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What is the ruling on looking at a non-mahram woman with the intention of marriage, if the look is not one of lust, but rather a scrutinizing look to determine whether or not she is suitable for him?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

It is recommended to look at a woman with the intention of marrying her, based on what Muslim narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him). The woman's consent is not a condition; rather, it is permissible to look at her while she is unaware, based on what Ahmad and Abu Dawud narrated from Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both). Jabir and Muhammad ibn Maslamah (may Allah be pleased with them both) did this. Therefore, one should inquire about the woman, her religiosity, and her family, and then look at her if one feels inclined to marry her.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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