what is zina in islam

In Islam, zina is an Islamic legal term referring to unlawful sexual intercourse. It includes adultery, fornication, prostitution, rape, sodomy, incest, and bestiality. Zina must be proved by testimony of four Muslim eyewitnesses to the actual act of penetration, or a confession repeated four times and not retracted later. The offenders must have acted of their own free will. Making an accusation of zina without presenting the required eyewitnesses is called qadhf, which is itself a hudud offense. Zina is considered a grave sin in Islam and is mentioned in the Quran and the Hadiths. It is also prohibited in all other religions, and the punishment for it is severe. Zina is not limited to physical acts, as it also includes the zina of the eyes, tongue, and mind