~Men and Women talking in chatrooms (free mixing of men and women on the internet chatrooms) and the Islamic ruling~
We would first like to mention that there is nothing wrong with a Muslim woman/man making use of the internet and entering chatroom websites such as the Paltalk Islamic chatrooms for the purpose of gaining knowledge, so long as entering these chatrooms does not lead to anything that is forbidden in Islam, such as talking privately with men. That is because talking to men may turn into chat which usually leads temptation. Hence it is essential to be strict and avoid that, seeking the pleasure of Allaah and fearing His punishment.
A lot of brothers and sisters go to chatrooms and freely mix with eachother stating that it's harmless because they cannot see eachother, mainly private chatting with one another. Sharee’ah blocks all the ways that may lead to fitnah (temptation, trial), hence it forbids softness of speech and does not allow a man to be alone with a non-mahram woman. Undoubtedly these private chats are not regarded as khulwah in the sense that the people involved cannot see one another, but they are one of the greatest causes of fitnah as is well known.
How often have these conversations lead to bad results, and even caused people to fall in love, and have led some to do things that are even more serious than that. The Shaytaan makes each of them imagine attractive qualities in other, which leads them to develop an attachment that detrimental to their spiritual welfare and worldly affairs.
It is not permissible for any man to correspond with a woman who is not his mahram, because of the fitnah (temptation) involved in that. A person may think that there is no fitnah, but the Shaytaan will keep trying until he tempts him. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded those who heard of the Dajjaal to keep away from him, and said that a man may approach him as a believer, but the Dajjaal will keep trying until he leads him astray.
Correspondence between young men and women involves a great deal of fitnah and danger, so we must avoid it, even though one may say that this correspondence is free from immorality and love.
And then there are these chatrooms where the females and males that come there chat indecently with one another, using disgusting and shameful names. Swearing at one another...etc and these chatsites are usually created and owned by Muslims. An example of these type of chatsites is a site owned by a Somali brother/sister called Somalinet.
You should note that it is not permissible for men to start such websites or to visit them. The owner of this site is one of those who are addressed by the warning in the verse (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, those who like that (the crime of) illegal sexual intercourse should be propagated among those who believe, they will have a painful torment in this world and in the Hereafter”
[al-Noor 24:19]
Indeed he is more deserving of this warning, because the warning in this verse was addressed to those who like immorality to be propagated, so how about one who actually works to make that happen and become widespread?
This is the way that is known to end in what we see and hear and read about those who use these means to approach the opposite gender. How many men have lost their religious commitment and how many women have lost their honour? Some of them have found no other way but suicide to escape from the dark tunnel that they got into because of corresponding and speaking to non-mahrams.
As for the brothers and sisters that visit these kind of chatsites, it is haraam for a person to establish relationships with women or men who are “strangers” to him or her [i.e., non-mahrams] and to correspond with them, so how about if that correspondence also involves obscene words such as words of love and romance?
Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah al-Jibreen said, when he was asked about corresponding with a non-mahram woman:
This action is not permissible, because it will provoke desire between them and will make them want to meet one another. This kind of correspondence often causes fitnah (temptation) and plants the seeds of zina in the heart, which leads to evil actions. So we advise those who are seeking that which is in their own best interests and who wish to protect themselves to avoid writing to or speaking with non-mahrams, etc., so as to protect their religious commitment and their honour, and Allaah is the Source of help.
And Allah (SWT) knows best! May He (SWT) guide us to the straight path
Ameen
