Anyone who holds citizenship and is competent, man or woman, Muslim or non-Muslim is eligible to be appointed as a director of any administrative department or to be an employee in it. This is taken from the rules of hiring (Ijara) where it is permitted to hire any person whether Muslim or non-Muslim. This is because the evidences for hiring are in general form. Allah (swt) says; “And if they suckled for you, do give them their wage.” [TMQ At-Talaq: 6]

This is general evidence. Al-Bukhari narrated from Abu Hurairah from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), who said; “Allah (swt) said; I will challenge three people on the day of Judgement... and a man who employed a labourer, He received from Him (the work) but did not give Him his wage.” This evidence is also general. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) himself once hired a man from Banu Ad-Deel who was a non-Muslim, which indicates that it is permitted to hire a non-Muslim just as it is to hire a Muslim. It is also permitted to hire a woman just as it is to hire a man, following the generality of the evidences. Therefore, it is permitted for a woman to be a director of a government department or to be one of its employees, and it is permitted for a non-Muslim to be a director of a government department or an employee in that department, for they are all hired staff, and the evidences about hiring are general. As for the requirement of citizenship in employment, this is because the citizen is subject to the implementation of the rules, and the rules are not implemented on those who do not hold the citizenship, i.e. those who do not settle in the Islamic land even if they were Muslims. This is because the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said while instructing the Ameer of the armed forces:

“Then ask them to move from their land to the land of the Muhajireen, and inform them that if they did so they would enjoy the same rights as the Muhajireen and would be subject to the same duties.” [Narrated by Muslim, by way of Buraydah]

This means that if they did not move they would not have the same rights and they would not necessarily have the same duties, even if they were Muslims. The persons referred to here are those upon whom the rules are implemented; otherwise it would have been permitted to hire those who do not hold citizenship due to the generality of the evidence about hiring.