Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear muslim brother

These days muslims have changed the way an islamic life is led. Down th streets I see muslim husband and wife putting each others lips together. I know how shameful this is but when a husband and wife is at home alone can they put their lips (kiss) together or is this forbidden in islam.  

I WILL WAIT FOR YOUR REPLY. ASSALU MALIKUM

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Kissing in public

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.8 Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Prophet said, "Faith consists of more than sixty branches, and ‘Haya’ (shame, decency, modesty, bashfulness, etc.) is a part of faith."

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4006 Narrated by Mu'awiyah ibn Haydah

I said: “O Messenger of Allah (saws), from whom should we conceal our private parts and to whom can we show?” He (saws) replied: ‘Conceal your private parts except from your wife and from whom your right hands possess.’ I then asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah (saws), (what should we do), if the people are assembled together?’ He (saws) replied: ‘If it is within your power that no one looks at it, then no one should look at it.’ I then asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah (saws), if one of us is alone, (what should he do)?’ He (saws) replied: ‘Allah is more entitled than people that bashfulness should be shown to Him.’

Simply decency dictates that there are some deeds which a person does in the privy on one’s home, and there are some deeds which are acceptable when done in public. Although it is perfectly legal and acceptable in Islam for a husband to kiss his wife, one should take care not to display this form of affection and passion in public and thus expose the by-standers to share something which Allah Subhanah has permitted exclusively for the husband and the wife to enjoy.

In light of the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah, it would indeed be considered beyond the bounds of decency in Islam for a husband and wife to kiss each other passionately in public; the believers should fear Allah and abstain from publicly displaying an act which Allah Subhanah has made permissible for them to enjoy only in their privacy.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan