Halal Before Marriage: Islamic Perspective Explained
Hi readers! Are you curious about what is considered halal before marriage? Do you want to know what the Quran says about halal practices before marriage? Are you interested in learning about hadiths that explain what is permissible before marriage? If your answer is "Yes," then congratulations! You are reading the right article. Why? Because in this article, I will explain everything you need to know. So, make sure to read it to the end!
Understanding Halal Before Marriage
Before explaining the definition of halal before marriage, it is essential to understand that this topic is closely related to the interaction between men and women who are not mahram. A mahram refers to individuals who are permanently prohibited from marrying each other, such as a son and his mother, an uncle and his niece, a brother and his sister, and so on. I have covered this topic in previous articles.
So, what does halal before marriage mean? It refers to the actions that are permissible between a man and a woman who are not yet married. However, not everything is allowed, as some actions are considered sinful. The guidelines for these interactions can be found in the Quran and hadiths, which I will explain below.
Quranic Verses on Halal Before Marriage
Several Quranic verses discuss halal interactions before marriage and the proper conduct between men and women in Islam. One of the key verses is:
قُل لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ يَغُضُّواْ مِنۡ أَبۡصَٰرِهِمۡ وَيَحۡفَظُواْ فُرُوجَهُمۡۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَزۡكَىٰ لَهُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرُۢ بِمَا يَصۡنَعُونَ ٣٠
Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their private parts; that is purer for them. Surely Allah is well aware of what they do. (An-Nur [24]: 30)
From this verse, we learn that all Muslims, both men and women, must guard their eyes and protect their chastity. This means avoiding looking at things that are forbidden in Islam, such as inappropriate images or gazing at non-mahram individuals. It also emphasizes that Muslims must protect their private parts and refrain from engaging in fornication (zina) or any form of premarital sexual activity.
Hadiths on Halal Before Marriage
Numerous hadiths discuss what is halal before marriage. While I cannot quote them all, I will highlight three significant hadiths on this topic:
First Hadith
عَنْ حَمَنَةَ بِنْتِ جَحْشٍ قَالَتْ : كُنْتُ أُسْتَحَاضُ حَيْضَةً كَبِيْرَةً شَدِيْدَةً . فَأَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَسْتَفْتِيْهِ ، فَقَالَ ؛ إِنَّمَا هِيَ رَكْضَةٌ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ ، فَتَحَيِّضِيْ سِتَّةَ أَيَّامٍ أَوْ سَبْعَةَ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اِغْتَسِلِيْ ، فَإِذَا اِسْتَنْقَأْتِ فَصَلِّيْ أَرْبَعَةً وَعِشْرِيْنَ أَوْ ثَلَاثَةً وَعِشْرِيْنَ وَصُوْمِيْ وَصَلِّيْ ، فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ يُجْزِئُكِ ، وَكَذَلِكَ فَافْعَلِيْ كُلَّ شَهْرٍ كَمَا تَحِيْضُ النِّسَاءُ ، فَإِنْ نَوَيْتِ عَلَى أَنْ تُؤَخَّرِيْ الظُّهْرَ وَتُعَجَّلِيْ الْعَصْرَ ، ثُمَّ تَغْتَسِلِيْ حِيْنَ تَطْهُرِيْنَ ، وَتُصُلِّيْ الظُّهْرَ واَلْعَصْرَ جَمِيْعًا ، ثُمَّ تُؤَخَّرِيْنَ الْمَغْرِبَ وَتُعَجِّلِيْنَ الْعِشَاءَ ، ثُمَّ تَغْتَسْلِيْنَ وَتَجْمَعِيْنَ بَيْنَ الصَّلَاتَيْنِ ؟ فَافْعَلِيْ ، وَتَغْتَسِلِيْنَ مَعَ الصُّبْحِ وَتُصَلِّيْنَ ، قَالَ : وَهُوْ أَعْجَبُ الْأَمْرَيْنِ إِلَيَّ . رَوَاهُ الْخَمْسَةُ إِلَّا النَّسَائِيُّ
From Hamanah bint Jahsh, she said, "I experienced excessive istihadhah (abnormal bleeding). I then came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) to ask for guidance. He said, 'Indeed, it is an affliction from Satan. Observe your menstrual cycle for six or seven days, then take a bath. Once you are purified, perform twenty-four or twenty-three prayers, fast, and pray. That is sufficient for you. Likewise, follow the practices of menstruating women. If you wish to delay the Dhuhr prayer and perform the Asr prayer earlier, then bathe when purified and perform both Dhuhr and Asr together. Likewise, delay the Maghrib prayer and perform the Isha prayer earlier, then bathe and combine both prayers. Lastly, bathe before Fajr and perform the Fajr prayer.'" (Narrated by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah, except An-Nasa'i)
Second Hadith
