Comparative Study of Marriage Proposal in the Jurisprudence of the Five Islamic Denominations

A marriage proposal is considered as the introduction of the marriage and includes the stages of acquaintance and agreements before marriage. As the marriage (marriage) is recommended by religious law and in some cases that there is a fear of sin, marriage is Wajib (obligatory), there is also religious orders about the introduction of marriage, i. e. marriage proposal. In some cases, marriage proposal is Haram (unlawful). In some cases, it is only permissible indirectly and allusively and in some cases, it is permissible both directly and indirectly. The jurisprudents of the five Islamic denominations have commented on the rules of marriage proposal, and in some cases the jurisprudential comments are consistent. In this article, in addition to examination of the views of Sunni and Shiite religious scholars, the narrative proofs and jurisprudential documents are also reflected. In the comparative review of the opinions, we conclude that from the viewpoint of the five Islamic denominations, marriage proposal to a woman who is in ‘iddah ruj‘iyah (waiting period after voidable divorce) is unlawful. In ‘iddah after the death of the husband and ‘iddah ba’in (waiting period after irrevocable divorce), it is only permissible indirectly and allusively. In case of ‘iddah ba’in (waiting period after irrevocable divorce), another opinion has been raised by Shafi‘i and Hanafi jurisprudents based upon which it is not permissible even indirectly and allusively. Marriage proposal to a woman who accepted the proposal of another person, is unlawful according to the four Sunni denominations. However, there are two views in Imamiyah jurisprudence. Some of the Imami jurisprudents consider it unlawful, but according to the famous view of Imamiyah, marriage proposal by the second person is makruh (detestable). A woman’s proposal to a man is another form of marriage proposal which is not forbidden by the law.