Questions about some recent fatwa's I have read

[thirdwatch512]

Hello you guys,

Now, I have read the qu'ran many times, and i have read the 6 sunni hadiths, and tafisr, all that good stuff.

now i always thought that men and women could interact in islam, simply because i see men and women doing so. i mean i never really saw any restrictions.

then i go and look at some recent fatwa's. (when i get bored i do wierd things like that!)

and one just totally startled me.

It said that a man should ONLY be with his wife, and not interact or hang out with any other women. it said that a man is to not take women as friends, and vice versa.

quick question... is that true? i mean does islam really believe in segregation of men and women (except for like husband, wife, sister and all.)

i am not here to judge, or condemnsuch. i am just wondering what the qu'ran says about gender interaction. i was qutie surprised when i read that fatwa.

[Malaikah]

Hi

Yep, that is correct. Interaction between members of the opposite gender is meant to be kept minimal. When interaction must take place (for example, at work, when making business transactions), it should be formal and to the point. No messing around, joking, flirting etc.

Friendship denotes a close relationship with a person. If we were to act in the way mentioned above, real friendship would not be able to occur. They would be colleagues, acquaintances but not friends.

Muslims, for the most part, ignore this and interact with members of the opposite gender in a way that is not allowed.

[thirdwatch512]

ok, so basically the only people of the opposite gender one can hang out with is their wife/husband, and their family members?

interesting indeed.

[Malaikah]

Yep, and little kids. I think men are also allowed to sit in the company of really old ladies, but I'm not 100% sure on that one, if someone could confirm that would be great.