💍 Khitbah & engagement · #19

May one ask for a photo of a prospective wife? What if the photo is without a headscarf?

A photo in clothing that covers the ʿawrah may be requested for the purpose of a proposal; a photo without a headscarf is not permitted.
A photo stands in for a direct look, so the ruling and limits are the same: only the parts that may be seen during khitbah (the face and palms according to the Shafi'i school). It must be for the need to make a decision, not kept, shared with friends or circulated. If the proposal does not go ahead, delete the photo as a trust. Photos can be edited and misleading, so a chaperoned meeting in person or video call is more reliable. The woman's side is entitled to refuse a request for photos and choose a chaperoned meeting instead. See khitbah.

Sources

Sunan at-Tirmidhi 1087 (hasan)Surah an-Nur 24:31

← PreviousMay I look at the woman discreetly without her knowing?Next →May a woman or her family propose to a man first?

Related questions

May a married man get engaged to a prospective second wife before obtaining court permission?Getting engaged is not in itself wrong, but a polygynous akad nikah may not take place before the court's written permission is…Which parts of a woman being proposed to may be seen? May it be without a headscarf?According to the Shafi'i school, only the face and both palms may be seen; the woman need not remove her headscarf. The…May I see my prospective wife more than once?One may look again as far as needed to make a decision, but no more than that. Scholars of the Shafi'i school…May I look at the woman discreetly without her knowing?Yes, according to the Shafi'i school, and it in fact better protects the woman's feelings if the man ultimately does not go ahead with the…How can one decline a proposal kindly without causing offence?Decline promptly, briefly and politely, through the same channel by which the proposal came. Do not delay the answer…May one make a video call to see a prospective spouse who lives far away?Yes, in place of seeing each other in person, under the same conditions as looking at a prospective wife during khitbah (an-nazar).…

This answer is general reference, not a fatwa. For your situation, consult the religious affairs office, a Syarie lawyer or your state Syariah Court.

Comments or feedback

Read only by the MYPolygyny administrator — never published.

About Us · Ask · Site Map · Privacy · Editorial policy · Disclaimer