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Is it permissible for an engaged couple to sit together while observing Islamic dress code and in the presence of a mahram before the marriage contract, with the intention of making the engagement public?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The default is for communication between the engaged couple to cease after the viewing and mutual acceptance, until the marriage contract is concluded. Visits are permissible when there is a need, otherwise they are not, due to the impermissibility of intimacy and casual conversation with a non-mahram woman. Frequent visits open the doors to Shaytan and lead to emotional attachment. The gathering of the engaged couple's relatives for introduction or to publicize the engagement does not require offer and acceptance, as these are specific utterances required for the marriage contract. Breaking off an engagement is permissible and is not considered a divorce, because it is merely a promise to marry. It does not require documentation, nor is the girl considered divorced before consummation, and there is no obligation to inform a new suitor of what happened.

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

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