Fatwa No. 46 — p. 78

Question:

I am looking for a righteous and educated wife. What is your view on seeking one through online pages — particularly the official pages affiliated with al-Azhar, such as the pages of al-Azhar colleges? I believe there are many good and righteous women on such pages, provided that proper Islamic conduct is observed and anything giving rise to suspicion is avoided.

To clarify: I would send a friend request, introduce myself, seek her opinion, and make enquiries about her. If we reach an agreement and feel reassured, we would then proceed through the formal channels of proposal. Is there any objection to this? May Allah reward you with goodness.

Answer:

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

The Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America (AMJA) issued the following resolution during its session on contemporary issues affecting Muslim women outside the Muslim world: (1)

“Women and Online Platforms for Acquaintance Between the Sexes for the Purpose of Marriage:

— There is no objection to using trustworthy websites that collect information about men and women seeking marriage for the purpose of facilitating matching between them — provided that strict guidelines concerning confidentiality, privacy, and security are observed, and that the pathways to temptation (fitnah) and the steps of Shayṭān are blocked. It is recommended that such websites have Sharīʿah supervisory bodies overseeing the soundness of their procedures.

— As for the practice of some Islamic institutions of gathering a large number of young men and young women seeking marriage — together with their parents — in a large hall, and allowing each participant to speak for several minutes with more than one prospective spouse: this should be preceded by diligent efforts to facilitate compatibility on an individual level between those seeking marriage, prior to such general gatherings. This may be done through written surveys and by arranging individual meetings between each pair of prospective spouses — so as to safeguard propriety, preserve dignity, and minimise gender mixing (ikhtilāṭ) as far as possible. Such general gatherings should therefore only be resorted to as an exception, when individual arrangements are unable to fulfil the need. It is preferable for a woman who is already known to a prospective suitor and whose door has been approached with a proposal to exercise scrupulous caution (tawarruʿ) and refrain from participating in such gatherings.”

And Allah Most High knows best.

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Footnotes (Takhrīj):

(1) Resolution of the Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America (AMJA) on women and online platforms for acquaintance between the sexes for the purpose of marriage — issued during the AMJA session on contemporary issues affecting Muslim women outside the Muslim world (Nawāzil al-Marʾah al-Muslimah Khārij Diyār al-Islām). Available at amjaonline.com.