What is the clothing a Muslim woman should wear in front of her fiancé, and is it permissible for her to wear adornment in front of him?
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The questioner : The questioner says: What is the clothing a Muslim woman should wear in front of her fiancé, and is it permissible for her to wear adornment in front of him?
The Shaykh : As for the woman who has been married, she may wear her adornment in front of her husband and apply perfume. As for the woman who is engaged before the marriage contract, the engaged woman before the contract is a stranger to the man, like a woman who has not been proposed to. However, for the sake of the great benefit, the Shari'ah has permitted the suitor to see of the woman what would lead him to marry her and desire her, for the sake of the great benefit that follows from it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: That is, so that there is affection between them and love and unity are achieved. So he looks at her face, her hair, her hands, and her feet. But she does not go out to him alone with him; rather, it is necessary that a mahram or her mother, for example, be with her. She does not go out to him adorned, but she goes out in her ordinary clothes. She does not go out to him perfumed, because she is a stranger to him. She does not go out to him wearing makeup or adorned with kohl or the like, because she is not yet his wife; she is a stranger to him. Moreover, if she beautifies herself for him with makeup, rouge, or kohl, he will see her at first glance as if she were among the most beautiful of women, and then when he enters with her, his view of her will change, and he will have a reaction.
In summary, if a man has married a woman, she is his wife; she goes out to him adorned, and he is alone with her and enjoys her, except in intercourse, where there is the detail we mentioned earlier. And if it is merely an engagement, he does not look at anything except what is usually visible and what would lead him to proceed to marry her, which is the face, the head, the hands, and the feet. She does not go out to him displaying her adornment, nor perfumed, and he does not remain alone with her.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge, and benefit the Muslims through you.
The Shaykh : As for the woman who has been married, she may wear her adornment in front of her husband and apply perfume. As for the woman who is engaged before the marriage contract, the engaged woman before the contract is a stranger to the man, like a woman who has not been proposed to. However, for the sake of the great benefit, the Shari'ah has permitted the suitor to see of the woman what would lead him to marry her and desire her, for the sake of the great benefit that follows from it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
That is more likely to bring about affection between them.
إن ذلك أحرى أن يؤدم بينهماIn summary, if a man has married a woman, she is his wife; she goes out to him adorned, and he is alone with her and enjoys her, except in intercourse, where there is the detail we mentioned earlier. And if it is merely an engagement, he does not look at anything except what is usually visible and what would lead him to proceed to marry her, which is the face, the head, the hands, and the feet. She does not go out to him displaying her adornment, nor perfumed, and he does not remain alone with her.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge, and benefit the Muslims through you.