Date : 13-07-2010

Question :

: What is allowed for the woman to uncover to her suitor before the wedding?


The Answer :

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.


Once the marriage contract is concluded the woman takes the ruling of a wife, but customary practices observed by different families in different countries should be taken into consideration.


However, if the marriage contract isn`t concluded then the suitor is allowed to look at her hands and face only since she is a non-Mahram of his. Rather, allowing him to do so is meant to produce harmony between them. The evidence on this is that Bakr bin Abdullah Al-Muzani narrated that : Al-Mughirah bin Shu'bah proposed to a woman, so the Prophet said: "Look at her, for indeed that is more likely to make things better between the two of you." {Related by Tirmithi No.1087}.


Moreover, it is stated in {Fatawa al-Ramli vol.3/P.182}: "Is it permissible for the suitor to look at her hands and feet repeatedly without need? No, it isn`t." And Allah the almighty Knows Best.