Correspondence of Hazrat Moulana Shah Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar Saheb (rahimahullah)
Condition:
Due to teaching in a madrasah, I am busy from 7:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. I then have to offer my salaah, prepare food, attend to my domestic chores and see to the children. In the afternoon, I am responsible for supervising certain students from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Because I am the only one at home, I am responsible for the evening chores. I then need to study at night.
On account of my madrasah engagements, I have no time or very little time for my personal ‘ibaadah. At times, I am able to remain punctual in fulfilling an ‘ibaadah for some time, and it then becomes difficult to complete it because of teaching, domestic chores and seeing to the children. In fact, the administrative engagements and seeing to the education and training of the students in the madrasah are even causing shortcomings in fulfilling my husband’s rights.
Answer:
In sharee‘ah, a woman’s responsibility is her husband and her children, not educating the students in the madrasah. If there are shortcomings in your fundamental responsibilities, give up your responsibilities in the madrasah. It is your responsibility to serve your husband and educate and train your children, not to educate and train other people’s children. (Solutions to Spiritual Maladies for the Lovers of Allah Ta‘ala, pg. 472)
Uswatul Muslimah Note: The message is clear that a woman’s primary responsibility is to see to the needs of her husband and children. Any non-compulsory Deeni activity also should not be undertaken to the extent that it impacts on the primary responsibility. If one strikes a balance between both in such a manner that the duties towards the husband and children are fully taken care of, there is no problem.