Seeing the Intended Bride Before the Nikah

Question

If a person is not willing to marry without seeing the woman he is to marry, is it permitted by the Shari‘a for the girl to be seen? Kindly favour us with an answer together with references.

Answer

To demand outright, “Show her to me, I will see her myself,” is not appropriate. Yes, if an opportunity arises somewhere, there is no harm in seeing her discreetly. In the narration of Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah ﵁: [ar]عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: إِذَا خَطَبَ أَحَدُكُمُ الْمَرْأَةَ فَإِنِ اسْتَطَاعَ أَنْ يَنْظُرَ إِلَى مَا يَدْعُوهُ إِلَى…

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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