Looking at the Prospective Spouse

**Ruling:** It is permissible for a man who intends marriage to look at the woman he wishes to marry. **Evidence:** - **Hadith of Sahl ibn Sa'd رضي الله عنه:** A woman came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I have come to offer myself to you." He looked at her, raising his gaze and lowering it, then he lowered his head [Bukhari] - **Hadith of Mughirah رضي الله عنه:** He was with the Prophet ﷺ when a man came and informed him that he had married an Ansari woman. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked him: "Did you look at her?" He said: No. He said: "Go and look at her, for there is something in the eyes of the Ansar" [Muslim] - **Hadith of Jabir رضي الله عنه:** The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "When one of you proposes to a woman, if he can look at what will encourage him to marry her, let him do so." He said: So I proposed to a woman and I used to hide to see her, until I saw what encouraged me to marry her, so I married her [Abu Dawud, Ahmad, Hakim - sahih] --- **Wisdom:** The wisdom in this is that looking is more conducive to her being beloved to him. Then it is more conducive to affection, love, and lasting harmony between them. As the Prophet ﷺ said to Mughirah when he proposed to a woman: "Look at her, for it is more likely to create affection between you" [Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Nasa'i, Ibn Majah - sahih]. Meaning: love and harmony will exist between you.