Wants to seek Islamic knowledge but her parents want her to work
19-11-2007 | IslamWeb
Question:
Assalamualaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh what is best for me to do job or to get knowledge of islam? bcoz my family is forcing me to do job & i want to get knowledge of islam without any disturb & we dont have any financial problem Alhumdulillah & if i go against my family in this matter, Is i m a sinner or i m correct? Please advice me with Quran & SUnnah Jazak Allah khair
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
Undoubtedly, seeking religious knowledge is something of excellence, as religious knowledge and scholars are of great status in the Islamic religion. The Prophet stated that seeking knowledge is obligatory on every Muslim, male and female.
Therefore, if it is possible for you to concord between seeking religious knowledge and working, then this is good provided this work meets the religious requirements. Making a concordance between the two is something possible nowadays more than ever before due to the existence of the means of acquiring knowledge.
For more benefit on the pre-conditions for a woman to work, please refer to Fatwa 83607.
However, if it is not possible to concord between the two, then you are obliged to obey your parents unless this knowledge is obligatory upon the person, like the matters of faith and other knowledge which is necessary for one to be able to perform his/her acts of worship in a valid manner, and the like. In this case this knowledge is obligatory to learn immediately, and it comes in priority over all other kinds of knowledge. A person who neglects to acquire this knowledge despite being able to do so is sinful.