Is a man sitting with a woman in a public place—such as a waiting room—that people can enter at any moment considered a private seclusion (khalwa)?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
Unlawful (private meeting) is the gathering of a man and a woman in a way that does not ensure the absence of suspicion. It requires the place to be hidden from sight and sound, and that the entry of a third party is unlikely. Waiting rooms and similar public places, where one cannot control who enters, are not considered unlawful khalwa. However, it is preferable to avoid sitting in them alone, due to the whisperings of Satan that such a situation might lead to.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/85394
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 85394
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy