Does engagement parties have any place in Islam

[innocent]

Salam alaikum
A practising family I know have their 2 sons engaged to 2 girls from Pakistan and even though the boys and their families are here in UK they had an engagement party for the girls in Pakistan. I saw the video at the boys family home its full of music and their fiances are all dressed up like brides and they are showing the video to non-mahrams.
I know this is haram but what about the engagement parties? Are they allowed?
JazakAllah khair

[S_87]

there is no place for them in islam, from what i see these days engagements are everything but the nikah which makes no sense!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tigerkhan]

may be an "engagement" have some base in islam as Prophet PBUH was also send proposal by Hazrat Hidija RA through a woman and Prophet PBUH accept after discussion with his uncle...and thus they were "engaged"....but i dont think there needs to arrange and party for this and start this shameless activities and haram things like music, videos and pictures in it....astaghfirullah.

[Ali Mujahidin]

Agreeing on and setting a future date for a marriage is not related at all to what is practiced under the label of 'engagement'. Being engaged has been used as an excuse for indulging in all kinds of haram activities. Of course, haram activities have no place in the life of practicing Muslims.