First of all, it should be clear that Shari`ah aims at building a strong healthy society that is free of immorality and corruption. Therefore, in dealing with members of the opposite sex, Islam makes it unlawful for a man and a woman who are not Mahram to stay in private.
We should also draw parent’s attention to the fact that a lot of problems arise in such a dubious privacy, regardless of the motive. It should be borne in mind that when Islam stipulates certain rules to guide people’s affairs, even in matters that fall in the permissible sphere, its main focus is to block all channels that lead to evil. So in all its principles and teachings Islam aims to establish a society free from lewdness and corruption.
Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states: “Isolating oneself with a member of the opposite sex is considered Haram in Islam. For such isolations may lead to temptations and whisperings of Satan and often end up in illicit relations. Therefore, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, has clearly warned us against it, when he said, “When a man and woman stay in private, their third companion may be none other than Satan.”
It is, therefore, incumbent on us to avoid such isolations altogether in order to save our honor and religion.
However, if two of them are sitting in clear view of the relatives in the house and the room is not closed, then one cannot say it is Haram to do so. Nevertheless, every Muslim is obliged to safeguard their honor by trying to remove chances of unnecessary suspicions or misgivings. It may help one to ask: Are there no females who are qualified to do the same job? One Muslim poet aptly said: All illicit actions can be traced to a lustful gaze just as all fire can be traced to a little spark!”
Moreover, in his well-known book, The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam, Sheik Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, says:
” Islam prohibits Khulwah (privacy) between a man and a woman who are outside the degree of a Mahram relationship. The reason for this is not a lack of trust in one or both of them; it is rather to protect them from deviated thoughts and sexual feelings that naturally arise within a man and a woman when they are alone together, without the fear of intrusion. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day must never be in private with a woman without a Mahram (of hers) with her, otherwise Satan will be their third.” (Reported by Ahmad)”