I had a question regarding necking. Is it considered haram? I am 19 years old and recently got into a relationship with another Muslim. We are both university students and we both made it clear that our ultimate goal will be marriage. We have not engaged in any sexual acts and we both respect that we will wait till marriage as it is haram to do so before. We are both practicing but moderate Muslims. What is the fatwa when it comes to us kissing with no intentions of lust and if we know and set limits (nothing more than kissing)
Answer
One of the essential ingredients of taqwa (to be guarded and conscious about things that the Almighty does not like) is to be cautious. In the Qur’an we are advised not only to avoid evil acts but to avoid even getting close to evil acts (Qur’an, 6:151).
This attitude of refraining from anything that might (even with a small chance) lead to haram is the attitude that the Almighty likes to see in his servants (Qur’an, 49:13).
My advice therefore is to refrain from any physical relationship with the person you referred to that might lead to haram. Human emotion and passion in particular when it comes to relationship with the opposite sex is very complicated and it often leads us to things that we had never thought of. Satan often takes advantage of this as he is keen to use any opportunity to deceive us (Qur’an, 7:16, 17).
Thank God, you are a practicing Muslim and are well aware of the main purpose of your life as a Muslim. The feeling of taqwa that refraining from such physical relationship will bring to you and your future husband is not to be missed, and the risk of getting involved in haram is definitely not worth of taking.
