Coupling and Dating from Islamic Perspective

This is my presentation for last semester. I want to post it here to share with u girls and guys :P

Dating and coupling as a currently practiced by the youth today does not exist in Islam. Some people may say that there’s no verse or hadith that say coupling and dating is haram. However, Although the Qur’an does not specifically mentioned about dating, it is commonly agree that this kind action is not allowed as pre-marital relationships between men and women is strictly prohibited. In Islam, there is no such thing as boyfriend and girlfriend relationship. You’re either married or you’re not.

There’re several reasons that made coupling n dating is totally prohibited in Islam.

1 1.Dating may lead to zina. In the Qur’an, Allah s.w.t said: Nor come near to adultery: for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil, opening the road (to other evils), Surah Al-Isra, verse 32. In this verse, Allah S.W.T. has commanded us not to come near to fornication but also to avoid all roads that may lead to it. We can say that coupling and dating is the starting point that may lead a man and a woman to commit adultery.

2. 2. Looking with desire at the opposite sex is immoral. Men and women should always lower their gaze especially when facing the opposite gender as mention in In Surah Al-Nur, verse 30-31: “Say to the believing man that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them.“And say to the believing woman that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty [private parts]” Imaam Ibn Katheer said: This is a command from Allaah to mankind to lower their gaze and refrain from looking at that which is forbidden to them.It is totally impossible for a man and a woman to guard their gaze when they are alone together. In a hadith, The Prophet S.A.W said: “The eyes also commit zina, and the zina is the lustful look.”

3. 3.Breaking the limitations set by Islam for the interaction between men and women. It is part and parcel of a boyfriend and girlfriend to go on a date together. It is also common for them to refer to each other with terms such as “honey” and “baby.” Worst case scenario, they would not take their eyes off each other and spent most of their time together in private. All of these actions are against the principles of interaction between men and women in Islam.

4. 4. Coupling and dating will destroy the family institution. The youth will no longer see the relevance of marriage as they are able to have a partner in their life to share all their problems and happiness. They will no longer able to see the need of marriage in their life

5. 5.Coupling and dating is totally unbeneficial. A student will only waste their money and time on unimportant matter. Hundreds of ringgit are spent on just paying for top-up to calls and SMSes their gf/bf only to ask unnecessary question such as how are u darling? Have u eaten or not? Moreover, when a man and a woman is in this kind of relationship, most of their precious time is spent on each other instead of on their studies. Some may also do things that are totally prohibited in Islam.

We can say that coupling and dating is prohibited due to the actions involved when a man and a woman is in this kind of relationship. The Fiqh Principle stipulates that : “Whatever leads to what is haram is also haram.” Following this, a love relationship which goes against what is prohibited in Islam is haram.

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