In Islam, the permissibility of a lip kiss depends heavily on the context. Simply put, lip kissing is haram (forbidden) outside the bounds of marriage, but halal (permitted) within a marriage.
Different Scenarios and Islamic Perspectives
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Kissing within Marriage: Numerous sources explicitly state that kissing one's spouse is permissible and even encouraged as a form of intimacy within the marital relationship. This includes lip-to-lip kissing. Example Reference: "Easily halal (allowed) to kiss one's spouse whichever way they like." Privacy is generally recommended. Example Reference: "Just make sure you are private about it."
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Kissing Outside Marriage: Kissing someone who is not your spouse is considered haram. This applies to both same-sex and opposite-sex relationships. Example Reference: "Kissing anyone else on the lips is not allowed (haram)." This is rooted in the Islamic principle of maintaining modesty and avoiding illicit relationships. Example Reference: "intimate physical interactions between unmarried individuals are generally considered haram (forbidden). This includes kissing and any other..."
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Public Displays of Affection: Even within marriage, public displays of affection, including kissing, are generally discouraged. Example Reference: "Kissing one's wife in front of people is not permissible." This emphasizes the importance of modesty and avoiding actions that may lead to fitna (temptation or discord).
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Intention Matters: Some interpretations emphasize the importance of intention. For instance, a kiss between men might be considered haram if it's done with inappropriate intentions. Example Reference: "Kissing male to male would be haram if it is done with negative and bad intention such as enjoyment... (Even in the mind)."
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Watching Others Kiss: Watching others kiss, especially in non-marital contexts, is also generally considered haram due to the potential for arousal and the violation of the principle of lowering one's gaze. Example Reference: "Yes this is haram and not permissible at all. We as believers need to lower our gaze as Allah (swt) and his Messenger instructed us to and never..."
In summary, the permissibility of a lip kiss in Islam hinges on whether it is within the context of a legal marriage and performed privately.
