Can the Prospective Father-in-Law See the Girl’s Face During a Marriage Proposal?

Islamic Guidance on Marriage Proposals: Who Can See the Girl’s Face?

Question: When the boy’s family comes to see the girl for a marriage proposal, can the boy’s father (i.e., the prospective father-in-law) see the girl’s face?

Answer: When the boy’s family comes to see the girl, no man other than the boy himself is allowed to see the girl. If there are women accompanying the boy’s family, they can see the girl, but no non-mahram man is allowed to see her; this is forbidden. Allah has permitted only the boy to see the girl at the time of marriage. In Sahih Muslim, it is narrated by Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said:

كُنْتُ عِنْدَ النبيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عليه وَسَلَّمَ، فأتَاهُ رَجُلٌ فأخْبَرَهُ أنَّهُ تَزَوَّجَ امْرَأَةً مِنَ الأنْصَارِ، فَقالَ له رَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عليه وَسَلَّمَ: أَنَظَرْتَ إلَيْهَا؟ قالَ: لَا، قالَ: فَاذْهَبْ فَانْظُرْ إلَيْهَا، فإنَّ في أَعْيُنِ الأنْصَارِ شيئًا (صحيح مسلم: 1424)

“I was with the Prophet (peace be upon him) when a man came and informed him that he had married a woman from the Ansar. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to him: ‘Have you seen her?’ He said: ‘No.’ He said: ‘Go and look at her, for there is something in the eyes of the Ansar.'”

From this hadith, it is understood that only the person who is going to marry the girl has the right to see her, and any other man who is not going to marry her should not see her. Therefore, it is not permissible for the boy’s father or any other non-mahram man to see the girl.

 Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi حفظه الله

❪Jeddah Dawah Center, Hayy Al-Salamah – Saudi Arabia❫