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا : كَانَ الْفَضْلُ بْنُ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ رَدِيْفَ رَسُوْلَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ . فَجَاءَتْ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ خَثْعَم فَجَعَلَ الْفَضْلُ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهَا وَتَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِ , وَجَعَلَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَصْرِفُ وَجْهَ الْفَضْلِ إِلَى الشِّقِّ الْآخَرِ , فَقَالَتْ : يَا رَسُوْلَ اللهِ , إِنَّ فَرِيْضَةَ اللهِ عَلَى عِبَادِهِ فِيْ الْحَجِّ , أَدْرَكْتُ أَبِيْ شَيْخًا كَبِيْرًا لَايَثْبُتُ عَلَى الرَّاحِلَةِ : أَفَأَحُجُّ عَنْهُ ؟ قَالَ نَعَمْ . وَذَلِكَ فِيْ حَجِّ الْوَدَاعِ . مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ
From Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), "Al-Fadl bin Abbas was riding behind the Prophet (peace be upon him) when a woman from Khath'am came. Al-Fadl kept looking at her, and she was looking at him. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then turned Al-Fadl's face away. The woman said, 'O Messenger of Allah, the obligation of Hajj has been prescribed by Allah, but my father is very old and cannot travel. Can I perform Hajj on his behalf?' The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, 'Yes.'" (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Third Hadith
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ امْرَأَةً مِنْ جُهَيْنَةَ جَاءَتْ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَتْ : إِنَّ أُمِّيْ نَذَرَتْ أَنْ تَحُجَّ فَلَمْ تَحُجَّ حَتَّى مَاتَتْ , أَفَأَحُجُّ عَنْهَا ؟ قَالَ : نَعَمْ , حُجِّيْ عَنْهَا , أَرَأَيْتِ إِنْ كَانَ عَلَى أُمُّكِ دَيْنٌ أَكُنْتِ قَاضِيَتَهُ ؟ أُقْضُوْا اللهَ فَاللهُ أَحَقُّ بِالْوَفَاءِ . رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ
From Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), "A woman from Juhaynah came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said, 'My mother vowed to perform Hajj but passed away before fulfilling it. Can I perform Hajj on her behalf?' The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, 'Yes, perform Hajj on her behalf. Would you not repay a debt if she owed one? Fulfill her obligation to Allah, for He is more deserving of the fulfillment of vows.'" (Narrated by Al-Bukhari)
Conclusion
In summary, the concept of halal before marriage revolves around maintaining purity in interactions between men and women. The Quran and hadiths emphasize lowering the gaze, avoiding inappropriate interactions, and protecting one's chastity. Islam provides clear guidelines to ensure that relationships are conducted in a way that aligns with religious teachings, promoting respect and dignity.
By following these principles, Muslims can enre that their relationships remain within the boundaries set by Allah, leading to a blessed and fulfilling marriage. May Allah guide us all to the right path. Ameen.
What I appreciated most was the way the author explained the concept of halal in a simple and relatable way. The discussion about how men and women, who are not mahrams, can interact was particularly helpful. Before reading this article, I wasn't completely sure about the boundaries Islam sets for relationships between non-mahram men and women. The explanation, supported by Quranic verses and hadiths, clarified that only certain interactions are permissible, and these must be in the context of necessity—like studying, medical treatment, or social activities.
The inclusion of the Quranic verse (An-Nur [24:30]) was really insightful. It was clear and to the point, showing that both men and women are advised to lower their gaze and protect their modesty. I also found the hadiths very useful, even though they didn’t directly describe halal before marriage, they still shed light on the nature of interactions between men and women. This made me realize that while Islam permits certain interactions, it always emphasizes the importance of maintaining boundaries to prevent any wrongdoing, such as adultery.
What really stood out to me was the focus on personal responsibility—how we need to stay conscious of our actions and intentions. I now better understand how to avoid situations that could lead to temptation, which is key in avoiding sinful behavior. The article also made it clear that it’s okay for men and women to engage in important discussions as long as the conversation is respectful and purposeful.
Thank you so much for this article! It has answered so many of my questions and gave me the clarity I was searching for. I feel more confident in my understanding of what’s halal before marriage and how to approach interactions with others in a way that aligns with Islamic teachings. This resource is a real gem for anyone, like me, who wants to understand how to follow Islam’s guidelines in daily life. May Allah reward you for your efforts in making such important knowledge accessible!