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:

Assalaamaleikum WR WB

i am staying in Riyadh with my husband,but my brother in law(husband`s brother) is also staying with us,he comes from his office 1Hr early before my husband comes.Can u please let me know,is it fine with the Islaamic Law and Shariah to stay with Na-mehram as none of our parents stay with us.

JazakAllahuKhair 

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Answer:

Treatment of non-mehram brother in law

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.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chatper 24 Surah Noor verse 31:

30 Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do.

31 And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their chastity (modesty); that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what may appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, …………

There is absolutely no harm if the believers wish to live in one house as a ‘joint family’, provided that the believers, both men and women, scrupulously guard their modesty when in the presence of non-mehram members of the opposite sex.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 53:

53 O ye who Believe! ….. when ye (the companions (r.a.) of the Prophet (saws)) ask (the wives (r.a.) of the Prophet (saws)) for anything ye want, ask them from before a screen: that makes for greater purity for your hearts and for theirs. Nor is it right for you that ye should annoy Allah's Messenger or that ye should marry his widows after him at any time. Truly such a thing is in Allah's Sight an enormity.

Respected sister, there is allowance in Islam for the believers to speak or interact with a non-mehram member of the opposite sex, provided one has an absolutely genuine need and one communicates to the point, and in a straight, business-like manner.

What is strictly prohibited in Islam is that two non-mehram members of the opposite sex meet or talk alone in private, or hold casual or vain talk amongst each other, regardless of whether in person or through any other form of communication.

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