I say, and with God's success: This topic is one of the most frequently discussed subjects these days; due to the changes that have occurred in the lives of Muslims as a result of the intellectual invasion we are experiencing, this matter has become a concern for the majority of people, who frequently inquire about it, with a strange acceptance of the imported ideas within it, and astonishment at the details provided by Islam regarding it. This matter was, in ancient times, self-evident to people, requiring no question and answer; as people accepted the rulings of their religion and believed in their truth and correctness with great confidence. In order to achieve the intended purpose of clarifying the legal perspective on the relationship between the sexes before marriage, we will establish principles and foundations agreed upon by rational individuals to build this ruling upon. The first principle: The wisdom of God has necessitated the creation of the earth and the desire to populate it by making human beings its successors, each succeeding the one before them in fulfilling this duty. {And when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority."} [Al-Baqarah: 30], {And He it is who has made you successors upon the earth.} [Al-An'am: 165], {Then We made you successors in the earth.} [Yunus: 14], {He created you from the earth and settled you therein. So seek forgiveness from Him and repent to Him.} [Hud: 61]. This succession and inhabitation cannot occur without the continuity of the human race on it, which is composed, like other species, of male and female, and reproduction between them can only occur through interaction. This interaction requires each one's longing for the other and inclination towards them; otherwise, companionship will not occur, and there will be no reproduction and multiplication that connects to human existence. The reality of the yearning of both sexes for each other is a matter that should not be disputed due to the wisdom that follows it, and God has established this truth in many places: 1. He has counted women among the beloved desires of men, saying: {Beautified for people is the love of that which they desire of women.} [Al-Imran: 14]. 2. He expressed both by the term "one soul" to indicate the complete harmony between them, and that human beings cannot fulfill their needs without their union, {O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women.} [An-Nisa: 1], and He said: {He it is who created you from one soul and made from it its mate that he might dwell in security with her. And when he has covered her, she carries a light burden.} [Al-A'raf: 189]. 3. He clarified that tranquility, stability, and comfort come from the meeting of the two sexes, {And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility in them and He placed between you affection and mercy.} [Ar-Rum: 21]. If we keep this in mind, then the attention, interest, and inclination of each sex towards the other is a natural matter, ingrained in our nature, necessary for the continuation of human existence, and there is no condemnation for it. One of the greatest distinctions of the divine law, which is in harmony with human nature, is that it has organized the relationship between these two parties; because leaving their meeting without limits and restrictions leads to undesirable consequences that result in injustice to humanity. Some of its manifestations are: 1. In their connection, reproduction must occur, for which longing between them was created, and this reproduction requires care and attention, which can only be truly realized with the presence of a father and a mother who enjoy life together until their psychological, emotional, physical, and educational needs are fulfilled with one another. No matter how much they try to establish institutions specialized in caring for the children of fornication, they will not provide what can be found with the parents, in addition to what it means for their view of society when they lose the highest meanings of life from having a family and relatives, and when they know that they were born from a fleeting, careless desire. 2. In a woman presenting herself to men without any counterpart is a great injustice to her, as everyone fulfills their desires from her and moves on, while she bears the burdens of this pregnancy without knowing from whom it came, and even if she knows, no one can compel him to do anything. Instead of spending the duration of pregnancy pampered and happy with a child that will come to her, she spends it troubled, worried, and exhausted. No one acknowledges her, no one assists or comforts her, and no one endures the hardships of raising him, leading her to dispose of him by any means without any mercy from humanity. This is just a glimpse of the flood. If this is established, it is known how great the Islamic legislation is for marriage between humans, and that it is the only means for the meeting of these two longing sexes, and it has encouraged it in many texts as previously mentioned, including His saying: (O young men, whoever among you is able to marry, let him do so, for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and guarding chastity, and whoever is not able, then let him fast, for it is a shield) in Sahih Muslim: 2: 1018, and Sahih Bukhari 5: 1950. At the same time that Islam establishes this truth between the sexes regarding each one's strong desire for the other, it established another principle as follows. The second principle: Islam is very keen in its legislation to maintain society as pure and clean, far from all causes of corruption that arise from this emotional and sexual inclination between them, including: 1. It permitted early marriage: {And those who have not yet menstruated.} [At-Talaq: 4]. 2. It permitted polygamy: {Then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four.} [An-Nisa: 3]. 3. It commanded lowering the gaze between them: {Tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision.} [An-Nur: 30], {And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision.} [An-Nur: 31]. 4. It commanded preserving chastity: {And they should guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what they do.} [An-Nur: 30], {And let them guard their private parts.} [An-Nur: 31]. 5. It commanded women to wear hijab and modest clothing: {And let them not display their adornment except that which [ordinarily] appears thereof, and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests.} [An-Nur: 31]. 6. It prohibited her from being extravagant: {And do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance.} [Al-Ahzab: 33]. 