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What is the definition of unlawful interaction between men and women, according to the Shariah?

Answered as per Shafi'i Fiqh by Qibla.com

Answered by Shaykh Amjad Rasheed

What is the definition of unlawful interaction between men and women, according to the Shariah? Is it different with relatives? What if remaining distant leads to family problems?

Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

What is forbidden in male-female interaction is:

One, for one or more men to be alone with one non-related woman (khalwa).

Two, for ‘nakedness’ (awra) to be uncovered, and for individuals of each gender to look at the other unlawfully.

If either of these impermissible matters is found, then such a gathering is impermissible, except to the extent of a need that is unavoidable. This is irrespective of whether this is with one’s relatives or others: the ruling is the same.

Mere shyness is not an excuse that would permit one to remain seated in an unlawful gathering. Acting on one’s social shyness can lead one to harm and lose one’s religious practice, if one allows this door to be opened for oneself.

If it is a family gathering, one should explain to them that such gathering are impermissible; and one should not accept sitting in such a gathering. After a while, one’s relatives will become used to this. Alternatively, you can excuse yourself by saying you are busy with such-and-such.

As for a gathering in which there is no unlawful seclusion, where people are covered properly and restrain their gazes, then this is not forbidden.

Wassalam,

Amjad Rasheed.

(Translated by Faraz Rabbani)

السؤال : ما حد الاختلاط الممنوع شرعا ؟ هل يختلف بين الأقارب ؟ كيف نبتعد عنه إن كان الابتعاد يؤدي إلى مشاكل في العائلة ؟ الجواب : المحظور في اجتماع الرجال بالنساء أمران كما تقدم لي الجواب عن ذلك وهما : خلوةُ رجل أو أكثر بامرأة أجنبية ، والثاني : تكشف العورات وإطلاق النظر إلى الجنس الآخر . فإن وجد واحد من هذين المحظورين فالاجتماعُ محرمٌ إلا لحاجة لا يمكن معها التخلص من ذلك سواء كان ذلك بين الأقارب أو غيرهم فالحكم واحد ، وليس مجرد الاستحياء عذرا يبيح الجلوس هنا فإنه مضيع للدين إن فتح الشخص لنفسه هذا الباب ، فإن كانت مجالس العائلة بمثل هذا الشكل فليبين لهم حرمتها وأنه لا يرضى بالجلوس في مثلها وبعد فترة يعتادون ذلك منه ، أو يتعذر لهم بأعذار كالانشغال بعمل ما . أما لو كان الاجتماعُ بلا خلوة مع ستر العورة وغض البصر فلا يحرم

 

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