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What is the ruling of the Sharia on marrying a fiancée who kissed and touched the fiancé, and their relationship developed without penetration, and is this act considered a justification for breaking off the engagement, knowing that she justified her action by her love for the fiancé?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

It is good to inquire about a girl's educational level, but what is more important is her religious commitment. On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "A woman is married for four reasons: for her wealth, for her lineage, for her beauty, and for her religion. So, succeed with the one who is religious, may your hands be soiled." The Prophet (peace be upon him) encouraged marrying the religious woman because she is the ultimate objective.

Laxity in interaction between engaged couples is an entry point for Satan. Allah Almighty has warned against following the footsteps of Satan, as He says: "O you who have believed, do not follow the footsteps of Satan. And whoever follows the footsteps of Satan - indeed, he enjoins immorality and wrongdoing." The Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade being alone with a non-mahram woman, saying: "No man is ever alone with a woman but the third of them is Satan."

You must repent and cut off the relationship with the girl because she is a non-mahram until the legal marriage contract is concluded. It is not preferable to annul the engagement unless the doubts are based on clear evidence or it becomes apparent that she is displeasing in her religious commitment. Annulment of the engagement is permissible for both parties, especially if there is a need for it.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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