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:

I want to know that these below mentioned things come in fornication or not? (please answer them separately)

1- hugging,kissing

2- Touching and holding different stuff for pleasure.Playing but Not doing actual thing with the girl.

3- Talk with a girl(your friend who likes you) over phone and some times also have dirty talk which leads to do some thing (e.g masturbation) just over the phone(not in real).

4- Talk over the internet (with that girl) and even have video conversation on computer in which girl some times see you without clothes and (see you)make you do some thing over the computer(not in real)

I know these are odd questions but I really want to know them and I think this online Fatwa can help me out. 

(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:

Types of Zina

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.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Israa verse 32:

Do not even go near ‘zina’ (fornication or adultery) for it is a very indecent thing and a very evil way!

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4886 Narrated by Anas ibn Malik

That he heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say: ‘The eye commits ‘zina’, and the palm of the hand, the foot, the body, the tongue and private part of the body confirm it or deny it.’

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.260 Narrated by Ibn Abbas

I have not seen a thing resembling 'lamam' (minor sins) than what Abu Huraira narrated from the Prophet (saws) who said "Allah has written for the children of Adan their share of adultery which he commits inevitably. The adultery of the eyes is the sight (to gaze at a forbidden thing), the adultery of the tongue is the talk, and the inner self wishes and desires and the private parts testify all this or deny it."

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 36 Surah Ya-Seen verse 65:

65 That Day shall We set a seal on their mouths. But their hands will speak to Us and their feet bear witness to all that they did.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 41 Surah Ha-Meem verses 19-23:

19 On the Day that the enemies of Allah will be gathered together to the Fire they will be marched in ranks.

20 At length when they reach the (Fire) their hearing, their sight, and their skins will bear witness against them as to (all) their deeds.

21 They will say to their skins: "Why bear ye witness against us?" They (their skins) will say: "Allah hath given us speech, (He) Who giveth speech to everything: He created you for the first time and unto Him were ye to return.

22 "Ye did not seek to hide yourselves lest your hearing, your sight, and your skins should bear witness against you! But ye did think that Allah knew not many of the things that ye used to do!

23 "But this thought of yours which ye did entertain concerning your Lord hath brought you to destruction, and (now) have ye become of those utterly lost!"

Although in legal terminology ‘zina’ would constitute the actual penetration of the male organ into the female organ, the Messenger of Allah (saws) warned the believers regarding the minor ‘zina’ of the eyes, hands, legs, etc. Not only is the evil act of ‘zina’ prescribed as absolutely forbidden in Islam, every path or every way that leads one to this evil path is also declared as forbidden! Such is the gravity of this abomination of ‘zina’, that Allah Subhanah commands the believers in the Quran: ‘Do not even go near ‘zina’!!!

Thus if one intentionally sees and watches ‘fahisha’ (indecency), it would constitute ‘zina’ of the eyes; if one derives pleasure from talks of ‘fahisha’, it would constitute ‘zina’ of the ears and mouth, if one touches or goes towards something or someone with the intention of ‘fahisha’, it would constitute ‘zina’ of the hands and the legs! Although there is no prescribed punishment for the ‘zina’ of the eyes, mouth, ears, hands and feet in the life of this world, if one dies without seeking ‘taubah’ and repentance from their Lord, he will be held severely accountable for these acts of ‘minor’ zina in the Presence of their Majestic Lord in the Hereafter.

Your Question-1: hugging, kissing

In light of the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah, without an iota of a doubt, if one were to hug or kiss a non-memram member of the opposite sex, it would indeed constitute a case of ‘zina’ of the hands, body, mouth, tongue, etc. in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

Your Question-2: Touching and holding different stuff for pleasure.Playing but Not doing actual thing with the girl.

Touching or holding any part of the body of a non-mehram member of the opposite sex would constitute a case of ‘zina’ of the hands and the body parts that have been touched in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

Your Question-3: Talk with a girl(your friend who likes you) over phone and some times also have dirty talk which leads to do some thing (e.g masturbation) just over the phone(not in real).

Such unlawful talks with a non-mehram member of the opposite sex would indeed constitute a case of ‘zina’ of the tongue, ears, hands, and relevant body parts in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

Your Question-4: Talk over the internet (with that girl) and even have video conversation on computer in which girl some times see you without clothes and (see you)make you do some thing over the computer(not in real).

Such unlawful talk and acts with a non-mehram member of the opposite sex would indeed constitute a case of ‘zina’ of the eyes, ears, tongue, hands, and the relevant body parts in the Sight of Allah Subhanah!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verse 33:

33 Say (O Prophet (saws)): ‘The things that my Lord hath indeed (absolutely) forbidden (declared ‘haraam’) are: shameful deeds whether open or secret; sins and trespasses against truth or reason; assigning of partners to Allah for which he hath given no authority; and saying things about Allah of which ye have no knowledge.

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

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan