, 2091; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 2546). Allaah says in the story of Yoosuf, peace be upon him (interpretation of the meaning): “And she, in whose house he was, sought to seduce him (to do an evil act), she closed the doors and said, ‘Come on, O you’…” [Yoosuf 12:23]
It is not permitted for a man to be alone with a woman to whom he is not related, whether this is in a house, office, clinic, elevator, car or any other place, because this may be the cause of him doing something haraam. Shaytaan is keen to tempt people and make them fall into haraam deeds. The fuqaha’ are agreed that khulwah or being alone with a woman to whom one is not related is forbidden. They said: “No man should be alone with a woman who is not his mahram (a close relative to whom marriage is forbidden) or his wife, but is a stranger to him, because the Shaytaan will whisper to them and tempt them to do something that is not permitted.
(Al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 19/267) It is not permitted for a man to be alone with a non-mahram woman even if he is teaching her Qur’aan, or to lead her in prayer if only the two of them are present. The guideline regarding khulwah is that this prohibition applies in any situation where their figures are hidden from other people (Fath al-Baari, 9/333). A taxi driver is bound to pass through empty streets or highways, and the structure of the car conceals most of the body of a person riding in it. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that a forbidden conversation will not take place, or that there will not be an agreement to do something forbidden. How many tragedies and painful stories and disasters have occurred because of a driver being alone with a female passenger! The wise sharee’ah of Islam has taken all precautions to avoid anything that may lead to wrongdoing. It is essential to completely avoid any situation where a man and woman who are not related may be alone together. A taxi driver should not accept a female passenger who is alone, except in cases of emergency such as accidents and the like. And Allaah is the Source of strength."
Source
I'm sure there are other Muslims that may answer your question with perhaps a different school of thought
"As-salamu alaikum.
Is it halal or not for a Muslim to drive a taxi because a member of the opposite sex might be alone in the car with him which would be khulwah?
Praise be to Allaah.
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No man is ever alone with a woman (khulwah) but the Shaytaan is the third one with them.”
(Reported by Ahmad and by al-Tirmidhi in his Sunan, 2091; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 2546). Allaah says in the story of Yoosuf, peace be upon him (interpretation of the meaning): “And she, in whose house he was, sought to seduce him (to do an evil act), she closed the doors and said, ‘Come on, O you’…” [Yoosuf 12:23]
It is not permitted for a man to be alone with a woman to whom he is not related, whether this is in a house, office, clinic, elevator, car or any other place, because this may be the cause of him doing something haraam. Shaytaan is keen to tempt people and make them fall into haraam deeds. The fuqaha’ are agreed that khulwah or being alone with a woman to whom one is not related is forbidden. They said: “No man should be alone with a woman who is not his mahram (a close relative to whom marriage is forbidden) or his wife, but is a stranger to him, because the Shaytaan will whisper to them and tempt them to do something that is not permitted.
(Al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 19/267) It is not permitted for a man to be alone with a non-mahram woman even if he is teaching her Qur’aan, or to lead her in prayer if only the two of them are present. The guideline regarding khulwah is that this prohibition applies in any situation where their figures are hidden from other people (Fath al-Baari, 9/333). A taxi driver is bound to pass through empty streets or highways, and the structure of the car conceals most of the body of a person riding in it. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that a forbidden conversation will not take place, or that there will not be an agreement to do something forbidden. How many tragedies and painful stories and disasters have occurred because of a driver being alone with a female passenger! The wise sharee’ah of Islam has taken all precautions to avoid anything that may lead to wrongdoing. It is essential to completely avoid any situation where a man and woman who are not related may be alone together. A taxi driver should not accept a female passenger who is alone, except in cases of emergency such as accidents and the like. And Allaah is the Source of strength."
Source
I'm sure there are other Muslims that may answer your question with perhaps a different school of thought
Epic Beard Man
Bearded Philosopher
The following shows a different opinion considering perhaps a different school of thought which considers certain criterias that one must be met.
Can a woman ride in a taxi alone with a male driver?
Answer:
Walaikum assalam,
Major contemporary scholars, including Shaykh Mustafa Zarqa (who, though a huge Hanafi faqih, was generally very lenient), have studied this issue.
Their fatwas generally state that:
Faraz Rabbani.
Source
Can a woman ride in a taxi alone with a male driver?
Answer:
Walaikum assalam,
Major contemporary scholars, including Shaykh Mustafa Zarqa (who, though a huge Hanafi faqih, was generally very lenient), have studied this issue.
