Domestic Workers

First Khutbah All praise is due to Allah, the Most Great, the Most High, who exalted the value of work and safeguarded the rights of workers. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that our Prophet Muhammad is the servant of Allah and His Messenger. O Allah, send Your prayers, peace, and blessings upon him, upon his family, his Companions altogether, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment. To proceed: I advise you, O servants of Allah, and myself, to fear Allah, your Lord, and to treat others with kindness and good conduct. Allah the Exalted says: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلْتَنْظُرْ نَفْسٌ مَا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ﴾ O you who believe, fear Allah, and let every soul consider what it has sent forth for tomorrow. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is fully aware of what you do.  (Al-Hashr: 18) O believers: Allah the Exalted has made people differ in their provisions and vary in their abilities so that they may complement one another and benefit one another, whereby their livelihoods are maintained, their lives are made easier, and their interests are fulfilled. Allah the Most High says: ﴿نَحْنُ قَسَمْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ مَعِيشَتَهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَرَفَعْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَاتٍ لِيَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا سُخْرِيًّا﴾ “We have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of this world, and We have raised some of them above others in ranks so that some may employ others in service.” (Az-Zukhruf 32) Meaning: that people serve one another through different kinds of work, because each person is in need of the other. Among the blessings that Allah has bestowed upon families is the provision of domestic workers who assist them with the burdens of their homes and the management of their household affairs. And this is a great blessing that calls upon us to give thanks for it. Allah the Exalted says: ﴿لَئِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ﴾ If you are grateful, I will surely increase you. (Ibrahim: 7) Part of showing gratitude for the blessing of domestic workers is to treat them kindly: with sincere supplication that comforts their hearts, and with kind words that bring ease to their souls. For the Prophet ﷺ said: «مَنْ لَمْ يَشْكُرِ النَّاسَ لَمْ يَشْكُرِ اللهَ» “Whoever does not thank people has not thanked Allah.”(Al-Tirmidhi) It is also our duty to preserve their dignity and to treat them well, regardless of their religion or country of origin. They carry with us part of the burdens of our daily lives, and they have left behind their families and homelands seeking lawful sustenance that fulfills their needs and assists them in their livelihood. Showing kindness to them is from the qualities of the noble, showing compassion toward them is from the character of the merciful, and making them feel that they are among their own family is from the traits of the wise. So let us treat them as the Prophet ﷺ said: «إِخْوَانُكُمْ خَوَلُكُمْ، جَعَلَهُمُ اللَّهُ تَحْتَ أَيْدِيكُمْ، فَمَنْ كَانَ أَخُوهُ تَحْتَ يَدِهِ فَلْيُطْعِمْهُ مِمَّا يَأْكُلُ، وَلْيُلْبِسْهُ مِمَّا يَلْبَسُ» “Your servants are your brothers whom Allah has placed under your authority. So whoever has his brother under his authority should feed him from what he eats and clothe him from what he wears.” (Agreed upon) Meaning that these workers who assist us are like brothers and sisters to us. We should provide them with sufficient food, clean clothing, suitable accommodation, healthcare, and medical treatment. And part of treating them well is that we do not burden them beyond their capacity, nor exhaust them with tasks they are unable to carry out on their own. For the Prophet ﷺ said: «وَلَا تُكَلِّفُوهُمْ مَا يَغْلِبُهُمْ، فَإِنْ كَلَّفْتُمُوهُمْ فَأَعِينُوهُمْ» “Do not burden them with what overpowers them; and if you do burden them, then help them.” (Agreed upon) Nor should we place upon them the responsibility of raising our children, for nurturing our children upon our values and principles is our own responsibility. It is also our duty to acquaint domestic workers with the manners and etiquette of the household, including the importance of respecting privacy, honoring the members of the home, and dealing kindly with both the young and the old. We should make their rights clear to them, give them their due wages, and not delay their salaries. Allah the Exalted says in the Hadith Qudsi: «ثَلَاثَةٌ أَنَا خَصْمُهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ»، “There are three whose opponent I shall be on the Day of Resurrection,” and among them he mentioned:  «رَجُلٌ اسْتَأْجَرَ أَجِيرًا فَاسْتَوْفَى مِنْهُ وَلَمْ يُعْطِهِ أَجْرَهُ» “A man who hired a worker, benefited fully from his labor, and then did not give him his wages.”