Every practicing Muslim should be grateful since we are blessed with Qur’an and numerous Hadith for showing a clear true path. Our initiative this week revolves around the topic, ‘Khitbah for Nikah in Islam’ to help our readers know about it better.
Although, a man is permitted to look at a woman that he seeks to marry in a modest manner. But it is prohibited to look intently at a woman if he is not her mahram. Looking at a woman with the intention of marrying her is the only exception and must therefore, fulfill certain conditions as clarified in the Islamic law.
Allah’s Messenger, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said,
“When one of you courts a woman, it is permissible for him to look at her if he only looks because he seeks to marry her- even if she does not know that he is watching her.”
[as-Sahihah no. 97]
Other conditions derived from the Islamic learning have been highlighted below for the ease of our readers.
- The difference between a casual look and the look of a man seeking marriage is that the latter is allowed to stare and repeat the look.
- Looking should be for the purpose of marriage and not for the purpose of fulfilling a desire or lust.
- A man may only look at a woman who is available for him to marry so that he can propose to her family and then he can b approved.
- Looking at a woman should be without touching or khulwah which means, privately meeting her.
- Looking should be limited to the body parts that a woman is permitted to expose to strangers, namely her face and her hands.
So, such conditions must be duly taken care of prior to Khitbah. Those of us who take all these guidelines lightly and tend to ignore them, must remember that Allah is pleased with those who direct their actions according to what He has said to be right.