Is It Justified to Have Mixed-Gender Chatting Group Platforms?
Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad
Question
Is casual, mixed-gender chatting in group platforms like Discord, where small talk is common and others can join, Islamically justified?
Answer
Thank you for your question.
Abu Hurayra reported Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) as saying,
“Allah fixed the very portion of adultery which a man will indulge in. There would be no escape from it. The adultery of the eye is the lustful look, and the adultery of the ears is listening to voluptuous (song or talk), the adultery of the tongue is licentious speech, the adultery of the hand is the lustful grip (embrace), and the adultery of the feet is to walk (to the place) where he intends to commit adultery and the heart yearns and desires which he may or may not put into effect.” [Muslim]
Small talk and casual conversation are prohibited with the opposite gender, as per the details in the links below. One should be careful with online platforms that make it seem like it’s not a big deal. One can join any group for a good or informational purpose, avoid chatting with the opposite gender in the group, and then leave the group when the purpose has been fulfilled.
Please see more details here:
- Can I Chat With the Opposite Sex Online About Decent and Moral Subjects?
- Guidelines for Interacting With the Opposite Sex
- Chatting on a Muslim matrimonial website
- Is it Permissible to use Text-Based Emoticons?
- What Are the Principles of Gender Interaction in Islam?
- What Is the Appropriate Manner to Interact with Opposite Gender?
- A Reader On Gender Interaction
May Allah give you the best of this world and the next.
[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick
Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria, for two years, where she studied ‘aqida, fiqh, tajweed, tafsir, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her Masters in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan, where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She later moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.
