Cleric permits spying on bathing women

A Salafist preacher in Egypt found himself in hot water this week when a video surfaced of him issuing a fatwa allowing men to secretly watch a woman shower… if he intends to marry her, that is.

“If you were really honest and wanted to marry that woman, and you were able to hide and watch her in secret, see the things that she wouldn’t usually let you see before marrying her, then it is acceptable as long as your intentions are pure,” said Usama al-Qawsi, according to an al-Arabiya translation.

“One of the Prophet’s companions did that. Some disapproved and told him: ‘How do you do that when you’re one of the Prophet’s companions?’ The Prophet answered: ‘If you can see something that would make you want to marry her, then go ahead and do it.’”

Egypt’s Minister of Religious Endowments Mohammad Mukhtar quickly rejected the ruling. “Would you allow this to happen to your daughter?” he asked.

“If it was okay with you then it isn’t with the conservative, civilized Muslim and Christian societies — they disapprove of it. Besides, Islam preaches that modesty should be in our nature and all religions concur.”