Fatwa No. 44 — p. 73

Question:

I am a young woman whom Allah has blessed with everything I could wish for — a father, a mother, siblings, internet, a laptop, a mobile phone, travel, education, and health — praise be to Allah for all of it. And I praise Allah that I possess much modesty and good character.

One day, however, I registered on Facebook under a name other than my own — that is, I created two accounts, one of which I used for a forum. A friend added me and I did not know whether this person was a young man or a young woman. It later became clear that he was the boyfriend of one of my female friends. I was not, however, speaking with him about anything inappropriate — only about life in general. He also insisted on telling me that he is sincere, that he never flirted with me or anything of that sort — just ordinary conversation. He kept insisting and saying: “I am not like other young men — I hate any young man who takes girls as entertainment. If I were a wolf, I would not have told you from the outset that I love so-and-so. The boys in my class are predatory wolves — and I praise Allah that I am not among them.”

What is the ruling on my speaking with him when no slip or lapse has occurred on my part — just purely ordinary conversation? Should I continue or not?

Answer:

Al-ḥamdu lillāhi rabb al-ʿālamīn. To proceed:

It is not appropriate for you to give free rein (istirsāl) to these conversations — nor should you be deceived by the appearance of innocence at the outset, nor feel safe from the consequences that may follow. How many snares has Shayṭān set through which he has gradually lured many heedless young women — concealing poison within honey, and approaching them from the very direction from which they felt most secure. The fortunate one is he who is admonished by the experience of others — not the one who becomes the cautionary example for others.

Restrain yourself, my dear daughter, from giving free rein to these conversations. Speak with your relatives or with women of your own kind, and occupy yourself with beneficial work — rather than passing time in conversations such as these, which yield no benefit, and from which those who engage in them reap nothing in the end but regret.

Have I not conveyed the message? O Allah, bear witness.

And Allah Most High knows best.

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Excellent. I now have all three elements. Here is the final synthesized translation of Fatwa No. 45: