Quora Answer: Does the Qur’an Explicitly Prohibit Muslim Couples from Kissing & Touching during Ramadhan?

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Does the Qur’an explicitly prohibit Muslim couples from kissing, and touching during the Ramadhan?” 

The Qur’an States that there is no eating, drinking and sexual activities during the time of the fast: 

سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة

أُحِلَّ لَڪُمۡ لَيۡلَةَ ٱلصِّيَامِ ٱلرَّفَثُ إِلَىٰ نِسَآٮِٕكُمۡ‌ۚ هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ۬ لَّكُمۡ وَأَنتُمۡ لِبَاسٌ۬ لَّهُنَّ‌ۗ عَلِمَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّڪُمۡ كُنتُمۡ تَخۡتَانُونَ أَنفُسَڪُمۡ فَتَابَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَعَفَا عَنكُمۡ‌ۖ فَٱلۡـَٔـٰنَ بَـٰشِرُوهُنَّ وَٱبۡتَغُواْ مَا ڪَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡ‌ۚ وَكُلُواْ وَٱشۡرَبُواْ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ ٱلۡخَيۡطُ ٱلۡأَبۡيَضُ مِنَ ٱلۡخَيۡطِ ٱلۡأَسۡوَدِ مِنَ ٱلۡفَجۡرِ‌ۖ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّواْ ٱلصِّيَامَ إِلَى ٱلَّيۡلِ‌ۚ وَلَا تُبَـٰشِرُوهُنَّ وَأَنتُمۡ عَـٰكِفُونَ فِى ٱلۡمَسَـٰجِدِ‌ۗ تِلۡكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ فَلَا تَقۡرَبُوهَا‌ۗ كَذَٲلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَّقُونَ (١٨٧) 

Permitted to you on the night of the fasts, is the approach to your wives.  They are your garments.  And you are their garments.  Allah Knows what you used to do secretly among yourselves; but He Turned to you and Forgave you; so now associate with them, and seek what Allah has Ordained for you and eat and drink, until the white thread of dawn appear to you distinct from its black thread; then complete your fast until the night appears; but do not associate with your wives while you are in retreat in the mosques.  Those are limits (Set by) Allah; approach not nigh thereto.  Thus does Allah Make Clear His Signs to men that they may learn self-restraint. (Surah al-Baqarah:187) 

Sexual acts that lead to the discharge of semen or vaginal fluid also nullifies the fast.  Couples may kiss, but kissing such that the tongue enters the mouth nullifies the fast.  Breaking the fast in such a manner requires two months of fasting as expiation.  This is not explicitly mentioned in the Qur’an, but are positions arrived at in jurisprudence, from secondary sources, such as the ahadits, narrations.