Why should a woman ask her husband’s permission?

- Regarding women’s rights. Married women need to get permission from their husbands to work. I know that there is no such permission to get for unmarried women.
- There is no hadith or verse in our religion that prevents women from working and receiving education. However, for example, does saying that a married woman takes permission from her husband mean that unmarried women also need permission from their guardians?
- You wrote in a fatwa that a woman needs permission from her father. Are these rights not actually restricted in that case? Is it not a contradiction to say that there is no religious obstacle?
- I cannot understand this issue by any means; it seems contradictory. Even if women are of age or have reached puberty, do they always need permission from their parents in terms of the use of these rights according to our religion?
- I know that if they are of age in terms of financial rights, they can decide for themselves. Why is there a restriction on education and work?
- Can anything be done lest parents should harm their daughters with these rights?
- There are many women and girls who are harmed just because religion allows it, without their benefit.

Dear Brother / Sister,

According to Islam, girls and women are not obliged to work for a living; it is the duty of their husbands and their male relatives, beginning from the closest ones to the distant ones, to provide for them what they need.

However, women’s need to work is not only due to economic necessity; there are other reasons, especially psychological ones.

If a woman’s working does not lead to an illegitimate situation, we do not have any evidence (Quranic verse, hadith) to prevent her from working.

According to Islam, things and deeds are considered halal and permissible unless there is evidence that prohibits them.

As for family life:

The family must have a responsible person, a head so that the family life will continue in a healthy way. The issue of who should be responsible for and the head of this family state includes four possibilities:

a) No head in the house. 

In that case, there will be anarchy.

b) Two heads in the house.

In that case, the peace of the house will be disturbed and there will always be a quarrel.

c) The head of the house is the woman.

The history of humanity and the family of humanity have witnessed that it is difficult for women to establish authority related to the issues such as strength, fortitude, and being obeyed, which are the main features of being the head since they are mothers who are heroes of compassion.

d) The head of the house is the man. 

In that case, the peace and happiness of the family will be ensured because if there is no head, no chief who is obeyed in a house, anarchy will prevail in that family. It is a reality everyone knows that such a respected head can be only from men in general. It is clear that children - at a rate of over ninety percent - are afraid of their father rather than their mother, and that they obey the father more.

So, being the head of the house does not mean being superior; it means being in a position to provide peace and security and livelihood of the family.

In that case, it is reasonable and wise that those living in the family state should seek permission from the person responsible for the family.

Questions on Islam