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:

AOA:
I wanted to know is accepting each other before going to sexual intercourse is according to islam or it is zina. 

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Answer:

The sin 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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Beloved Sister, the mere accepting of each other has absolutely no legal basis, nor does such acceptance of each other form a lawful relationship between two non-mehram members of the opposite sex in the Sight of Shariah Law or of Allah Subhanah!

The only relation where one may enjoy sexual intercourse lawfully in Shariah is through the sacred institution of ‘nikaah’ or marriage. To have sexual intercourse after two non-mehram members have mutually ‘accepted’ each other would constitute a clear and manifest case of the abomination of ‘zina’ or unlawful sexual intercourse in the Sight of Shariah Law and of Allah Subhanah, the prescribed punishment for which is the death penalty (if married) and a hundred lashes (if unmarried)…..and that is only the punishment a righteous believing society is commanded to extract from those guilty of ‘zina’ in the life of this world! If one who commits the abomination of ‘zina’ and dies without seeking sincere repentance for their crime, they shall have a severe accounting in the Presence of their Lord All-Mighty on the Day of Judgment.

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!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 5:

….(Lawful unto you in marriage) are (not only) chaste women who are believers but chaste women among the People of the Book revealed before your time when ye give them their due dowers and desire chastity, not lewdness nor secret intrigues. If anyone rejects faith fruitless is his work and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good).

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