I live in the United States and I am planning to open a hair salon, but I heard that it is not permissible to offer this service except to Muslim sisters who wear hijab. But in fact the location of this salon will be in a place where there are no Muslims and the Muslim women who come to it will be coming from far away, which is another matter altogether. At the same time I cannot close the door to non-Muslim women; rather from experience when I was a student in university studying cosmetology it seems to me that this field is an opportunity for da‘wah because non-Muslim women will ask about why I wear hijab and sometimes we have a detailed discussion which may lead to one of them being guided, if Allah wills. In addition to that, most of my neighbours are non-Muslim, as are some of our relatives, and all of them want me to offer my services to them. What is your opinion?
Firstly:
For a woman to work as a hairdresser for women is permissible in principle, so long as that is not accompanied by any haraam things that usually accompany this kind of work.
See the answer to question no. 120891
Secondly:
If most of the people in the place where you choose to work are not Muslims and your work will basically be with kaafir women, then it is not permissible for you to work in the field, because all of the required guidelines on working in that field cannot be adhered to with those who do not believe that these things are haraam and do not adhere to that at all. Undoubtedly working in that field will be helping them in not covering and in making a wanton display and uncovering, and even nakedness and changing the creation of Allah. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Help you one another in Al‑Birr and At‑Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah is Severe in punishment”
[al-Maa’idah 5:2].
Thirdly:
With regard to the issue of mixing with these women and calling them to Islam, this is a noble and important matter. However, it is not permissible to participate with them in whatever they do of sins, or to help them in that. It is not permissible to commit a certain sin for the sake of a hoped-for or imagined interest. It is possible to achieve the interest of da‘wah by other ways or in other places where it is not necessary to help them in sin.
