Short answer
No, feelings that come to the heart are not a sin in themselves, since you are not held to account for what you cannot control. What can become haram is what you do with them: private meetings, romantic talk and touch. Islam's answer to love between two people is nikah, and the four schools agree.
An involuntary feeling of love is not sinful. Feeding it by looking, private chatting or meeting alone is haram. The halal step is to propose through the families and marry, or to step back if marriage is not possible.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
Love is a natural feeling, and Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear (2:286). Many people notice someone at university, at work or in the community and feel drawn to them without choosing it. That feeling alone is not counted against you. The Prophet ﷺ said there is nothing like marriage for two people who love each other. Islam does not mock love. It gives it a home.
The sin lies in the choices around the feeling:
- Repeated looking and daydreaming that you allow to grow.
- Private messages, calls late at night and romantic words.
- Meeting alone, touching, or anything more.
- Letting the relationship pull you from prayer, family or modesty.
What to do if you love someone:
- Ask whether marriage is realistic. Is the person a practising Muslim, or a Christian or Jewish woman who truly holds her faith? Are you able to marry soon?
- Involve the families. A man should approach the woman's wali or ask his own parents to. A woman can tell her parents or a trusted relative.
- Pray istikharah and make dua. See dua for marriage.
- If it cannot happen, cut the contact, keep busy and trust that Allah will replace it with better.
If the relationship has already crossed limits, sincere tawbah is enough to wipe it away. You do not need to tell anyone about past sins. For more on the idea of a destined partner, see soulmates in Islam, and for the rules on dating, is dating haram.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:286
لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا ٱكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ إِصْرًۭا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ ۖ وَٱعْفُ عَنَّا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَآ ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ ﴿٢٨٦﴾
Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. "Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people."
A person is not punished for feelings they did not choose.
Quran, Surah Ar-Room 30:21
وَمِنْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًۭا لِّتَسْكُنُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُم مَّوَدَّةًۭ وَرَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ﴿٢١﴾
And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquillity in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.
Love between spouses is one of Allah's signs, placed within marriage.
Sunan Ibn Majah 1847
Graded sahih... لم نر للمتحابين مثل النكاح ...
"We have not seen anything for two who love each other like marriage."
Marriage is the remedy and the right home for love.
Sahih al-Bukhari 5065
Sahih... يا معشر الشباب من استطاع منكم الباءة فليتزوج ...
"O young people, whoever of you can afford to marry should marry."
The Prophet ﷺ urged marriage as the way to protect chastity.
Where the ruling is recorded
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Hazr wa al-Ibahah, Fasl fi al-Nazar wa al-Mass. Looking with desire and private meeting with a non-mahram are forbidden.
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Nikah, opening chapter. Marriage becomes more strongly required for one who fears falling into sin.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.