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Appearaing before one’s fiancé before the wedding (nikaah)

31-08-1998

Question 2246

I am engaged to man who i attend to marry in acouple months inshallah. whenever my fiance comes to my house for dinner my parents tell me not to wear my jilbab in front of him, and ot wear normal loose fitting clohtes, because there is nothing wrong with him seeing me without my jilbab because there is intention for marriage. I would like to know, if this is allowed, or am i not suppose to take my jilbab off?

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

So long as the nikaah (marriage contract) has not yet taken place, this man is still a “stranger” to you, and you should observe hijaab with him (i.e., wear proper hijaab and avoid contact) just as you would in the case of any other man. He has no right to look at you beyond the look that is allowed by sharee’ah at the time of making a marriage proposal, beyond which no further look is permitted until the nikaah is completed. What you father has told you about it being OK for you to relax the rules of hijaab in front of your fiancé is not correct, and there should be no obedience to any created being if it involves disobedience to the Creator. The mere intention of marriage does not justify uncovering in front of him. And Allaah knows best.

Fiqh of the family
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