Is it permissible for a Muslim to work as a servant for a non-Muslim?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
It is not permissible for a Muslim to work permanently as an employee for a non-Muslim, due to the humiliation it entails for the Muslim, unless the work is specific and does not involve humiliation, such as tailoring a garment or building a house; this is permissible. Evidence for its permissibility includes the fact that Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) hired himself out to a Jew to draw water for him, receiving a date for each bucket. Also, a man from the Ansar irrigated palm trees for a Jew in exchange for dates. Both hadiths were narrated by Ibn Majah in his Sunan.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/30695
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 30695
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy