Is it essential to inform the suitor about the presence of a spot of vitiligo on the woman’s body?

Praise
be to Allah

Firstly:

Any physical characteristic in a woman or in a man that may
ordinarily be off-putting to a spouse and have an impact on physical
pleasure, and detract from love and compassion between husband and wife, is
regarded as a defect.

This has been explained previously in the answers to
questions no. 75405 and 111980. 

Whatever is deemed to be a defect must be disclosed at the
time of the marriage contract, and should not be concealed, so that there
will be no deceit and lack of sincerity.

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade vendors to
conceal defects in their products, and he forbade the one who was aware of
the defect to conceal it from the purchaser, then how about defects with
regard to marriage? The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
said to Faatimah ibn Qays, when she consulted him about marrying Mu‘aawiyah
or Abu Jahm: “As for Mu‘aawiyah, he is poor and has no wealth; as for Abu
Jahm, his stick his stick never leaves his shoulder (i.e., he travels a
great deal).” Thus it is known that disclosing faults in the case of
marriage is more appropriate and more obligatory.

End quote from Zaad al-Ma‘aad (5/168-169)

Secondly:

The scholars have stated that leprosy is a defect that must
be disclosed and the other party must be given the option of annulling the
marriage, if it has been concealed from him or her.

As for vitiligo, it is something other than leprosy.

Al-Maawardi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

Leprosy is the appearance of whiteness on the skin in which
the blood of the skin and the flesh beneath it disappears, and it is
contagious and may be passed to one’s offspring and people with whom one
mixes. People fear it and are put off by it, so it is not possible to have
complete physical enjoyment in this case …

But in the case of vitiligo, it is a change in the colour of
the skin, but it does not take away the blood and is not off-putting to
people, so in this case there is no option (of annulling the marriage).

End quote from al-Haawi al-Kabeer (9/342)

Al-‘Adawi said in his Haashiyah (5/257), after
confirming that there is the option (of annulling the marriage) in the case
of leprosy: There is no option (of annulling the marriage) in the case of
vitiligo. End quote.

An-Nawawi stated in Rawdat at-Taalibeen (7/176) that
vitiligo does not come under the same rulings as leprosy.

However the situation of people nowadays varies. In many
societies vitiligo is regarded as a defect, and a man is usually put off by
a woman who is affected by this condition; if a marriage goes ahead without
the husband being aware of it, then after he finds out about it he feels
that he has been cheated and deceived, in that case he may hurt his wife or
shame her because of that, and he become obsessed with the issue and start
to fear that this small spot may spread and affect the rest of the body, or
that the disease may be transferred to the children. Undoubtedly this has a
negative effect on love and compassion that are the purpose of marriage, and
replaces them with aversion and prevents full physical enjoyment between
them.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was
asked:

Is a mild case of vitiligo regarded as one of the defects
that affect marriage? In other words, if a man finds vitiligo in his wife,
is it regarded as a defect?

He replied:

Yes, it is undoubtedly a defect, because people are usually
put off by it and he may not be able to feel comfortable with his wife
except if Allah wills. It is a defect whether it appears in the man or the
woman; even if a man has vitiligo and a woman marries him and is unaware of
it, it is a defect and she has the option of annulling the marriage because
of it.

But in terms of sin, the man is sinning and the woman is
sinning if they have this defect, or any other defect that would prevent
complete physical enjoyment, and does not disclose it to the other.
Undoubtedly concealing it is haraam and comes under the heading of deceit,
and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) disavowed those
who practice deceit.

End quote from Liqa’ al-Baab al-Maftooh (39/10)

The most correct view with regard to this issue:

Is that reference should be made concerning it to what is
customary and usual in each society, because societies vary in the way they
regard this disease. Some of them regard it as a defect and off-putting, and
others do not view it in this manner.

We put this question to our shaykh, ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan al-Barraak
(may Allah preserve him) and he said:

If the vitiligo is regarded as a defect according to social
custom, then it must be disclosed and it is prohibited to conceal it. But if
customarily it is not regarded as a defect, then it does not have to be
disclosed. End quote.

Conclusion:

If this extent of vitiligo is regarded as a defect according
to your social custom, that people find off-putting, then you must disclose
it and give the suitor the choice concerning the marriage. This is better
for you and for the suitor. You have to be patient and put your trust in
Allah, may He be exalted, and Allah will grant you ease after hardship.

We ask Allah, may He be exalted, to make things easy for you
and to relieve your distress.

And Allah knows best.