Authored by: Hafiz Muhammad Anwar Zahid حفظه الله
It is narrated from Hazrat Muhammad bin Maslamah (رضي الله عنه) that he said:
"I proposed marriage to a woman, and I would hide myself to observe her, until I saw her in her date orchard. Someone said to me, 'Being a Companion of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), are you doing such a thing?' I replied, 'I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: When Allah places the desire for a woman in someone’s heart for marriage, then there is no harm in looking at her.'"
Its chain is weak (اسنادہ ضعیف).
[Sunan Ibn Mājah, Book of Marriage, Chapter 9, Hadith no. 1864 | Musnad Ahmad 4/225, Hadith no. 18139]
◉ The narrator Ḥajjāj bin Arṭā’ah is weak (ضعیف).
A certain religious scholar, after narrating this story, strongly emphasized that a woman with whom marriage discussions are ongoing should only be viewed without her knowledge.
However, since this story is not proven through an authentic chain, inflating and manipulating it to deduce the aforementioned ruling is invalid.
In conclusion, it is permissible to properly and openly view the woman one intends to marry, and this is what is derived from authentic Ahadith.
◈ Narration:
It is narrated from Hazrat Muhammad bin Maslamah (رضي الله عنه) that he said:
"I proposed marriage to a woman, and I would hide myself to observe her, until I saw her in her date orchard. Someone said to me, 'Being a Companion of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), are you doing such a thing?' I replied, 'I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: When Allah places the desire for a woman in someone’s heart for marriage, then there is no harm in looking at her.'"
❀ Ḥadīth Authentication:
Its chain is weak (اسنادہ ضعیف).
[Sunan Ibn Mājah, Book of Marriage, Chapter 9, Hadith no. 1864 | Musnad Ahmad 4/225, Hadith no. 18139]
◉ The narrator Ḥajjāj bin Arṭā’ah is weak (ضعیف).
✿ Important Note:
A certain religious scholar, after narrating this story, strongly emphasized that a woman with whom marriage discussions are ongoing should only be viewed without her knowledge.
However, since this story is not proven through an authentic chain, inflating and manipulating it to deduce the aforementioned ruling is invalid.
In conclusion, it is permissible to properly and openly view the woman one intends to marry, and this is what is derived from authentic Ahadith.
