In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Some women have started complaining about the impossible beauty standards that burden women – cheekbones, slim, angular faces with big features, fat-freezing cosmetic procedure etc. The women who blindly follow this path are regarded beautiful and attractive, regardless whether they are righteous or not; rather as long as they are considered more attractive based on what a group of women exploiters consider to be the beauty standard, they are given an advantage – Pretty Privilege!!! Indeed, our scholars have spoken about this affair and warned against it. Imaam Muhammad Ibn Saaleh Al-Uthaymeen [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said, “We find that at present our enemies are focused on women issues – adorning women, intermingling them and make them share the same occupations with men, until it becomes as if the people are donkeys having no other concern except for their stomachs and canal desires, and Allaah’s Refuge is sought! Women are portrayed as if they are mere images, that is: pictures (which) people attached no importance to except that which is connected to the woman’s figure (outward appearance). See how they have decorated and beautified her! See how they have brought about beautifications for her and presented her in a desirable condition, in relation to (her) hair, skin, legs, arms, face and everything else; until they make it the most important issue for the woman, like a picture made out of plastic. They neither present to her the importance of establishing Ibaadah nor bearing children”. (1)

Al-Allaamah Khaleel Al-Harraas [may Allaah have mercy upon him] stated in his Sharh of An-Nooniyyah of Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [may Allaah have mercy upon him]: After Imaam Ibnul Qayyim described the beauty and perfection of the women of Paradise so that one is drawn towards them, he warned against being deceived by the evil women of this worldly life-those who are deprived of every excellent trait. They are neither perfect in their physical appearances nor do they possess good actions. How can one be deceived by a woman who possesses ugly manners and is untrustworthy! How can one be deceived by a woman who neither fulfills her obligations nor does she possess patience! How can one be deceived by a woman who is neither contented nor is she obedient and humble [i.e. not obedient to Allaah in that which Allaah has commanded her to fulfil in marriage], and her deeds are ugly! Rather she is a female shaytaan disguised in the image of a human, so she deceives the despicable and depraved people who desire her because they are similar to her and are ready to obey her. As for the people of goodness and virtue, she neither wants nor desires them because there are no similarities between her and them. She is deprived of everything that directs her towards good and prevents her from evil. She neither possesses the correct way of life ordained by Allaah and a sound moral intellect nor does she possess good manners and fear of Allaah. She does not possess natural beauty, rather her beauty is a falsified one that emanates from cosmetics. And when she leaves that beautification and embellishment the defects on her becomes apparent and she is deprived of everything that makes a person desirous of her. She is characterized with betrayal-neither grateful towards good companionship nor does she preserve and fulfill its rights. Her beauty is a thin shell and underneath it are defects and ugly affairs. Her beauty resembles a fake coin plated with gold or silver, which one may consider to be a real gold or silver coin; but this counterfeit cannot be circulated amongst the money changers even though many people are deceived by it. (2)

Shaikhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah [may Allaah have mercy upon him] stated, “If the heart loves Allaah and devotes all the religion sincerely to Allaah, it will not give a share of this love to anyone else, let alone being afflicted with infatuation; but when afflicted with infatuation, then that is due to its deficient love of Allaah”. (2.1) “Those people whose hearts are infatuated with images are to receive the greatest punishment and the smallest reward, because if the heart of the one who is infatuated with images continues to be attached and is enslaved by it, then various types of evils, loss and corruption will be gathered for him, which none can enumerate except Allaah. And even if he is safe from committing a major lewd act, the continuous attachment of the heart to the image without committing a lewd act is a greater than the harm that afflicts a person who commits a sin and then repents and thus the effect of that sin ceases to exist in his heart. The greatest aspect of this calamity is when the heart turns away from Allaah, because indeed when the heart tastes the worship of Allaah and sincerity to Him, there will never be anything more sweet than thatneither more tasty and enjoyable nor better. A person does not abandon something beloved to him except due to another beloved thing which is more beloved to him or due to fearing harm. The heart is turned away from a corrupt love by an upright love or due to fearing harm. [Thus it was, that We might turn away from him (i.e. Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) evil and illegal sexual intercourse. Surely, he was one of Our chosen, guided slaves]. [Surah Yusuf. Aayah 24] So, Allaah turned His servant away from that which would plunge one into evil due to inclining towards an image and being attached to it, and turns him away from lewd conduct due to his sincerity to Allaah. This is why this can occur before a person tastes the sweetness of servitude to Allaah and sincerity to Him – when one is overcome by his soul through following its (evil) desires; however when one tastes the sweetness of sincerity to Allaah and his heart becomes strong, it subdues its desires without the great remedy (needed for) rectification”.(2.2)

