Question Summary:
I have a few questions about marriage, visiting relatives/scholars, and dua?

Question Detail:

 
1. What is the ruling of marriage in islam? In our area, a lot of haraams take place during marriage like music, mixing of men and women and husband's friends seeing the wife. If a person is not interested in marrying or if he or she fears that he or she cant fulfill the needs of the husband or wife, what is the ruling of marriage?
2. Is it permissible for a woman to see a scholar (as seeing a scholar is an ibadah and women cant be a scholar)?
3. Can a woman wear a dress that has designs to visit her relatives?
4. What should be done to gain confidence that Allah will answer our dua?

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
1. Marriage is the Sunnah of Rasulullah (salallahu alayhi wa sallam) and is very important for preventing haram, especially the social ills that plague modern society today. However, if a person really feels that he or she cannot fulfill the needs of the husband or the wife, then they should fast in order to resist the temptation of the nafs.
 
2. If a woman needs Shar’i advice from a scholar, she may consult him. However, she must adhere to the laws of Hijab in front of him.
 
3. A woman may wear a dress with designs to visit her female relatives or those of her male relatives who are her mahram (forbidden to her in marriage) as long as the clothing in question conforms to Islamic principles of modesty. However, she should cover herself properly while going to and from her relatives home so that the designs are not visible to non-mahrams.
 
4. A person should ponder over the fact that Allah has created everything and owns everything. Allah has also out of His Mercy, given us permission to ask and beg from Him and also has promised us that He will answer us as in the Quran. Beginning with this concept in mind, a person should strive to should adhere to the adaab (etiquettes) of making dua' which can be found here: http://askimam.org/public/question_detail/26276 as these will create a love for making dua' and consequently the conviction that Allah will always answer your dua' according to what is best for you.
 
 
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Sohail ibn Arif,
Student Darul Iftaa
Chicago, USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.