Does the punishment for fornication apply to someone who had a relationship with a girl that involved physical contact without penetration?
The questioners must repent to Allah Almighty for what they have done. Repentance is a cause for Allah's mercy and love. The reason they fell into sin is their following of the devil's footsteps, and Allah commands evil and indecency. The punishment for zina (unlawful sexual intercourse) does not apply to them, because the zina that necessitates the hadd (prescribed punishment) is the insertion of the glans into the vagina, and foreplay without penetration does not establish the hadd for zina, even if it is legally termed zina.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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