What is the ruling on a woman speaking with non-mahram men on the telephone?

Question:
From Buraydah in the Qasim region, the listener Abdullah al-Salih sent a message containing a collection of questions. In one of them, he asks: Is it permissible for a woman to speak with non-mahram men via the telephone? May Allah reward you with good. Are there specific conditions you wish to clarify? May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
There is no harm in a woman speaking to a man via the telephone if it is for a legitimate Shari'ah interest, or for a permissible matter, such as asking about knowledge, or asking about a sick person, or asking about his health, or about something important. There is nothing wrong with that.
However, if the call is for flirting, as they say, or for reasons of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), or to invite to lewdness, or to what leads to lewdness, this is not permissible. It is obligatory for the woman to beware of that, and it is obligatory for the man to beware of that. It is not permissible for a man to speak to women for this purpose, and it is not permissible for a woman to speak to men for this purpose. Rather, this leads to much evil and great corruption. As for her speaking to her sister's husband, or her cousin, to ask him about his health, or the health of his children, or the health of his mother, or his father, or about a need she asks him about to buy a need, or sell a need, or similar matters in which there is no doubt, no suspicion, and no evil, there is no harm in that. Yes.

The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.