Is zina (sex outside marriage) haram?

Haram Family & relations Quran · 2 Hadith · 1

Short answer

Yes. The Quran says not to approach unlawful sexual intercourse, for it is an immorality and an evil way (17:32). It is among the major sins.

Evidence

Quran

وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا۟ ٱلزِّنَىٰٓ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ فَٰحِشَةًۭ وَسَآءَ سَبِيلًۭا ﴿٣٢﴾

And come not near unto adultery. Lo! it is an abomination and an evil way.

ٱلزَّانِيَةُ وَٱلزَّانِى فَٱجْلِدُوا۟ كُلَّ وَٰحِدٍۢ مِّنْهُمَا مِا۟ئَةَ جَلْدَةٍۢ ۖ وَلَا تَأْخُذْكُم بِهِمَا رَأْفَةٌۭ فِى دِينِ ٱللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ ۖ وَلْيَشْهَدْ عَذَابَهُمَا طَآئِفَةٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٢﴾

The adulterer and the adulteress, scourge ye each one of them (with) a hundred stripes. And let not pity for the twain withhold you from obedience to Allah, if ye believe in Allah and the Last Day. And let a party of believers witness their punishment.

Hadith

1 Sahih al-Bukhari 2475

Narrated Abu Huraira:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When an adulterer commits illegal sexual intercourse, then he is not a believer at the time, he is doing it, and when a drinker of an alcoholic liquor drinks it, then he is not a believer at the time of drinking it, and when a thief steals, then he is not a believer at the time of stealing, and when a robber robs, and the people look at him, then he is not a believer at the time of doing robbery

Arabic text (with chain of narrators)

حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عُفَيْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي اللَّيْثُ، حَدَّثَنَا عُقَيْلٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ لاَ يَزْنِي الزَّانِي حِينَ يَزْنِي وَهْوَ مُؤْمِنٌ، وَلاَ يَشْرَبُ الْخَمْرَ حِينَ يَشْرَبُ وَهْوَ مُؤْمِنٌ، وَلاَ يَسْرِقُ حِينَ يَسْرِقُ وَهْوَ مُؤْمِنٌ، وَلاَ يَنْتَهِبُ نُهْبَةً يَرْفَعُ النَّاسُ إِلَيْهِ فِيهَا أَبْصَارَهُمْ حِينَ يَنْتَهِبُهَا وَهْوَ مُؤْمِنٌ ‏"‏‏.‏ وَعَنْ سَعِيدٍ وَأَبِي سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِثْلَهُ إِلاَّ النُّهْبَةَ‏.‏

Read it in the hadith library

This is general information, not a fatwa. For your own situation, ask a qualified scholar.