The ruling on reciting al-Fatihah for the marriage contract, and whether it suffices for the proposal and the contract?

Question : The questioner says: There are some customs followed in marriage. For example, when a man proposes to a man who has a daughter he wants to marry off, her father says, "Recite al-Fatihah," or something of that sort. Is this established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)? And is this correct?

Answer : Reciting al-Fatihah when proposing to a woman is not established by any hadith from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and it is not correct. Therefore, this is among the religious innovations (bid'ah) that are not permissible for a person to do. Yes, if the woman being proposed to is ill and the suitor is asked to recite al-Fatihah for her, perhaps Allah will heal her, then this is a recommended practice (sunnah). But his reciting al-Fatihah at the time of the proposal has no basis. It is also known that if she is ill and he is asked to recite for her and goes to recite al-Fatihah, she must be veiled from him, because he has not yet contracted marriage with her.