What is the ruling on a woman working in house cleaning in America?

It is not permissible for a Muslim to work in cleaning the homes of disbelievers, nor in similar personal service jobs for a disbeliever, because it involves the humiliation of a Muslim. Imam Ahmad explicitly stated that if a Muslim hires himself out to a dhimmi for his service, it is not permissible. However, it is permissible for him to hire himself out to a disbeliever for a specific task such as tailoring or construction, just as jurists have agreed on the permissibility of a disbeliever serving a Muslim. Jurists differed on the ruling of a Muslim serving a disbeliever:

- The Hanafis held it permissible with karahah (dislikeness), because a Muslim serving a disbeliever is a form of humiliation for him. - The Malikis detailed the ruling into four categories: permissible, disliked, prohibited, and forbidden, depending on the type of work and its location. - The Shafi'is and Hanbalis (in the correct narration) held that it is forbidden for a Muslim to directly serve a disbeliever, or to engage in work that involves the confinement of a Muslim by a disbeliever and his humiliation.

Accordingly, it is not permissible for a Muslim woman to work in cleaning the homes of disbelievers. Her work in cleaning the homes of Muslims is permissible, provided it does not lead to forbidden mixing with men or the display of her adornment before them.