Is a relationship with any girl without touching her i.e hugging, shaking hand with the intention to marry her Haraam or Halaal?
Assalāmu `alaikum Warahmatullāhi Wabrakatuh,
If a person intends marrying a girl, the only contact Shariah has permitted between the boy and girl is to see each other. If they fancy each other, they may marry after having fulfilled all the normality’s of making such a decision, that is investigating the conduct of the person, making mashura and istikhara. Besides seeing each other for the purpose of marriage, it is not permissible to have any form of relationship with each other even though such relationship excludes all forms of physical relationship. Like hugging and shaking hands. Shariah has closed all doors of vice and immorality. Anything that may lead to an immoral act is prohibited. Every person has a nafs which has a demanding appetite. A male and female in touch with each other outside marriage can never guarantee absolute resistance from each other.
Apart from the nafs, shaitaan is the external force of evil that will lead the male and female closer and commit immoral and evil acts. The only solution is abstinence. When a male is alone, he is not attracted to a female. When he is with a female he will be attracted. Butter in front of fire will melt. It is precisely for this reason that Allah ta’ala says
وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا الزِّنَا
And do not go close to adultery. (Quran 17:32)
Rasulullah salallahu ῾alayhi wasallam said:
لَا يَخْلُوَنَّ رَجُلٌ بِامْرَأَةٍ إِلَّا كَانَ ثَالِثَهُمَا الشَّيْطَانُ
No man is alone with a woman except the third is the shaitaan.
(Sunan Tirmidhi #1171, 3/466)
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best,
Muftī Ebrahim Desai
Daruliftaa
35 Candella Rd, Durban, South Africa