7. It prohibited her from revealing her adornment to non-mahrams: {And let them not display their adornment except to their husbands or their fathers...} [An-Nur: 31]. 8. It prohibited her from engaging in any act that provokes those around her and draws their attention, even if it is by making a sound while walking: {And do not strike your feet to make known what you conceal of their adornment. And repent to Allah, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.} [An-Nur: 31]. 9. It commanded her not to leave her home except for necessity and need: {And abide in your houses.} [Al-Ahzab: 33]. In light of these two great truths: the inclination of the sexes and the purity of society, we can delve into this highly sensitive issue, which is whether the Sharia permits establishing a relationship between the sexes before marriage? This relationship can be referred to as love or acquaintance, as they say: it is necessary for both who are to marry to be in love or for each party to study the other to see if they are compatible in their natures, conditions, and qualities or not; because if there are no strong bridges of love or harmony and compatibility in natures and qualities between them, how can they coexist together for their entire lives? If we want cohesive families that enjoy happiness and contentment, this is essential. This statement, on its surface, is appealing and has acceptance, but if we scrutinize it, we find it contains unforgivable leniencies and strays from the truth and correctness, and the clarification of that is as follows: If we return to the meaning of love in the language books, we find it means: affection and the opposite of hatred, as in the dictionary 1: 52, and the tongue 1: 742. If we want to derive a general meaning of love to refer to, we can say it revolves around: longing, inclination, desire, affection, pleasure, and admiration. These matters are generally present between the sexes due to their innate nature and creation; they long for each other, each inclines towards the other, desires them, finds comfort in them, enjoys their company, and admires their appearance. Imam Al-Ghazali has a subtle division in beloved things and others; he says in Ihya 4: 313-314: "The perceived things are divided into what agrees with the nature of the perceiver and pleases him, and what contradicts it and causes him pain, and what does not affect him with pain or pleasure. So everything that brings pleasure and comfort in perception is beloved to the perceiver, and what brings him pain is hated by the perceiver, and what is free from the consequences of pain and pleasure cannot be described as beloved or hated. Therefore, everything pleasurable is beloved to the one who enjoys it, and the meaning of being beloved is that there is an inclination towards it in nature. And the meaning of being hated is that there is a repulsion from it in nature. Thus, love is an inclination of nature towards something pleasurable, and if that inclination is confirmed and strong, it is called passion, and hatred is an inclination of nature away from something painful and tiring, and if it is strong, it is called aversion. This is a fundamental understanding of the true meaning of love that must be known." What appears to one of us in these states towards the other party is in accordance with nature, not because he exchanges with them a feeling that others lack, even if he leaves behind the fantasies suggested by series, films, and songs and lives according to his nature in reporting this reality, he will find that this feeling is renewed in him with many parties he sees and hears. This does not negate the variation in the availability of these matters between individuals, but we wanted to affirm that they exist generally between the sexes. So if one of the sexes admires the other and inclines towards them to a high degree, is it permissible for him to express this to them? If we were to pose this question to a group of people in our time, we would find a strange difference among them in their answers between agreement and opposition, as each answers according to their culture, environment, and upbringing. However, the noble Sharia has relieved us from the burden of this disagreement and has favored one side for us, as it has been established from the Messenger of Allah  that he said: (Whoever loves secretly and is chaste and dies, he is a martyr). The scholar Ahmad Al-Siddiq Al-Ghamari dedicated a special book to this hadith to prove it, titled: "Dra' Al-Da'f An Hadith Man 'Ashiq Fa 'Aff." The meaning of this is that if love truly occurs from one party to another, regardless of the reason whether it was due to kinship, neighborliness, study, work, or otherwise, it does not concern us to scrutinize that here; because it requires detailed explanation that is not suitable for this place. What concerns us is that if this occurs, the hadith guides us that he must keep it secret and be chaste, and even if his intense longing leads him to death while in that state, he will have the rank of martyrdom with Allah ; because he was tested and endured and did not make the honor of Muslims a subject of entertainment and play, nor did he pursue the whims and desires of his soul. Thus, it is right for him to be among the truthful with their Lord. If it is established legally and rationally that it is not permissible to open a relationship between the sexes without a legal bond, we add to what has been previously mentioned that this love is a reality that can only be achieved through knowing the beloved. Imam Al-Ghazali said in Ihya (4: 213): "There can be no love imagined except after knowledge and perception, for a person does not love except what he knows...". This relationship, no matter how opened and developed, does not reveal the true nature of each party to the other, even if they are engaged; because each party seeks to show the best and most beautiful of what they have to the other, and only speaks with the kindest and sweetest words of flirtation and affection with them, and this does not depict the nature of each; as it can only be known through marital companionship that includes many life difficulties such as pregnancy, childbirth, upbringing, cleaning, patience in times of hardship and distress, gratitude for Allah's relief, and good conduct in various situations, and safeguarding wealth and oneself, and others. Understanding such matters requires months or years of marriage, so whoever has a good nature, comes from a good lineage, and has been raised well with good morals and religion will have these qualities more available, and their ability to live with their partner will be greater. A happy marital life is most in need of religion above all else, as the beloved Messenger  has guided: (Women marry for their religion, wealth, and beauty; so choose the one with religion, may your hands be dusted) in Sahih Muslim: 2: 1087; for many reasons, including: 1. It organizes the relationship between these two married individuals and clarifies what each has and what is required of them, so that even if they quarrel over a matter, there is a judgment between them that ensures fairness for each. 2. It clarifies the nature of a woman's view of a man, which is a view of respect, reverence, and esteem, to the extent that it is disliked for a wife to call her husband by his name; due to the disruption it causes, as she should address him by his nickname out of respect for him. It also clarifies the man's view of a woman, which is a view of mercy, affection, and compassion, as He  said: {And He placed between you affection and mercy.