The reprehensible tradition of the husband’s family showing the virginal blood

 

Is it permissible for the husband’s family to show the virginal blood?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: 

This is a reprehensible tradition and an abhorrent action. It
is not permissible for the husband to go along with his family in this
matter or to agree to it in word or deed, for a number of reasons, including
the following: 

1.

This is one of the marital secrets that are to be kept.
Whatever goes on between the spouses in their private relationship, it is
not permissible for them to spread it among people or to tell anyone about
it?  

2.

This blood is not the sign that distinguishes between a
decent woman and others, as is well known, therefore the whole exercise is
pointless. 

Please see the answer to question no.
40278. 

3.

If we assume that the husband discovers that his wife is not
a virgin, then he is enjoined to conceal that fact and not disclose it to
people. What his family are asking him to do is helping in haraam
disclosure, not in concealment which is obligatory. 

4.

Another of the evil effects of this reprehensible custom is
causing anxiety and stress to both spouses, because the husband is rushed
into breaking the hymen and the wife may not be ready on the first night, so
he may cause her to bleed heavily and cause resentment in the marital
relationship. 

5.

This reprehensible tradition implicitly accuses the woman of
immoral action, as they demand her to produce proof of her innocence. 

6.

The least that may be said of this reprehensible tradition is
that it is contrary to modesty, because the intimacy that occurs between the
spouses should be concealed and it is not permissible to disclose it or
announce it. 

This reprehensible tradition should be prevented and fought
against. 

Shaykh ‘Ali Mahfooz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

One of the bad traditions is parading around the village with
the bride’s chemise stained with virginal blood, and indeed the blood of the
crime against this delicate organ on the part of that beast who does not
remember that Allaah is watching him with regard to how he treats this poor
woman at the most difficult of times. When they parade around with the
chemise and when the hymen is broken they say words that would shame anyone
who has any shred of humanity. This reprehensible innovation has died out
among the rich and the middle classes, but it still remains and is treated
as sacred among the poor and lower classes. It is one of the remnants of
Jaahiliyyah. End quote. 

Al-Ibdaa’ fi Madaar al-Ibtidaa’
(p. 265), Dar al-I’tisaam. 

And Allaah knows best.