Opinions differ regarding the parts of the body that a woman to be married may show to her suitor, and among these opinions is that she shows only her face, hands, and neck. So what
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The questioner : Opinions differ regarding the parts of the body that a woman to be married may show to her suitor, and among these opinions is that she shows only her face, hands, and neck. So what is the ruling, O honorable Shaykh, if the woman to be married shows her hair to the one who wants to propose to her? And what is better in your view?
The Shaykh : There is no blame on the woman to be married to show of her adornment what incites the desire to marry her, so she may show her hair, face, hands, and feet. However, she should not adorn herself for this suitor, because she is not yet his wife. And because if she adorns herself or beautifies her face with some adornment, and then the marriage takes place and she appears to him different from how she was when he saw her during the proposal, then his desire for her may drop to a level from which separation is feared. Especially since the suitor’s gaze is not the gaze of the husband who has taken possession of her and is confident of her acquisition. For this reason, I say that it is permissible for a man, when he proposes to a woman, to look at what incites him to desire marrying her, from her face, hands, head, hair, and feet. But on the condition that this does not happen in seclusion between him and her. It is necessary that a mahram (a relative one may not marry) for her be present with them, because seclusion with a non-mahram woman is forbidden, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih al-Bukhari 5233.
The Shaykh : There is no blame on the woman to be married to show of her adornment what incites the desire to marry her, so she may show her hair, face, hands, and feet. However, she should not adorn herself for this suitor, because she is not yet his wife. And because if she adorns herself or beautifies her face with some adornment, and then the marriage takes place and she appears to him different from how she was when he saw her during the proposal, then his desire for her may drop to a level from which separation is feared. Especially since the suitor’s gaze is not the gaze of the husband who has taken possession of her and is confident of her acquisition. For this reason, I say that it is permissible for a man, when he proposes to a woman, to look at what incites him to desire marrying her, from her face, hands, head, hair, and feet. But on the condition that this does not happen in seclusion between him and her. It is necessary that a mahram (a relative one may not marry) for her be present with them, because seclusion with a non-mahram woman is forbidden, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
