Question:
Assalaamu ‘alaikum
I would like to know the concept of dating in Islam and what are the conditions attached to such with regards to permissibility as well as haraam?
Jazakumullahu khairan
Answer:
Bismihi Ta‘ala
Wa ‘alaikumus salaam wa rahmatullahi wa barkaatuh
Respected Sister
Besides one’s spouse and mahrams (those immediate relatives with whom marriage is impermissible), any communication or contact with anyone of the opposite gender is impermissible.
In the case of genuine necessity (which the sharee‘ah recognizes as necessity) only the most formal discussion totally confined to the genuine need will be permissible. A simple example of this is a doctor. He will ask the female patient that he is treating the necessary questions to help him to correctly diagnose and treat the illness.
Where there is no such necessity recognized by sharee‘ah, the communication and contact is strictly haraam. In such a case, to look at a woman who is not one’s wife or mahram is zina of the eyes. To talk to her is zina of the tongue. To hear her talk is zina of the ears. To touch her is zina of the hands, etc. A person involved in zina is engaging in a heinous crime and is greatly distanced from Allah Ta‘ala, may Allah Ta‘ala protect us.
Dating has all the elements of zina. There is no such concept in Islam. Islam regards dating as a shameless transgression and an act of zina.
Answered by:
Uswatul Muslimah Panel of ‘Ulama