Their fatwas generally state that:
- At a first look, this seems to fulfill the criteria for being considered khalwa (strange woman and man being alone together in a contained area).
- However, within the city and during day time, when there are people around, this would not be a khalwa, as others can see them, and would therefore be permitted.
- Outside the city, and at night, when people are not expected to see them, this would be a khalwa, and therefore be impermissible, unless there are others with them.
- It is best and most cautious for women to avoid getting into a taxi alone when reasonably possible, even when permissible, by making suitable arrangements.
Faraz Rabbani.
Source
I don't think it is discrimination in itself. If there are equal possibilities for women to drive taxis and they don't take men as passangers either, it's not discriminating. But it would be complicated.
Epic Beard Man
Bearded Philosopher
Why?
Epic Beard Man
Bearded Philosopher
Here is a more thorough answer from the second source:
"Question: As-Salaamu ‘Alaykum,
I am a taxi/cab driver. My only role is to take people from A to B. I mainly deal with corporate customers (lawyers/bankers, etc). However there are a few issues that are bothering me! Now that I have started practicing, Alhamdulillah, I don’t feel right in these situations and I don’t want to do this job any longer. But I would like to know the answers to the following please:
° The customers are about 50%-50% ratio of male-female. Is this permissible?
° Sometimes I get customers who are going to or coming from a bar/club and this can sometimes even include Muslims! Is this permissible?
° Sometimes customers would have alcohol and such like, as in shopping. Would the hadith about the 10 people re: alcohol apply here in the sense that I am transporting it?
° More generally, is my income from this job halal or not?
° And if it is not, does that mean there will not be any Barakah in spending this money? For example, I have recently started some Islamic Courses using the money from this job.
Brief Answers to Your Questions:
(1) As a taxi driver, it is permissible for you to take a female customer, based on the following considerations. It would not entail seclusion (khalwa) that is forbidden, as long as the streets taken have people there that can easily see inside the cab. Avoid secluded streets, and avoid doing so at night.
(2) and (3) The scenarios you mention of transporting customers to bars or clubs, or transporting customers with their alcohol or other haram products, fall under the category of indirectly assisting in sin, which according to the Hanafi school is mildly disliked (makruh tanzihan). It is not deemed directly assisting in sin, which would be unlawful.
According to Imam Abu Hanifa (Allah have mercy on him), indirectly assisting in sin is not itself prohibited or sinful, but rather disliked. This is because the actual sin is incurred by an action of one who willingly chooses the sin itself (fi’l fa’il mukhtar). This meaning is absent in indirect assistance. In his discussion of this issue, the Imam specifically used the example of carrying alcohol for a non-Muslim for a wage. [Sarakhsi, Mabsut; Kasani, Bada’i; Zayla’i, Tabyin]
The hadith you refer to is as follows: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed ten with respect to wine: the one who produces it; the one for whom it is produced; the one who drinks it; the one who carries it; the one for whom it is carried; the one who serves it; the one who sells it; the one who earns from the sale of it; the one who buys it; and the one for whom it is bought.” [Sunan Tirmidhi, Ibn Maja, Sahih Ibn Hibban. Shaykh Shu’ayb al-Arna’ut grades it as “good” (jayyid) in strength]
Our Master Abu Hanifa interpreted the category of “the one who carries it” in the hadith as referring to those who carry wine with the intention of disobeying Allah, i.e., for its consumption. Without that intention, then, one who carries alcohol would not fall under the accursed category mentioned in the hadith. [Dr. Salah Abul Hajj; Khulasat al-Kalam fi Mas’alat al-I’ana ‘ala ‘l-Haram]
Having said that, you should definitely hate such things in your heart, as hating the unlawful is an obligation. Try your best to avoid such situations, using pragmatic caution and reasoned judgment.
(4) and (5) Based on the Hanafi position, your income is inshaAllah completely halal and, as such, there will be baraka in your spending of it, especially for good causes like seeking Sacred Knowledge, and especially when coupled with a noble, lofty intention of seeking nothing but the good pleasure of Allah Most High.
Source
Some Useful Links
Please see the following answers as well for more info on the issue of assisting in sin according to the Hanafi school.
