Tashawwuf (the lawgiver's concern for a right; adornment in waiting and courtship)

التشوف

Tashawwuf is longing or looking out, and in jurisprudence it covers several things: the lawgiver's concern to establish descent, so rare cases are admitted to attach a child to a father; his concern for manumission, an act of devotion that any sane Muslim may perform; the revocable divorcee may adorn herself in her waiting period, by the Hanafi, Maliki and Hanbali view, while the Shafiis recommend mourning for her; adornment is forbidden to a widow by consensus, and disputed for a woman divorced irrevocably; a woman fit for marriage may not adorn herself to be seen by suitors, while a suitor may look at her, the majority allowing only the face and hands and the Hanbalis what shows at work. 1 2 3

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Family, marriage and kinshipWomen

Overview

Tashawwuf in the lexicon is longing or looking out; in jurisprudence it has several senses, such as the lawgiver's concern for descent, manumission, the waiting period and courtship. 1

The lawgiver's concern for descent and manumission

It is a rule that the lawgiver is concerned to attach descent, so rare cases are weighed in attaching a child, and the jurists agree on this. 1 His concern for manumission is plain: freeing a slave is a living of a legal kind that lifts him from the status of property to fitness for human honours; any sane Muslim may do it, even one who is drunk or joking, and it is an act of devotion without dispute. 1 2

Adornment in the waiting period

A revocable divorcee may adorn herself, by the Hanafi, Maliki and Hanbali view, since the marriage still stands; the Shafiis recommend mourning and so no adornment. 2 There is no dispute that a widow may not adorn herself during her waiting period. 2 For a woman divorced irrevocably there are several views: the Hanafis and one Shafii view forbid adornment; the Malikis hold mourning only for a widow; the Hanbalis do not make mourning recommended for her. 2 3

Courtship

A woman fit for marriage may not adorn herself to be seen by a suitor. 3 All agree that a suitor may look at the woman he wishes to marry, so that he decides to proceed or to hold back, since it fosters harmony; the Prophet ﷺ told al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba, who had proposed to a woman without looking at her, to go and look. 3 Most jurists allow him to look at the face and hands; the Hanbalis allow what shows while she is at work. 3

People and things also explored

Obstructing a marriage (adl): the guardian and the husband· Fleshy growth in the wife's womb and the right to annul (afal)· The woman left unmarried (anus) and the rules on her consent and maintenance· Maleness (dhukura) as a condition in the rulings· Jāhilī Marriage Forms· The social condition of the Arabs before Islam· Waʾd (Infant Burial)· The custody of Hamza's daughter

Sources

  1. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.5212
  2. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.5213
  3. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.5214
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “Tashawwuf (the lawgiver's concern for a right; adornment in waiting and courtship)”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/concept/tashawwuf-eagerness-and-adornment/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-23.

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Obstructing a marriage (adl): the guardian and the husband

In the lexicon, adl means to prevent, and the jurists use it of a guardian who prevents his ward's marriage, and in the case of divorce for ransom of a husband who harms his wife so that she will pay him back. In principle it is forbidden for a guardian to prevent a ward's marriage to a suitable husband, and for a husband to harm his wife to force her to ransom herself; a guardian may be permitted to refuse for the woman's own benefit. A guardian is an obstructer when a woman asks for a suitable husband, or a suitable man proposes, and he refuses without a valid reason, whether or not she asks for her proper dower; the Hanafis do not count refusing a dower below the usual amount as obstruction, and the Malikis do not count a compelling father's rejection of suitors as obstruction unless harm is intended. Once obstruction is proven before the judge, he orders the marriage; if the guardian still refuses, guardianship passes to the ruler according to the Hanafis, Shafi'is, most Malikis and one Hanbali narration, or to the next guardian according to the main Hanbali view; if all guardians obstruct, the judge contracts the marriage.