Praise be to Allah and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. I have read what some writers wrote in AlJazirah newspaper, issue no. 3754, dated 15/4/1403 A.H. proposing coeducation in the primary stage. I would like to call attention to this issue due to the adverse results that may arise from it.
It is a fact, that intermixing of males and females is a means toward grave harm and immeasurable corruption, so it is impermissible. The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated,
Command your children to perform Salah (Prayer) when they are seven years old, and beat them for (not offering) it when they are ten and arrange their beds (to sleep) separately.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered that girls and boys are not be allowed to sleep together, for their closeness in bed at this age may lead to forbidden sexual acts resulting from mixing opposite sexes in the same place. Moreover, coeducation in the primary stage paves the way for continuing it in the upper levels.
Anyway, to mix boys and girls in the primary stage is an abominable act and accordingly it is impermissible, due to its resulting bad consequences. The perfect Shari`ah (Islamic law) of Allah stresses the necessity of Saddu lDhara'i` (blocking the means leading to sins) leading to Shirk (associating others with Allah) and evil deeds. Many Ayahs of the Qur'an and Hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) express this truth. For the sake of brevity, I will not mention them. However, the great scholar, Ibn AlQayyim (may Allah confer mercy upon him) mentioned in his book 'I`lam AlMuwaqqi`in ninety nine proofs for them. I recommend the writer and others not to propose such plans, which open ways to harm that are already locked. We pray Allah to grant success and guidance to all.
A wise person should learn from what has happened in neighboring countries and other countries where grave corruption has resulted from the intermixing of men and women. As for a suitor who wants to get to know his fiancée,
the Prophet (peace be upon him) clarified this well in his statement,
When one of you proposes marriage to a woman, if he is able to look at what will induce him to marry her, he should do so.
So, it is permissible for the suitor to look at the woman he wishes to marry before concluding the marriage contract and without being alone with her if possible, if not, he should send a trusted woman to see and sit with her on his behalf and describe her appearance and manners. This was the custom of Muslims in past centuries in selecting a woman for marriage. This custom was very beneficial whereas cases other than this do not make a rule. I ask Allah to guide all Muslims to what is good for them and bring happiness to them in this life and in the Hereafter and to preserve their faith. I invoke Allah to block the ways of evil and protect Muslims from the conspiracies of the enemies of Islam. Indeed, He is the Most Generous. May Allah's peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and Companions!