Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

As salamaualikum,

First of all, i would like to thank u very much and appreciate for your great work of dheen. This kind of service provided by u is really useful for our us and may allah help u in and bless u with this great deed.

My question :

Is Love allowed in Islam ?? Is love marriages accepted in Islam sharia. Since man and women are not allowed to talk or meet face to face before marriage, how come love marriages will be accepted.

Pls. Clarify whats the truth in it.

Allah haafiz.

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Answer:

Love permissible and meet

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

May Allah Subhanah reward you with the best of this world and the Hereafter for your kind comments of encouragement for our humble efforts in the propagation of the Truth. If our humble and modest efforts have helped even one brother or sister get closer to Allah and His Deen of Truth, then we would consider ourselves indeed fortunate to have been given this opportunity by the Lord Most Merciful to serve in His Cause. We hope, beg, and pray the Merciful Lord accepts our humble and weak efforts, forgives us our shortcomings, and saves you, us, and all the believers from the torment of the Hell Fire. Ameen.

Your Question: Is Love allowed in Islam ??

Dear and Beloved Brother in Islam, love-hate, like-dislike, joy-sorrow, smile-weep, etc. are natural emotions of mankind! What determines virtue and sin is what one says or does when one experiences these natural emotions!

To love someone is a natural emotion, and there is absolutely no sin if one loves another person; it is what one does and says after one has fallen in love with that person which would determine whether it would be counted as a virtue and a good deed in the Sight of Allah or a sin!

If one falls in love, and informs one’s guardians that they love so and so, and requests them to sanctify their love in the sacred bond of marriage so that they may love each other for the rest of their lives would be counted as a virtue and a good deed in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

But if one falls in love, and strives to meet or talk to the person in secret and in private, and in their love transgress the boundaries of Allah Subhanah before they are united in the sacred bond of marriage; then indeed it would constitute a huge sin in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 5:

5 This day are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of the People of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them. (Lawful unto you in marriage) are (not only) chaste women who are believers but chaste women among the People of the Book revealed before your time when ye give them their due dowers and desire chastity, not lewdness nor secret intrigues. If anyone rejects faith fruitless is his work and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who are losers.

Your Question: Is love marriages accepted in Islam sharia.

It would be absolutely safe to assume that Islam absolutely discourages to arrange a ‘hate-marriage’ or marry someone they hate!! It is only natural that one would choose to marry whom one likes rather than one whom one dislikes! And Islam guides that it is one amongst the Signs of Allah Subhanah that He has put ‘love’ and ‘mercy’ between two people who commit themselves to be united in the sacred institution of marriage.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 30 Surah Rome verse 21:

21 And among His (Allah’s) Signs is this that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquillity with them; and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts); verily in that are Signs for those who reflect.

The act that determines a sin is if one transgresses the boundaries laid down by their Lord. There is absolutely no harm if one likes someone and wishes to marry them; but if one strives to form an illicit relationship with that person, or strives to meet that person in private and engage in vain talk, etc., then it obviously opens the road or path to the abomination of ‘zina’ (fornication), and every act that opens up the path to this evil abomination of ‘zina’ would indeed constitute a grave sin in the Sight of Allah Subhanah!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Israa verse 32:

Do not even go near ‘zina’ (fornication or adultery) for it is a very indecent thing and a very evil way!

Your Question: Since man and women are not allowed to talk or meet face to face before marriage, how come love marriages will be accepted.

Pls. Clarify whats the truth in it.

It is absolutely untrue that Islam does not allow or discourages a man and a woman who intend to marry each other to talk or meet face to face; on the contrary, Islam absolutely encourages the believers to see, and even meet and talk with one whom they wish to marry, provided the girl is accompanied by her mehram guardian.

Jaber related that the Prophet (saws) said: ‘When one of you seeks a woman in marriage let him look at whom he wishes to marry.’
Related by Abu Dawood

Mughirah ibn Shu'bah narrated: ‘I sought a woman in marriage. The Messenger of Allah (saws) asked me :’Have you seen her?’ I said : ‘No.’ He (saws) then said: Then look at her, because it is more proper that love should be cemented between you.’
Related by Ahmed, Ibn Majah, Nasai, and Trimidhi.

Dear and beloved brother in Islam, the Messenger of Allah (saws) encouraged the believers who wish to marry to see, or even meet and talk if they wish to do so with the girl they are contemplating marriage, provided the girl is accompanied by her mehram guardian like her father, or her uncle, or her adult brother, etc. There is absolutely no harm in such interaction, provided both parties fear Allah and they sincerely intend to marry each other.

But both parties should fear Allah and absolutely abstain from meeting or talking alone without the presence of the girls mehram amongst them, for that leaves the door wide open for the Shaytaan to play his mischief.

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 3118 Narrated by Umar ibn al-Khattab

The Prophet (saws) said, "Whenever a man is alone with a (non-mehram) woman, the Shaytaan makes the third."

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of being led astray.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan