The purpose of this document is to give a Shariah perspective on the issue of women looking at and being taught by a male teacher while the male does not have a view of the sisters he is teaching, a set-up in which possible voice dialogue is not obstructed between the sisters and the teacher. How this would work is by standing a partition of reflective glass, also known as a two-way mirror, which would separate the teacher from the students. The glass would be of a size not less then half the width of the classroom, (the rest of the classroom being partitioned with normal cloth) and also of a reasonable height. Four feet by six feet was determined to be economically feasible while being adequate for the purpose of this set-up. This is the most expensive glass available and costs around $500 for a sheet with the above dimensions. When attached to a frame and supplemented with the ideal light ratio, this set-up will allow the students to benefit from the visual aspect of an innovative teaching methodology, while at the same time being 100% within the dictates of the sacred Shariah.
The reason why such a set-up, wherein women can see the male teacher and he can not see them, is necessary at all is At-Tirmidhi relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, prohibited men from entering upon women in gatherings where male relatives are not present. When asked why, He (SAW) said: Satan runs through your bodies like blood. They asked, even you. He said, even me, but Allah gives me assistance. Therefore, I am protected.
The permissibility of women looking at foreign men in a general setting is well known amongst the four schools of classic Fiqh.
The great Muhaddith and well known Hanafi Faqih, Mulla Ali Qari comments in his work on the Mishkaatul Masaabih of Khateeb at-Tabrizi:
The more sound position is that it is permissible for a woman to look without desire at a man in what pertains to his body above the navel or below the knee, and this hadith (in which the Messenger (SAW) commanded his wives to veil from a blind companion) relates to piety and godliness
This interpretation of the above hadith was made in order to reconcile it with the saying of Sayidah Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her; I would look towards the Abyssinians playing with spears in the masjid of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
As-Suyuti says:
This incident was in the year the Abyssinians came to al-Madinah i.e. the seventh year of hijrah, and at that time Aishah (RDA) was a woman of 16 years and the verses commanding hijaab had already been revealed.
Therefore, it is our understanding that women may look at men as described above whereas men can not do so except in circumstances of dire necessity.
And Allah alone knows best!
Yusuf Mullan
info@shariahprogram.ca
© 2003
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