Praise be to Allah, Alone. May peace and blessings be upon His Honest Messenger, his family, and his Companions!
All the implicit and explicit calls to women's engagement in men's work, which leads to free intermixing (of men and women) under the pretext that it is urgently needed and a civilized aspect, is a grave matter that results in fatal consequences. It goes against the Shari`ah texts which order women to stay at their houses and carry out their domestic duties.
Whoever wants to know the innumerable evil consequences of free intermixing can unbiasedly and impartially observe the societies inflicted with this grave affliction. It is easy to find people expressing their disapproval and grief at women leaving home and family breakup. This is apparent in writings and in the media, as this is the reason behind the destruction of society.
There are many reliable proofs that prohibit being alone with and looking at an Ajnabiyyah (woman lawful for the man to marry) and the prohibition of the means that lead to committing what Allah has prohibited. All these indications prove the prohibition of mixing between the two sexes as this leads to evil consequences.
Letting a woman leave her house; her kingdom and proper place, is against her Fitrah (natural disposition) and nature created by Allah.
Calling women to engage in men's work has dangerous effects on the Islamic society. Among these dangerous effects is the free intermixing (of men and women), which is considered one of the greatest means to adultery that destroys morals and values of society.
Allah (Exalted be He) created women with a physique completely different from men, so that women will be able to carry out domestic affairs as well as other feminine duties.
When a woman engages in men's work, this is considered against her physique and nature. It is a grave crime against women, for it destroys her character. The effect continues to her children, as they loose love and compassion. This is because it is the role of a mother who is dismissed from her kingdom where she cannot find rest, stability, and tranquility except there. The reality of these societies is the best example.
Islam entrusted the two spouses with different duties and each has to undertake one's responsibilities to help build society both inside and outside home.
A man's role is to earn livelihood and support his family financially while a woman's role is to raise and love children and show compassion toward them. This is in addition to nursing, breastfeeding, teaching children, administrating women's schools, treating women medically, as well as other duties proper for women.
Abandoning the domestic duties destroys the whole family and, eventually, society becomes an empty form.
Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allâh has made one of them to excel the other, and because they spend (to support them) from their means.
It is Allah's law upon His creation that guardianship is for the man
who supports her financially as mentioned in the previous Ayah. Allah has ordered women to stay in their houses and forbidden them from free intermixing with Ajanib (men lawful for the woman to marry) in the same place, such as in work, markets, trips, and traveling. Women's engagement in men's work will lead to committing what Allah has prohibited and disobeying Allah's orders and neglecting the legal duties a Muslim woman has to perform.
Free intermixing of men and women and its means are prohibited by the Qur'an and the Sunnah. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says,
And stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves like that of the times of ignorance, and perform AsSalât (IqamâtasSalât), and give Zakât and obey Allâh and His Messenger. Allâh wishes only to remove ArRijs (evil deeds and sins) from you, O members of the family (of the Prophet ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ), and to purify you with a thorough purification. And remember (O you the members of the Prophet's family, the Graces of your Lord), that which is recited in your houses of the Verses of Allâh and AlHikmah (i.e. Prophet's Sunnah legal ways, so give your thanks to Allâh and glorify His Praises for this Qur'ân and the Sunnah ). Verily, Allâh is Ever Most Courteous, WellAcquainted with all things.
Allah has ordered the Mothers of the Believers (the Prophet's wives may Allah be pleased with them) and all the Muslim believing women to stay in their houses to protect and keep them away from the means of evil. When a woman leaves her house without necessity, this might lead to Tabarruj (women dressed immodestly in violation of the Islamic dress code) in addition to other evils. Allah has ordered women to perform good deeds such as