Having a love for the opposite sex is human nature. Love can make human life sustainable and beautiful. Therefore, Allah SWT made women ornaments of the world and pleasures for the inhabitants of heaven. Islam as a perfect religion has also arranged how to channel the nature of love in the Qur’an.
However, what is the ruling if pure love is channeled in a way that is not in accordance with Islamic teachings? This phenomenon is currently affecting most teenagers. The distribution of love that often calls the relationship with the term “dating.”
Islam never taught us about ‘dating .’ There is no concept of dating as it is practiced in the West because, in reality, two people of the opposite gender cannot avoid being alone together, there is a glance, and a touch occurs. All of these actions, of course, are illegitimate according to the Islamic Shari’ah.
The prohibition is to prevent someone from falling into adultery and maintaining the honor of a woman.
Allah SWT says: “And do not approach adultery; verily, adultery is an abominable act and a bad way.” (Al Isra 17: 32). Although the Qur’an does not explain clearly, the Qur’an prohibits all forms of adultery and things that approach adultery, including dating.
But Islam never forbids us to love each other, and liking someone for marriage is completely halal.
Meeting a spouse before marriage is wholly permitted and allowed if done with the right intentions and appropriately. For example, you can go out for a better understanding before marriage (once or twice) but going out for movies, doing haram things are not allowed.
Islamic scholar Mufti Menk called such meetings “halal meetings,” which still had to follow certain rules.
From an Islamic perspective, in choosing a partner, the most important factor that must be considered is Taqwa (piety and consciousness of Allah). Our beloved Prophet Muhammad SAW recommends applicants meet each other before undergoing the marriage procedure.
It is essential as it would make no sense if two people enter a marriage and are expected to have a successful, loving, and affectionate married life if they do not know each other.
