The Dangers of Zina: Understanding the Islamic Perspective on Unlawful Sex

The Command to Avoid Zina and Everything that Leads to It

ALLĀH says, forbidding HIS servants to commit Zina or to approach it or to do anything that may lead to it:

وَلَا تَقْرَبُواْ الزِّنَى إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَاحِشَةً

Do not go near fornication. Indeed, it is ever an immorality

meaning a major sin,

وَسَاء سَبِيلً 

and an evil way.

meaning, a terrible way to behave.

Imam Ahmad recorded Abu Umamah saying that a young man came to the Prophet ﷺ said,

“O Messenger of ALLĀH! Give me permission to commit Zina (unlawful sex).”

The people surrounded him and rebuked him, saying, “Stop! Stop!”

But the Prophet ﷺ said: “Come close”

The young man came to him, and he said, “Sit down”, so he sat down.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Would you like it (unlawful sex) for your mother”!

He said, “No, by ALLĀH, may I be ransomed for you.”

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Neither do the people like it for their mothers.”

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Would you like it for your daughter?”

He said, “No, by ALLĀH, may I be ransomed for you.”

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Neither do the people like it for their daughters.”

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Would you like it for your sister?”

He said, “No, by ALLĀH, may I be ransomed for you.”

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Neither do the people like it for their sisters.”

The Prophet said:

“Would you like it for your paternal aunt?”

He said, “No, by ALLĀH, O ALLĀH’S Messenger! may I be ransomed for you.”

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Neither do the people like it for their paternal aunts.”

The Prophet said:

“Would you like it for your maternal aunt?”

He said, “No, by ALLĀH, O ALLĀH’S Messenger! may I be ransomed for you.”

The Prophet said:

“Neither do the people like it for their maternal aunts.”

Then the Prophet ﷺ put his hand on him and said:

“O ALLĀH, forgive his sin, purify his heart and guard his chastity.”

After that, the young man never paid attention to anything of that nature.

{Tafsi‌r Ibn Kathīr}

Abu Hurairah (May ALLĀH be pleased with him) said:

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“The Zina of the eye is the (lustful) look, the Zina of the ears is the listening (to voluptuous songs or talk), the Zina of the tongue is (the licentious) speech, the Zina of the hand is the (lustful) grip, the Zina of the feet is the walking (to the place where he intends to commit Zina), the heart yearns and desires and the private parts approve all that or disapprove it.”

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].