( Al-Bukhari) O servants of Allah: whoever wishes to employ domestic workers should base the matter upon clarity, proper documentation, and clearly defined duties and conditions. One should explain to the worker the tasks and responsibilities expected of them, as well as the trusts they are required to safeguard. They should be informed that the children are a trust, the secrets of the household are a trust, and the property of the home is a trust. Therefore, the worker must preserve these trusts and not neglect them. Allah the Exalted says: ﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تُؤَدُّوا الأَمَانَاتِ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا﴾ Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due. (An-Nisa’: 58) The worker should also carry out their duties with excellence and professionalism, in accordance with the saying of the Prophet ﷺ: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ إِذَا عَمِلَ أَحَدُكُمْ عَمَلًا أَنْ يُتْقِنَهُ» “Indeed, Allah loves that when one of you performs a task,  he perfects it.” (Al-Bayhaqi) They should fulfill their responsibilities completely, without deceit or dishonesty. The Prophet ﷺ said: «مَنْ غَشَّنَا فَلَيْسَ مِنَّا» “Whoever deceives us is not one of us.”(Muslim) It is also the worker’s duty to recognize the sanctity and privacy of homes: to lower their gaze within them, in accordance with the words of Allah the Exalted: ﴿قُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ﴾ “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze.” (An-Nur: 30) They must guard their hearing regarding what is spoken inside the home, refrain from prying into its affairs, avoid disclosing its secrets, and never photograph or publish what they see within it. For Allah the Mighty and Majestic says:                       ﴿وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا﴾  “And do not spy on one another.”  (Al-Hujurat: 12) They should also respect the customs of society and the laws of the country, for this is part of honoring one’s commitments and repaying kindness with kindness. Our Lord the Exalted says: ﴿هَلْ جَزَاءُ الْإِحْسَانِ إِلَّا الْإِحْسَانُ﴾ “Is the reward for goodness anything but goodness?” (Ar-Rahman: 60) Allah the Exalted also says: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ﴾ “O you who believe, obey Allah, obey the Messenger, and those in authority among you.”(An-Nisa’: 59) I say these words of mine, and I seek Allah’s forgiveness for me and for you; so seek His forgiveness, for He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful. Second Khutbah All praise is due to Allah alone, and may peace and blessings be upon the one after whom there is no prophet. To proceed: O believers, part of a person’s sound awareness and good judgment is to seek domestic workers through licensed agencies and approved offices, in order to protect one’s wealth, safeguard one’s home, and preserve one’s rights. So beware, O servants of Allah, of dealing with unknown parties or unlicensed brokers, so as to keep yourselves and your families away from causes of harm. For the Prophet ﷺ said: “There should be neither harm nor reciprocating harm.” (Ibn Majah) Indeed, our beloved nation has established regulations and laws that guarantee the rights of domestic workers, make them aware of their duties, organize their affairs, regulate their contracts, prevent their exploitation, and preserve their dignity. So let us appreciate these efforts, adhere to these laws, and refrain from violating or circumventing them, so that our homes may remain safe and our rights protected. “Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who believe, send blessings and peace upon him abundantly. O Allah, send Your prayers, peace, and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, the Seal of the Messengers, and upon his family, his pure wives — the Mothers of the Believers — and his noble and blessed Companions. O Allah, be pleased with Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali, and with all the honored Companions. O Allah, protect the United Arab Emirates from every direction. O Allah, we entrust to You its leadership, its people, and all who live upon its land. O Allah, protect Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State. Be for him a helper and supporter, a guide and granter of success, and bless his life and deeds. O Allah, grant success to him, to his deputies, to his brothers, the rulers of the Emirates, and to his trustworthy Crown Prince, in all that You love and are pleased with. O Allah, have mercy upon Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, and the sheikhs of the Emirates who have passed on to Your mercy, and admit them by Your grace into Your vast gardens of Paradise. O Allah, encompass the martyrs of the nation in Your vast mercy and raise their ranks in Your Paradise. O Allah, have mercy upon the Muslim men and women, the living among them and the deceased. O servants of Allah, remember Allah, the Most Great and Majestic, and He will remember you; and thank Him for His blessings, and He will increase you.                                    And establish the prayer.