Short answer
In Islamic law, zina is sexual intercourse between a man and a woman who are not married to each other. Kissing, touching, lustful looking and sexual talk are not zina in the legal sense, but the Prophet ﷺ called them the zina of the eyes, the tongue and the hands. They are haram and lead to the act itself. The four schools agree.
The zina that carries the fixed punishment (hadd) is vaginal intercourse by a sane adult with a woman over whom he has no marriage and no doubtful claim (shubha). Everything short of that, such as kissing, touching and looking with desire, is haram and sinful but is not legal zina; a judge may give a lesser discretionary punishment (ta'zir) for it.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
Allah did not only forbid zina. He said, "do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse" (17:32). So the Shariah deals with two things: the act itself, and every step that leads towards it.
Zina in the legal sense is intercourse outside a valid marriage. It is one of the major sins, and the four schools agree on this core definition. The fixed punishment can only be applied by a lawful Islamic court, on the repeated confession of a sane adult or the testimony of four witnesses to the act itself, which is almost impossible to meet. See the punishment for zina.
Zina of the eyes and the other limbs. The Prophet ﷺ said that the eyes commit zina by looking, the ears by listening, the tongue by speaking, the hand by touching and the feet by walking towards it, while the heart longs and desires, and the private parts then confirm it or deny it. This is not the legal zina, but each of these is a real sin. It explains why Islam asks believers to lower their gaze (24:30) and to avoid being alone with a non-mahram.
Questions people often ask:
- Is kissing zina? Not in the legal sense, but it is haram outside marriage. See kissing before marriage.
- Is sexting or explicit chat zina? It is the zina of the eyes and tongue, and haram.
- Are there "seven types" of zina? No fixed list of seven comes in the hadith. The narrations name several limbs, as above.
- Is sexual contact without intercourse zina? It is not the act that carries the hadd, but it is a grave sin close to zina and needs sincere repentance.
Every one of these sins is forgiven by sincere tawbah. If you have fallen into any of them, read how to repent from zina.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Israa 17:32
وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا۟ ٱلزِّنَىٰٓ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ فَٰحِشَةًۭ وَسَآءَ سَبِيلًۭا ﴿٣٢﴾
And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse. Indeed, it is ever an immorality and is evil as a way.
Allah forbids not only zina but coming near it.
Quran, Surah An-Noor 24:30
قُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا۟ مِنْ أَبْصَٰرِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا۟ فُرُوجَهُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَزْكَىٰ لَهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ ﴿٣٠﴾
Tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what they do.
Lowering the gaze is the first guard against the zina of the eyes.
Sahih Muslim 2657
Sahih... فزنى العينين النظر وزنى اللسان النطق والنفس تمنى وتشتهي ...
"The zina of the eyes is looking, the zina of the tongue is speaking, the self wishes and desires, and the private parts confirm it or deny it."
The Prophet ﷺ called the steps towards zina by its name, while the act itself is what completes it.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Hudud, opening chapter on the definition of zina. Zina that brings the hadd is intercourse in the front passage of a woman without ownership or doubtful claim.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Hudud, Bab al-Ta'zir. Kissing and touching a non-mahram are punished by ta'zir, not by the hadd.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. 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.