Fatwa: # 15009
Category: Business Matters
Country: Pakistan
Date: 20th March 2007

Title

Can i undertake another job while working on my current job?

Question

 
I wish to ask a question about doing a job part time. The question is
 
"A person doing a job in an is not permitted by the organization to undertake any other job. Is it permitted under Sharia if that person undertakes a part time job in the evening in his free time for some earning? For this part time job, he does not have to go anywhere but he just has to sit at his home/residence and work on the computer to develop some software project for a private firm on demand. The private firm will pay him for the developed project."
 
 

Answer

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh

There are two types of Employees in Shariah:

  1. Ajeer-e-khas : a person who works for a particular employer.  eg: teacher, office worker, domestic worker, etc.
  1. Ajeer-e-mushtarak : a person who offers his services to the public.   eg: carpenter, mason, etc.

The person mentioned in the question is an Ajeer-e-khas

  • Rad-ul-muhtar Vol:6 Pg:69 (H.M. Sa’eed Company)

إذا شرط أن لا يخدم غيره فيكون خاصًا

The ruling for an Ajeer-e-Khas is that he cannot accept work for others in the time specified for work. However, it is permissible for him to seek employment elsewhere in the time he is not contracted by his employers.

  • Rad-ul-muhhtar Vol:6 Pg: 69 (H.M. Sa’eed Company)

( والثاني ) وهو الأجير ( الخاص ) ويسمى أجير وحد ( وهو من يعمل لواحد عملا مؤقتا بالتخصيص ويستحق الأجر بتسليم نفسه في المدة

  • Rad-ul-muhhtar Vol:6 Pg: 70 (H.M. Sa’eed Company)

وليس للخاص أن يعمل لغيره

  • Ahsanul Fataawa Vol:7 P: 300 (H.M. Sa’eed Company)

It is undesirable for an Ajeer-e-khas to take on such employment in his free time that would certainly affect the quality of the work, as is clear from the narrations below that the wet nurse will be sinful if she takes up employment for a second person without the knowledge of the parents of the first child.

  • Fataawa Hindiyyah Vol:4 Pg:433 (Maktabah Rasheediyyah)

وليس للظئر أن تأخذ صبيا آخر فترضعه مع الأول فإن أخذت صبيا آخر فأرضعته مع الأول فقد أساءت وأثمت إن كانت أضرت بالصبي . كذا في البدائع .

ولها الأجر كاملا على الفريقين ولا تتصدق بشيء منه .كذا في خزانة المفتين .

والأجر طيب لها ولا ينقص من الأجر الأول إن أرضعت ولدهم في المدة المشروطة ويطرح من الأجر بقدر ما يختلف . كذا في الغياثية .

  • Rad-ul-muhhtar Vol:6 Pg:54/55 (H.M. Sa’eed Company)

ولو آجرت نفسها لذلك لقوم آخرين ولم يعلم الأولون فأرضعتهما وفرغت أثمت ، ولها الأجر كاملا على الفريقين لشبهها بالأجير الخاص والمشترك ، وتمامه في العناية

However, it is permissible for him to take up such employment in his free time that will not affect the quality of his work. Moreover, the employers cannot restrict him from working in his free time, unless they are certain that this will affect the quality of the work.

  • Rad-ul-muhhtar Vol:6 Pg: 53 (H.M. Sa’eed Company)

( قوله وللزوج أن يطأها ) أي وإن رضي بالإجارة فليس للمستأجر منعه مخافة الحبل ؛ لأنه ضرر موهوم والمنع من الوطء ضرر

 متحقق …………………وأما ما كان فيه وهم الضرر فليس لهم منعها عنه

  • Fataawa Raheemiyah Vol: 9 Pg: 287 (Darul Isha’at)

Overall, it will be permissible for this person to undertake this part time job; but he should take particular care that this does not affect the quality of his work for the organization, to avoid indulging in a sinful act. The restriction set by the organization will only apply to those part time jobs that will affect the quality of his work.

And Allah knows best

M. Jawed Iqbal,

Student Darul Iftaa

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa

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