How can some fatwas, such as Fatwa No. 115229, permit the dissolution of an engagement as if nothing had happened, while this entails psychological and social pain for the girl and her family, especially with the news spreading among people? Do these fatwas take into account justice and the injustice inflicted upon girls, or do they increase the suffering of those who face such situations?
The rulings of the Sacred Law are not ours to subject to our personal whims, and no one is permitted to declare something lawful or unlawful without religious proof. All of Allah's rulings are mercy, wisdom, and justice, and they serve the interests of His servants. The believer trusts that his happiness lies in adhering to them. The permissibility of breaking an engagement is in accordance with both the Shari'ah and reason, and it is a shared right of both the man and the woman, because a defect or an off-putting characteristic might become apparent in one of the parties. The engaged couple are strangers to each other, and preventing the breaking of an engagement increases the chances of divorce. An engaged man is no different from any other stranger before the marriage contract, and it is not permissible for him to be in seclusion with his fiancée or to touch her. The Shari'ah has set boundaries and etiquettes for the relationship between a man and a woman, and it does not differentiate between them in sin and punishment when these boundaries are transgressed. A fatwa is not a judgment; rather, it gives a religious ruling based on what is presented in the question. It is said that breaking an engagement is permissible, but it is contrary to what is most preferable unless there is a strong reason. Allah decrees nothing for the believer except what is good for him.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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