Can I Work at a Supermarket Checkout That Sells Pork and Alcohol? – SeekersGuidance
A Beautician With Non-Hijab Clients: Am I Accountable When They Go Out Uncovered? – SeekersGuidance
And Allah alone gives success.
wassalam
"Question: As-Salaamu ‘Alaykum,
I am a taxi/cab driver. My only role is to take people from A to B. I mainly deal with corporate customers (lawyers/bankers, etc). However there are a few issues that are bothering me! Now that I have started practicing, Alhamdulillah, I don’t feel right in these situations and I don’t want to do this job any longer. But I would like to know the answers to the following please:
° The customers are about 50%-50% ratio of male-female. Is this permissible?
° Sometimes I get customers who are going to or coming from a bar/club and this can sometimes even include Muslims! Is this permissible?
° Sometimes customers would have alcohol and such like, as in shopping. Would the hadith about the 10 people re: alcohol apply here in the sense that I am transporting it?
° More generally, is my income from this job halal or not?
° And if it is not, does that mean there will not be any Barakah in spending this money? For example, I have recently started some Islamic Courses using the money from this job.
Brief Answers to Your Questions:
(1) As a taxi driver, it is permissible for you to take a female customer, based on the following considerations. It would not entail seclusion (khalwa) that is forbidden, as long as the streets taken have people there that can easily see inside the cab. Avoid secluded streets, and avoid doing so at night.
(2) and (3) The scenarios you mention of transporting customers to bars or clubs, or transporting customers with their alcohol or other haram products, fall under the category of indirectly assisting in sin, which according to the Hanafi school is mildly disliked (makruh tanzihan). It is not deemed directly assisting in sin, which would be unlawful.
According to Imam Abu Hanifa (Allah have mercy on him), indirectly assisting in sin is not itself prohibited or sinful, but rather disliked. This is because the actual sin is incurred by an action of one who willingly chooses the sin itself (fi’l fa’il mukhtar). This meaning is absent in indirect assistance. In his discussion of this issue, the Imam specifically used the example of carrying alcohol for a non-Muslim for a wage. [Sarakhsi, Mabsut; Kasani, Bada’i; Zayla’i, Tabyin]
The hadith you refer to is as follows: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed ten with respect to wine: the one who produces it; the one for whom it is produced; the one who drinks it; the one who carries it; the one for whom it is carried; the one who serves it; the one who sells it; the one who earns from the sale of it; the one who buys it; and the one for whom it is bought.” [Sunan Tirmidhi, Ibn Maja, Sahih Ibn Hibban. Shaykh Shu’ayb al-Arna’ut grades it as “good” (jayyid) in strength]
Our Master Abu Hanifa interpreted the category of “the one who carries it” in the hadith as referring to those who carry wine with the intention of disobeying Allah, i.e., for its consumption. Without that intention, then, one who carries alcohol would not fall under the accursed category mentioned in the hadith. [Dr. Salah Abul Hajj; Khulasat al-Kalam fi Mas’alat al-I’ana ‘ala ‘l-Haram]
Having said that, you should definitely hate such things in your heart, as hating the unlawful is an obligation. Try your best to avoid such situations, using pragmatic caution and reasoned judgment.
(4) and (5) Based on the Hanafi position, your income is inshaAllah completely halal and, as such, there will be baraka in your spending of it, especially for good causes like seeking Sacred Knowledge, and especially when coupled with a noble, lofty intention of seeking nothing but the good pleasure of Allah Most High.
Source
Some Useful Links
Please see the following answers as well for more info on the issue of assisting in sin according to the Hanafi school.
Can I Work at a Supermarket Checkout That Sells Pork and Alcohol? – SeekersGuidance
A Beautician With Non-Hijab Clients: Am I Accountable When They Go Out Uncovered? – SeekersGuidance
And Allah alone gives success.
wassalam
Because they have views that contradict the Qur'an, such as that niqab is obligatory.
Epic Beard Man
Bearded Philosopher
I see
Ellen Brown
Well-Known Member
As to Niqab, I have tried it but found wearing one to be too fussy, and I would not drive a car if I wore one. I agree that it is not a requirement of the Quran. Still, I have spoken with other women that wear one at times. One said it was a way of getting some privacy. I live in Portland, Oregon, a town with three large universities, so there is a steady stream of international students. Many are from Gulf States, and when the women arrive, it takes them a while to adapt to Americans.
In the daytime, most men will look at women, but are not a real danger and many are protective of women. I've had men help me twice, recently, when I had trouble with my bike. It was quite nice.
Many Muslims will say that women are not to ride bikes, but they are such a time saver. Many places in the city, I can get to on my bike as fast as a car, and they are much easier to park.
