Title: Is Formal Engagement Allowed in Islam? Question: If a man likes a woman is engagement allowed? If so what is the procedure of the engagement? What is the Arabic word for engagement if it does exist or is there another way like the parents of the man to go to the woman's house and ask for her hand in marriage, but the man and woman do not want to get married straight away but would like to make everyone aware that they want to get married? Last question!! Is there a system that if the couple does not want to get married yet, how do they (show) the woman has been asked for and said yes to the man? That is if engagement is not allowed. Answer: Engagement between a man and a woman is a social tradition of declaring the intent (and desire) of marriage between two persons. Such tradition is not prohibited by Islam. The mere fact that such tradition is not prohibited by the Shari`ah renders it 'allowed'. Any procedure or method, mutually agreed upon by the two families and considered acceptable by the society may be adopted, provided that this form/procedure does not entail anything contrary to the moral and ethical teachings of Islam. Although used in a slightly different connotation in the classical Arabic language, the words " Khitbah " and " Nisbah " are generally used for engagement in the modern Arabic language. November 6, 2000