Being alone with a woman in a shop and selling lingerie | Sheikh Abu Bilal hafidhahullah

Question: If a woman enters a shop while the shopkeeper (male) is alone, is this considered khalwah? And if so, what is the solution? Answer: If the shop is located by the roadside where there are passers-by and both parties feel secure from Fitnah, he may sell to her and speak to her as is necessary without exceeding that. But if the shop is somewhere far away, isolated from the people, or he sells from within his home, and she enters the shop alone while they are concealed (from onlookers) by the surrounding walls, this is a door to Fitnah. So I advise him to request her to leave. He requests her to leave and to bring someone appropriate from her relatives to speak to him; because talking to women, back and forth, contains great fitnah, especially in this era. Many women, may Allah rectify them, engage freely in conversations with strange men, especially when buying and selling; give me a discount, it's too expensive, do you have such and such? laughter, perhaps a smile; this, by Allah, is a door to Fitnah. This is a very dangerous matter; a weakness and frailty in one's religion. She speaks to the shopkeeper...one word after another until both of them fall into evil, especially if they are alone at the time of buying and selling...But if the shop is by the roadside where there are passers-by; they can see people passing by, she fulfils her need quickly and leaves without engaging in needless chit-chat. In such a case he is allowed to sell to her Insha'Allah, as there is no khalwah, due to the passers-by. But if he is alone with her, I advice him to send her away and ask her to bring someone appropriate to speak to him concerning the item which she seeks to purchase. Moreover, it is misfortunate for a man sells items specific to women. The truth of the matter is that they are opening a door to Fitnah upon themselves, especially if he is someone practicing. Selling women's items, women's clothes; these kind of shops are a Fitnah for the young. I do not advise Ahlus-Sunnah to specialise in such shops or sell in women's shops, especially during our time where Fitnah is prevalent. No one should dispute concerning this with falsehood. Fitnah is prevalent! Fitnah with women of weak faith and ignorance (is prevalent).