The Legal Verdict on Meeting and Dialogue before Marriage

Meeting of marriage candidates each other before marriage to reach a final decision to marry or cancel it is so popular in the Islamic society of Iran that it is not even thought to be “denied” and even the most fanatical religious person cannot forbid it; While most jurisprudential schools have allowed seeing suddenly the girl’s face and hands to wrists for the proposal, and some have allowed the girl to see the boy’s face as well, provided that the proposal does not enjoy her if it happens involuntarily and by force, some have prescribed it only once for the proposal to see the girl, and some have prescribed to see her several times. Some jurists have prescribed seeing the female body more than the face and hands to wrists, and seeing the girl’s body behind a lace covering even with pleasure. However, most schools have forbidden meeting and talking, and some jurists have allowed it on the condition of not committing sin. The study of the opinions of all jurisprudential schools shows that these opinions are inferential and based on their own ijtihad. They are not an indisputable legal verdict. They are based on restricting marriage to the pleasure and enjoyment of couples, ignoring other aspects of marriage and limiting the relationship between men and women to a pleasurable relationship. Criticizing the jurisprudential opinions and their principles, it is concluded that the ruling to allow the marriage candidates to meet and talk to the extent of a definite.