Fatwa n°: 568

Category: Fatwas of marriage

The ruling concerning corresponding with unrelated women via the Internet

Question:

Is it permissible to correspond with unrelated women via the Internet with the purpose of acquaintance and marriage?

Answer:

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon whom Allah sent as a mercy to the Worlds, upon his Family, his Companions and his Brothers till the Day of Resurrection.

Corresponding with an unrelated woman and speaking to her is not permissible by the sharia, even under the pretext of acquaintance and marriage, whether by the ordinary methods or by the Internet. This leads, in fact, to temptation and arousal of instinctive feelings, which make the person seek ways of meeting the woman and leads also to commit unlawful things by which the honor is flouted and the religion violated. This is in accordance to the Prophet صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم saying: “I did not leave after me any temptation more harmful to men than women”⁽¹⁾, and his saying صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم: “So, avoid to be seduced by worldly life and avoid the allurement of women: verily, the first trial for the people of Israel was caused by women”⁽²⁾. Although one is wary as regards Satan and his enmity when there is temptation, he (Satan) leads him to commit sin by inviting the man to the woman and vice versa. Allah عزَّ وجلَّ said:

﴿إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ فَاتَّخِذُوهُ عَدُوًّا إِنَّمَا يَدْعُو حِزْبَهُ لِيَكُونُوا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ السَّعِيرِ﴾ [فاطر: 6].

Meaning of the verse:

﴾Surely, Shaitân (Satan) is an enemy to you, so take (treat) him as an enemy. He only invites his Hizb (followers) that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire﴿ [Fâtir (The Originator of Creation): 6].

He عزَّ وجلَّ also said:

﴿أَفَتَتَّخِذُونَهُ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِن دُونِي وَهُمْ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ بِئْسَ لِلظَّالِمِينَ بَدَلاً﴾ [الكهف: 50].

Meaning of the verse:

﴾Will you then take him (Iblîs) and his offspring as protectors and helpers rather than Me while they are enemies to you? What an evil is the exchange for the Zâlimûn (polytheists, and wrong-doers).﴿ [Al-Kahf (The Cave): 50].

The principle is to keep away the evil of temptation and allurement. This takes precedence over the benefit of acquaintance and marriage, in accordance with the rule which stipulates that “Repelling harm takes precedence over procuring benefits”.

The perfect knowledge belongs to Allah سبحانه وتعالى. Our last prayer is all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon our Prophet, his Family, his Companions and his Brothers till the Day of Resurrection.

Algiers Dhu Al-Qa`dah 14^th, 1427 H

December 5^th, 2006