The Book of Marriage
Introduction
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The Book of Marriage

Marriage is recommended for anyone who needs it and possesses the means. When the means are absent, postponing marriage is recommended and he should curb his desire by fasting. If he does not feel the need, marriage is disliked when he lacks the means and not disliked when he has them, although dedicating oneself to worship remains superior.

I say: If he will not devote himself to worship, marriage is preferable according to the sounder view. Should he have the means yet suffer from an impediment—such as old age, a chronic illness, or a specific defect—marriage is disliked. Allah knows best.

It is recommended that he marry a religious, well-bred, virgin woman who is not a close blood relative. Once he intends to marry her, it is sunnah for him to look at her before making the proposal, even without her permission, and he may repeat the glance; he may look at nothing beyond the face and hands.

It is unlawful for an adult male to look at the ʿawrah of an adult free woman who is unrelated to him, and likewise at her face and hands when temptation is feared—and, according to the sound position, even when no temptation is feared. With a slave woman he may look at everything except the area between the navel and the knee, and with a minor girl at everything except the genital area. The gaze of a slave at his mistress and the gaze of a eunuch are treated like the gaze toward a mahram. A boy nearing puberty is treated as an adult. A man may look at another man except for the area between the navel and the knee, and it is forbidden to look at a beardless youth with desire.

I say: According to the more correct, explicitly transmitted opinion, this is likewise forbidden even without desire. The soundest view among the specialists is that a slave woman is treated like a free woman; Allah knows best. The ruling for a woman with another woman is the same as that for a man with another man. The sound position is that it is forbidden for a non-Muslim woman to look at a Muslim woman, and that it is permissible for a woman to look at the body of an unrelated man except for what lies between his navel and knees, provided she does not fear temptation.

I say: The sounder view is that this too is prohibited, just as his looking at her is prohibited; Allah knows best. Her looking at a mahram is governed by the same rules as his looking at her. Whenever looking is forbidden, touching is likewise forbidden, yet both looking and touching are permitted for blood-letting, cupping, and medical treatment.