Praise be to Allaah.

We say to the sister asked about here: 

May Allaah increase you in keenness and understanding of Islam, and bless you for your eagerness to find out about permissible ways of earning a living. We ask Allaah to bless you and bestow more of His grace upon you. We will answer your question in detail: 

Firstly: 

It is not permissible for a Muslim to live in a kaafir country except for a reason that is allowed in sharee’ah – such as medical treatment, da’wah or business – because of the danger that it poses to the religious commitment of a Muslim and to his family if he has a wife and children. A Muslim cannot give his children a sound Islamic upbringing or fulfil the trust properly, if he is living in those countries. Work is not regarded as a reason that makes it permissible for any Muslim to stay in a kaafir country. The prohibition is even more emphatic if the one who is staying and working there is a woman. 

The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas was asked: 

What is the ruling on working in kaafir countries, such as countries in Europe and America? Is the ruling different if one is working for a Muslim in a Muslim organization, but in the same kaafir country? 

They replied: 

The Muslim has to migrate from the kaafir lands to Muslim lands, so as to protect his religious commitment and to increase the numbers of the Muslims, so that he may cooperate with them in establishing Islam. He will find, in sha Allaah, a number of ways to earn a living and live a blessed life among the Muslims, as well as protecting his religious commitments, if he fears Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):  

“And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty).

3. And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allaah, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allaah will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allaah has set a measure for all things”

[al-Talaaq 65:2-3] 

From this it is known that it is not permissible for a Muslim to work in a kaafir country, when he is able to migrate therefrom to a Muslim country, whether his work is in a place owned by a kaafir or a Muslim, but if he is working for a kaafir then it is more forbidden, because there is more danger and humiliation involved. But if he is a man of knowledge and is active in calling people to Islam, and there is the hope that the kuffaar will be influenced by his da’wah, and he can establish proof against them thereby, and there is no fear that he or his religious commitment will be affected by fitnah, then he may stay among them to carry out the duty of calling them to Allaah and spreading Islam. 

But if a person is weak and cannot migrate, then he is excused for staying among the kuffaar, but his Muslim brothers should help him to migrate to a land where his religious commitment will be safe. End quote. 

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Razzaaq ‘Afeefi, Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Ghadyaan, Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Qa’ood. 

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (14/475, 476). 

See also the answers to questions no. 38284 and 13363. 

Secondly: 

If a Muslim insists on staying in a kaafir land, or he cannot leave due to a legitimate shar’i excuse, then if he can stop working for kaafirs, that is better. It should be noted that his work may be haraam – whether he is working for a Muslim or a kaafir – if it is haraam in and of itself, such as if he is working in a place where alcohol is sold, or in a hotel whose services include haraam things, or in riba-based banks, or companies that spread corruption and sin. It is also not permissible to work in a mixed environment with both men and women. The one who works for a kaafir doing permissible work, his wealth is halaal, even if he is employed by a kaafir, although it is better not to do that. 

Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

If a Muslim is employed by a dhimmi, that is valid, because ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) worked for a Jew, bringing water for him for one date in return for every bucket. He told the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about that and he did not object to that. End quote. 

Al-Mughni (4/333). 

The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked: 

What is the ruling on one who works for a non-Muslim? Is the money that he gets from him halaal or haraam? 

He replied: 

There is nothing wrong with a Muslim being employed by a kaafir if the work that he does is permissible, such as building a wall or selling permissible goods, and other kinds of permissible work, because ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) was employed by a Jew, and was given dates in return for drawing water from the well. It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) worked for a Jew, bringing water for him for one date in return for every bucket. Narrated by al-Bayhaqi and Ibn Majaah. End quote. 

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz, Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Ghadyaan, Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez Aal al-Shaykh, Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan, Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd. 

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (14/486). 

With regard to your working as a babysitter for the granddaughter of this grandmother, it seems to us that your work is permissible, and that the money that you have earned in the past and more recently is permissible for you, especially if your work does not require you to go out of the house or mix with men or humiliate yourself before the kuffaar; rather you can stay safe and secure at home and they are the ones who bring their daughter to you. But if you are the one who goes to them, then beware of the presence of non-mahram men, and the evils and haraam things that that involves. Beware of being alone with any of them, because that is something that is haraam. Try to make the arrangements along the lines of the first scenario suggested above, which is that they should bring their daughter to your house.  

Keep on striving to call the grandmother and her daughter to Islam. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And who is better in speech than he who [says: ‘My Lord is Allaah (believes in His Oneness),’ and then stands firm (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allaah’s (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: ‘I am one of the Muslims’”

[Fussilat 41:33] 

Sahl ibn Sa’d (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “By Allaah, if Allaah were to guide one man through you, that would be better for you than having red camels” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (2847) and Muslim (2406). 

We advise you to work well so that you will be an example of the Muslim who fulfils trusts properly, even though we do not think that you should stay in that land, as stated above at the beginning of the question. But this does not mean that we should not state the ruling on your work, or advise you to do that which is best for you and your religious commitment. 

And Allaah knows best.