Answered by Shaykh Amjad Rasheed
Is there such thing as “fornication of the mind”? What is it?
Answer:
السؤال : هل ثمَّ شيءٌ اسمُه (( زنا الذهن )) ؟ ما هو الجواب : الظاهر أن المراد به التفكيرُ في أمر النساء بخصوص المعاشرة ، ومجردُ التفكيرِ بذلك وحده دون نية فعل الحرام إن تيسرتْ أسبابُه ليس بحرام كما صرحوا به .
Clearly, what is intended by “fornication of the mind” is thinking about women, especially, sex with them. To only think about this by itself without making any intention to do the haram were the means made easy it is not haram, as the imams have said.
– Amjad Rasheed
(Translated by Shazia Ahmad)