Re: What does past relationship (s) that never worked out got to do with marriage iss
In my family, even while living in the Netherlands, it certainly was not considered normal for females to have relationships with males without marriage.
As a 17 year old, in the '90s, I had two (Dutch) male best friends, they were my silly class fellows with whom I enjoyed not having to pretend that I was not silly. I was never in love with them, as far as I know they weren’t in love with me either, it was nothing more than friendship. Yet even that was frowned upon by not just my family, but also fellow Pakistanis (not just family friends, even people we just knew a bit) and even some Indian acquaintances. A love relationship with any male (or female for that matter) was out of question. At that age, I wasn’t ready and I wasn’t interested in such relationships with males, so I didn’t think about it being right or wrong. I have never met any Pakistani Muslim family in the Netherlands (and growing up here, I have known many) who was allright with their females having love relationships with males before marriage.
I agree that it isn’t Islamic to spend a lot of time completely alone with a male who you are, perhaps, going to marry. Talking is allowed of course, even from some ahadith it’s clear how people used to talk and know each other in the time of Mohammed (saww) before marriage. Talking with someone else present is halal. Both males and females are allowed to know the person they might marry and then decide if they want to go through with it. That is real Islam. Real Islam isn’t cruel to have people being thrown into marriages with people they don’t know and who might not be a good match.
I can’t find the ahadith I read about this, it has been years, but this is what I found on internet:
A long as there is a Mahram with you there is no problem. A Mahram is needed so you are not alone because when a girl and boy are alone a third person will be present and that will be Shaytan. He can encourage you to do haram.
Source: Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 3118Narrated by Umar ibn al-Khattab
*The Prophet (saws) said, “Whenever a man is alone with a (non-mehram)woman, the Shaytaan makes a third.”
*Al-Mughira reports that when he got engaged to a woman the Prophet (pbuh) says,
"Look at her, for it is more likely to create affection and consent between you.”
[Narrated by At- Tirmidhi and An-Nasa’i]
*
This is part of an interesting article, found here:****http://www.taqwamagazine.com/quran-hadith-about-non-mahram-relationships/
***“Allah wishes to lighten (the burden) for you; and man was created weak (cannot be patient to leave sexual intercourse with woman)”. (4:28)
*By this ayah, a fact none can deny, men always search for love and it is natural. However in some cases it is so disastrous that it may lead to illegal sexual intercourse (Zina).
This quote is from: *Can a Man See a Woman before Marriage? - Islam Question & Answer (interesting to read the entire information on that page)
**Al-Shaafa’i (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “If he wants to marry a woman, he is not allowed to see her without a headcover. He may look at her face and hands when she is covered, with or without her permission. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ***‘… and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent…’ [al-Noor 24:31]. He said: ‘The face and hands.’” (*al-Haawi al-Kabeer, 9/34).
**