Is pre-marital love Haraam?

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

According to Shari’ah, it is not permissible for one to engage in all forms of pre-marital relationships. Shari’ah considers the general chastity and decency of the society at large and therefore emphasises on the abstention of all forms of illicit and promiscuous relationships.

Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) advises us in the Qur’an:

و لا تقربوا الزنا

“And do not come near to Zina (fornication)” (Al-Qur’an, 17:32)

While the actual act of Zina has been prohibited, it is understood from the above verse that the different actions leading to the act of Zina have also been prohibited in the same vain.

If one has the means to marry, then he should marry as soon as possible. Until then, exercise caution and abstain from all things that aggravate one’s carnal desires. If one is faced with an aggravated carnal desire, fast to suppress the desire.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Ismail Desai

Darul Iftaa
South Africa

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.