Shaykh Bin Baz was asked,
Question:
“If a man went to one of the houses for a marriage proposal and finished the khitbah, then is it [permissible] for him that he see the face of his fiancee? May Allaah reward you with good. Also, what are the limits in this affair?”
Answer:
“Yes, [it is permissible] for him that he sees his fiancee before and after the khitbah so that he can verify her uprightness and so that he can feel assured regarding her uprightness and her being suitable [for him]. However, this must be done without being alone with her. He should not be alone with her. Rather, [it should be done] with the presence of her father, her mother, or other than those two. He sees from her her face, her hands, and her feet. There is no problem in this. Rather, even her hair. If he sees her hair, then there is no problem In Shaa Allaah.
In an authentic hadith, a man who said he wanted to marry a woman, meaning he wanted to marry her, the Prophet ﷺ said to this man, ‘Have you seen her?’ The man replied, ‘No’. The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Go and then see her’.
The Prophet ﷺ said,
‘When one of you proposes to a woman, then if it is possible for him to look at that which will induce him to marry her, then let him do so.’ [Narrated by Abu Dawud (2082) and Imam Ahmad (14626) and declared hasan by Shaykh Albani in Irwaa Al-Ghaleel (1791)]
The meaning is that the Prophet ﷺ ordered with that. He ordered the suitor that he look at that which would induce him to marry the woman. And it is known that her face, her hands, her feet, and her hair are from those that induces one to marry her if he finds it pleasing.” End translation.
Translated by
Aashir Khan
Abu Layth
