Q: Please advice me regarding facebook. What about the husband who allows his wife to do this? What about women in purdah on facebook?
A: For a female to indulge in any activity that promotes herself to outsiders is not allowed. This is proven from many verses of Quran and Ahadeeth of our Rasool (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). For this reason a woman does not give athaan, khutba or lectures; she does not lead the salaah. Going onto facebook entails publicising oneself and interacting with other people. For a woman to do so, or for the husband to allow his wife to do this, is not permissible in Islam. Even a man who chats and communicates with females over facebook is committing a major sin.
Posting photographs of oneself on facebook is also not permissible We need to abstain from these indulgences that make our iemaan weak. Please pass this message on to our brothers and sisters and make them aware of the wrong in facebook and similar programs.
Mufti Siraj Desai