🧒 Raising children (tarbiyah) · #50
The mother works and the child is cared for at a nursery or by a babysitter. Is this neglecting the child's upbringing?
Not necessarily; working mothers are permitted in Islam, and what matters is a trustworthy carer and quality time at home.
Allah says that men and women each have a share of what they earn (an-Nisa' 4:32), and the Quran itself mentions that a baby may be nursed by another woman with the parents' agreement (al-Baqarah 2:233) — a sign that care by others is nothing strange. Choose a nursery registered with the Social Welfare Department, visit unannounced, and watch the carer-to-child ratio and any changes in your child's behaviour. At home, use the mornings and evenings for prayer, stories and play without devices. The father must also carry household tasks so the mother does not become exhausted. If finances allow and the mother chooses to stay at home, that too is an honourable choice. See Educating the family.
Allah says that men and women each have a share of what they earn (an-Nisa' 4:32), and the Quran itself mentions that a baby may be nursed by another woman with the parents' agreement (al-Baqarah 2:233) — a sign that care by others is nothing strange. Choose a nursery registered with the Social Welfare Department, visit unannounced, and watch the carer-to-child ratio and any changes in your child's behaviour. At home, use the mornings and evenings for prayer, stories and play without devices. The father must also carry household tasks so the mother does not become exhausted. If finances allow and the mother chooses to stay at home, that too is an honourable choice. See Educating the family.
Sources
Surah an-Nisa' 4:32Surah al-Baqarah 2:233Sahih al-Bukhari 893