Yahya related to me from Malik from Abd ar-Rahman ibn al-Qasim that his father said about the word of Allah, the Blessed, the Exalted, "There is no fault in you about the proposal you offer to women, or hide in yourselves. Allah knows that you will be mindful of them; but do not make troth with them secretly without honourable words," (Sura 2 ayat 235) that it referred to a man saying to a woman while she was still in her idda after the death of her husband, "You are dear to me, and I desire you, and Allah brings provision and blessing to you," and words such as these.  

أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى وَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا عَرَّضْتُمْ بِهِ مِنْ خِطْبَةِ النِّسَاءِ أَوْ أَكْنَنْتُمْ فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ أَنَّكُمْ سَتَذْكُرُونَهُنَّ وَلَكِنْ لاَ تُوَاعِدُوهُنَّ سِرًّا إِلاَّ أَنْ تَقُولُوا قَوْلاً مَعْرُوفًا أَنْ يَقُولَ الرَّجُلُ لِلْمَرْأَةِ وَهِيَ فِي عِدَّتِهَا مِنْ وَفَاةِ زَوْجِهَا إِنَّكِ عَلَىَّ لَكَرِيمَةٌ وَإِنِّي فِيكِ لَرَاغِبٌ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَسَائِقٌ إِلَيْكِ خَيْرًا وَرِزْقًا وَنَحْوَ هَذَا مِنَ الْقَوْلِ