Dentist job of my wife
Assalamu alaikum. I am an engineer and my wife is a housewife who has a bachelor’s degree in dental sergery. I can afford my family expenditure from my salary anyhow, but not luxurily like other engineers whose wife also does a job. My wife wants to do a job (wearing hijab and niqab) to support the family, to earn some money for her own and to serve the people. My question is that, if she provides dental treatment to male patients wearing hand gloves (in presence of another female or mahram male assistant in her chamber what she wants to establish) then is it permissible? Besides, she wants to teach in a dental college in general subjects wearing hijab and niqab (to both male and female students). Is it permissible in Islam?
Answer
Wa ʿAlaykumus Salām Wa Raḥmatullāhi Wa Barakātuh,
In terms of dentistry, the ideal would be for her to refer all male patients to male doctors unless in the event of an emergency or where there is no competent male doctor available, in which case the laws of Ḥijāb should be upheld and unnecessary talk should be avoided.
In terms of lecturing in a dental college, even though she may adhere to the laws of Ḥijāb, she should refrain from such, and the following has also been said in respect to those female teachers who might be faced with various challenges in a college/university environment when it comes to their male students:
“The faith of a believer demands that she does not put herself in a situation where committing sin is highly probable just as intellect demands that a person not put herself in a situation where physical harm is highly probable. Would any sensible person throw herself in a blaze hoping that she will not get burnt?