Correspondence Between The Sexes And Its Effect On The Fast
EsinIslam
Ramadan
The Awqaf -
Living Shariah
What is the ruling if I correspond with my
female friend on the Net during Ramadaan, so long as I
remain within the limits of respect, and she opens her
webcam and I see her?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
One of the essential aims of Islamic sharee'ah is to
protect lineages and honour. For that reason Allaah
has forbidden zina (illicit sexual relationships) and
has forbidden the means that may lead to that, such as
a man being alone with a woman who is not his mahram,
sinful looking, travelling without a mahram, a woman
going out of her house wearing perfume and makeup, and
clothed yet naked. Another of these means is a man
talking with a woman and her speaking softly to him
and tempting him and provoking his desire, making him
fall into her trap, whether that is when they meet in
the street or talk on the phone or correspond in
writing etc.
Allaah forbade the wives of His Messenger (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) – who were pure women
– to display themselves like that of the times of
ignorance (Jaahiliyyah) or to speak in soft tones lest
those in whose hearts was a disease be moved with
desire, and He commanded them to speak in an
honourable manner. Allaah said (interpretation of the
meaning):
"O wives of the Prophet! You are not like any other
women. If you keep your duty (to Allaah), then be not
soft in speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease
(of hypocrisy, or evil desire for adultery) should be
moved with desire, but speak in an honourable manner"
[al-Ahzaab 33:32]
See question no. 10221
Conversations and correspondence between men and women
on the internet are one of the means of fitnah
(temptation) and evil. That is because these
conversations could go too far, which in turn often
leads to love and infatuation. Hence we must be strict
about these matters and keep away from them, seeking
the pleasure of Allaah and hoping to avoid His
punishment.
How often have these conversations led people into
evil, and made them fall in love and led some of them
to something that is even worse than that. See
question no. 34841.
Shaykh Ibn Jibreen was asked: What is the ruling on
correspondence between young men and women, knowing
that this correspondence is free of any immoral
content or love?
He replied:
It is not permissible for anyone to correspond with a
woman who is not his mahram, because of the fitnah
involved in that. The correspondent may think that
there is no fitnah, but the Shaytaan will keep on at
him until he makes him fall in love with her and her
with him. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) ordered the one who hears of the Dajjaal
to flee far away from him, and he said that a man may
come to him as a believer but the Dajjaal will keep on
at him until he leads him astray.
Correspondence of young men with young women involves
a great deal of fitnah and danger, and it must be
avoided, even if the questioner says that there is no
love or desire involved. End quote.
Fataawa al-Mar'ah, compiled by Muhammad al-Musnad, p.
96.
Secondly:
The fasting person is enjoined to fear Allaah and to
do what He has commanded, and to avoid what He has
forbidden.
The purpose of fasting is not simply to refrain from
eating and drinking, rather the purpose is to attain
taqwa or piety – "that you may become Al-Muttaqoon
(the pious" [al-Baqarah 2:183] – and to discpilne
oneself, and to give up bad deeds. Hence the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"Fasting is not just giving up food and drink, rather
fasting is giving up idle and obscene speech."
Narrated by al-Haakim; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani
in Saheeh al-Jaami', 5376.
In the answer to question no. 50063 we have explained
the effect that sin has on the fast, and that it may
take away the reward altogether.
And Allaah knows best.
Ramadan Team
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