} [Ar-Rum: 21], which contradicts the Western view that makes each a rival to the other. 3. It made the man the primary responsible party in marital life: {Men are protectors and maintainers of women by what Allah has given one over the other and what they spend of their wealth.} [An-Nisa: 34]. And it commanded the woman to obey her husband and take care of his affairs, to the extent that he said : (If anyone were to prostrate to anyone, I would have commanded a woman to prostrate to her husband due to the great rights Allah has placed upon her.) in Sahih Ibn Hibban 9: 470, and Al-Mustadrak 2: 206. He said : (There is no woman whose husband requests something from her and she refuses, and he spends the night angry with her, but the angels curse her until morning.) in Musnad Ahmad 2: 255, and Al-Awsat 8: 94. Al-Haythami said in Majma' Al-Zawa'id 4: 296: "Its narrators are trustworthy," and whoever reflects on the problems finds that most of them return to disobedience and obstinacy. Whoever reflects on the hadith of the Messenger : (That Al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba  proposed to a woman, and the Prophet  said to him: Go and look at her, for it is more likely to create affection between you.) in Sahih Ibn Hibban 9: 531 and Sunan Al-Tirmidhi 3: 397. He recognized the prophetic guidance in this matter; for he did not say to him: Go and get to know her and study her situation and the compatibility of her personality with yours and form a relationship of love with her, nor did he say to him: Go and talk to her, but considered that looking is sufficient for one who wants to marry a woman; because it achieves the purpose of acceptance of the appearance and external form along with familiarity or aversion to her in this glance; as in the hadith (Souls are like conscripted troops; when they recognize one another, they tend to unite, and when they do not recognize one another, they tend to differ.) in Sahih Muslim: 4: 2031, and Sahih Bukhari 3: 12313. Whoever contemplates the lives of our ancestors finds them much more enjoyable and harmonious than our lives; because their society was less corrupt, and these Western ideas were not widespread in it. One of them would marry without any prior relationship with his wife, as all their relationship would be built after marriage on the foundations previously mentioned, so divorce was very rare among them compared to our time, despite this open relationship between men and women. Divorce is a sign of the failure of marriage and the lack of happiness in it. What have these unlawful relationships between the sexes benefited us except for increased corruption and fornication before marriage, and unhappiness and divorce after marriage? Those who follow divorce statistics find that most cases occur among those who knew and loved each other before marriage. We conclude this discussion with advice from the scholar Muhammad Rashid Rida — the author of the "Al-Manar" interpretation — to men and women regarding relationships before marriage. I mention it in full due to the numerous benefits it contains after his long experience in this, as he is one of the specialists in women's affairs. He says in a call to the gentle sex, p. 138-139: "For more than a third of a century, I have studied the issue of women and marital life, debated it with scholars and opinion leaders, read extensively on it, followed what is published in newspapers, and pondered the news of the Europeans in this regard. I have written extensively on it, the most important of which is the interpretation of the verses of the wise Qur'an on this subject and articles on marital life published in the eighth volume of "Al-Manar," the last of which is this message. I debated those who call for equality between women and men at the Egyptian University, and the overwhelming majority ruled in my favor — meaning victory and superiority — and in favor of the essence of the truth. I believe that after this long, deep study, and the careful selection that accompanied it, what many see among the people of the West and East of tying marital happiness to the acquaintance of the spouses before marriage and the love of each for the other is a deficient opinion — proven false by experience, even if the youth love each other, it often does not last after marriage. The Arabs used to say: Marriage spoils love. The correct principle for marital happiness is what the Commander of the Faithful, Umar ibn Al-Khattab, said to a woman who complained about her husband to him and stated that she did not love him: "If one of you does not love one of the men among us, do not tell him that, for the least of homes is built on love, and people only interact based on lineage and Islam." This means that the commitment of each spouse to preserve the honor of the other and to act according to what Islam guides regarding duties and marital etiquette is what organizes marital life, and people live with a good life through it. Each spouse should strive to show affection to the other more than what they feel in their hearts, for practice becomes nature. May Allah have mercy on Alia bint Al-Mahdi, sister of Harun Al-Rashid, who said: "Be affectionate, for love invites love," as it is in the meaning of His saying : (Knowledge is through learning, and forbearance is through practicing forbearance.) in Al-Mu'jam Al-Awsat 3: 118 and Al-Zuhd Li Hanad 2: 605. This is our advice that we convey to men and women in this era, where the wise complain of young people turning away from marriage. Whoever Allah has guided among them to act upon it will find it the most precious and best advice, deserving of their prayer and gratitude, and from Allah, the Almighty, reward and recompense. And Allah knows best.