At which point is it considered Zina?

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

 As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakā

When butter is placed before fire, it will melt. It will be senseless to ask at which point the butter melts. The nafs melts faster than butter.Hence, the issue is not about at which point it is Zina. The issue is to avoid that point.

 Allah says:

وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا الزِّنَا

Translation:

‘And do not go close to zina’    

 [Surah: Al Israa Verse: 32] 

It is precisely for this reason, Shariah instructs us to even lower our gazes. Allah says in the Holy Quran:

قُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِم              Translation:

Tell the believing men that they should lower their gazes

.[surah: Al Noor, vesrse: 30]

وَقُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ

Translation:

Tell the believing women that they should lower their gazes

.[surah: Al Noor, vesrse: 31]

In conclusion, whatever may lead to Zina, whether it is one’s sight, touch, reading or thoughts, all are prohibited.¹

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Jibran Kadarkhan

Student Darul Iftaa
Mauritius

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

[1]

     فقال اى رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم لعلى ،يا على لا تتبع النظرة النظرة، من باب الافعال اى تعقبها اياها ولا تجعل اخرى بعد الاولى اى النظرة الاولى اذا كانت من غير قصد لانها باختيارك فتكون عليك (بذل المجهود،8/86,دار البشائر الاسلامية)                                                                                                  

تحفة الامعى (,6/542)