عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ أَبِي حَثْمَةَ قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ مَسْلَمَةَ يُطَارِدُ امْرَأَةً بِبَصَرِهِ (زَادَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ: يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَنْظُرَ إِلَيْهَا) فَقُلْتُ: تَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهَا وَأَنْتَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ؟ فَقَالَ: إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: ((إِذَا أَلْقَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي قَلْبِ امْرِئٍ خِطْبَةً لِامْرَأَةٍ فَلَا بَأْسَ أَنْ يَنْظُرَ إِلَيْهَا))
Narrated from Sayyiduna Sahl bin Abi Hathmah (may Allah be pleased with him), he says: I saw Muhammad bin Maslamah (may Allah be pleased with him) in Basra, following a woman to look at her. So I said to him: You are looking at this woman, while you are among the companions of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)? He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: When Allah Almighty puts the thought in someone's heart to send a proposal to a woman, then there is no harm if he looks at her.