- Looking at a woman who is one of his maḥram relatives, or at his slave-woman who is already married; this is allowed with respect to every part of the body except what lies between the navel and the knee.
- Looking with the intention of proposing marriage; here it is permitted to look at the face and the hands alone.
- Looking for medical treatment; one may look at whatever areas must be examined or treated.
- Looking for the sake of testimony or a business transaction; only the face may be looked at.
- Looking at a slave-woman when purchasing her; it is permissible to look at those parts that customarily require inspection.
Section
A marriage contract is not valid unless concluded by a guardian and two upright witnesses. The guardian and the two witnesses must satisfy six conditions: they must be Muslim, of legal age, sane, free, male, and upright. An exception is made for a Jewish or Christian woman: her marriage does not require her guardian to be Muslim; likewise, the marriage of a female slave does not require her master to be upright.
The order of priority among guardians is as follows: first the father, then the paternal grandfather, then the full brother, then the consanguine brother, then the son of the full brother, then the son of the consanguine brother, then the paternal uncle, then his son, in this order. If no agnatic relatives are available, the right passes to the emancipator who set her free, then to his agnatic relatives, and finally to the judge.
It is unlawful to make an explicit proposal to a woman who is observing a waiting period (ʿidda), but an indirect hint is allowed, and she may be married after her waiting period ends.
Women are of two kinds: those previously married and virgins. A virgin may be compelled to marry by her father or paternal grandfather, whereas a previously married woman may not be married off until she has reached puberty and given her consent.
Section
The women expressly forbidden in the revealed texts are fourteen. Seven are forbidden by blood relationship: the mother and every ascendant, the daughter and every descendant, the sister, the maternal aunt, the paternal aunt, the brother’s daughter, and the sister’s daughter. Two are forbidden by fosterage: the nursing mother and the milk-sister.