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said, “Hearts that are emptied of Love for Allaah -hearts that are turned away from Him and seeking remedy from others besides Him- are afflicted with an infatuation with images; for when the heart is filled with Love of Allaah and a strong love for meeting Him [i.e. in the hereafter], this infatuation with images is repelled from it. [Thus it was, that We might turn away from him (i.e. Prophet Yusuf) evil and illegal sexual intercourse. Surely, he was one of Our chosen, guided slaves]. [Surah Yusuf. Aayah 24] This shows that sincerity to [Allaah] is a means to repelling [evil]. And because of this, some of the Salaf said: ‘’Infatuation is an agitation in empty hearts.” Meaning: [Hearts] emptied of other than what they crave for”. (2.3)

The Messenger [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, “A woman is married for four reasons: her wealth, her family status, her beauty and her religion. So you should take possession of the one with Religion, otherwise you will be a loser”. [Saheeh Al-Bukhaari 5090]

Therefore, just as one is cautious of the woman beautified by the Fussaaq secularists, likewise one should be cautious of the women of ahlul bidah. Imaam Dhahabee [may Allaah have mercy upon him] stated that Salamah Bin Alqamah relates from Ibn Seereen (may Allaah have mercy upon him] who said, “Imraan Ibn Hattaan married a khaarijiyyah (a female khaarijite) and said, ‘I will bring her back’ (i.e. make her leave her misguidance). Ibn Seereen said, ‘However, she converted him to her way’”. (3)

As for who to give your daughter to, then indeed it is said, “Marry your daughter to a man who fears Allah. He will be kind if he loves her and will not oppress her when he is angry with her”. (4)

We ask for righteous wives and offspring. Allaah [The Exalted] said:

[ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا هَبۡ لَنَا مِنۡ أَزۡوَٲجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّـٰتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعۡيُنٍ۬ وَٱجۡعَلۡنَا لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا – And those who say: “Our Lord! Bestow on us from our wives and our offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders for the (pious)].

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [may Allaah have mercy upon him] stated, “So they ask Allaah to grant them the comfort of the eye by making their wives and offspring obedient to Allaah, and to grant them happiness in their hearts due to being followed by the righteous in obedience and servitude to Allaah. That is because a trustworthy leader in the religion co-operates with [others] upon obedience [to Allaah and His Messenger], and that is to call them to [sound] leadership in the religion, whose foundation is patience and certainty, as Allaah [The Most High] said: [ وَجَعَلۡنَا مِنۡہُمۡ أَٮِٕمَّةً۬ يَہۡدُونَ بِأَمۡرِنَا لَمَّا صَبَرُواْ‌ۖ وَڪَانُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا يُوقِنُونَ – And We made from among them (Children of Israel), leaders, giving guidance under Our Command, when they were patient and used to believe with certainty in Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.). [32:24]

[Ref 1: An Excerpt from this lecture: https://safeshare.tv/x/fKxP_Mt7o9w# https://youtu.be/fKxP_Mt7o9w ]

[Ref 2: Sharh Al-Qaseedah An-Nooniyyah Vol 2, page: 738-739]

[Ref 2.1: Majmoo Al-Fataawaa 10/135]

[Ref 2.2: Al-Uboodiyyah 114-115. slightly paraphrased]

[Ref 2.3: An excerpt from At-Tibbun Nabawiy. page180. slightly paraphrased]

[Ref 3: Siyar Alaam An-Nubulaa 4/214]

[Ref 4: Kitaab Uyoon Al Akhbar 3/308]