PEREMPUAN BEKERJA DALAM PERSPEKTIF HADIS KEPEMIMPINAN DAN USAHA MANDIRI: TINJAUAN NORMATIF-TEOLOGIS

Abstract

The phenomenon of women working outside the home has become an increasingly prominent reality in modern society, driven by economic demands and social transformation. In the Islamic context, this issue raises discourse regarding the permissibility and boundaries of women's public roles, particularly from the perspective of Hadith. This study aims to examine the Islamic legitimacy of women’s employment through a normative analysis of selected Prophetic traditions. The research adopts a qualitative approach using thematic (maudhu‘i) analysis of two primary hadiths: the hadith on household leadership and the hadith on the virtue of self-earned labor. The analysis applies hadith criticism (sanad and matn) and is supported by the maqāṣid al-sharī‘ah framework and Islamic gender ethics. The findings indicate that Islam permits women to work as long as certain shar‘ī conditions are met, such as observing proper etiquette, obtaining spousal permission, avoiding unlawful gender mixing (ikhtilāṭ), and maintaining domestic responsibilities. The hadiths studied remain highly relevant to the realities of contemporary working Muslim women, especially in situations of necessity or economic hardship. Thus, women's employment can be regarded as both a form of social contribution and an act of worship when conducted within the bounds of Islamic ethical values.