Fornication (Zina)


What is (Adultery) Zina?
There are many forms of Zina, but what we are addressing here is the highest form. This is adultery, fornication, having sexual intercourse without being married to the person.

Allah (SWT)'s order in the Quran to stay away from Zina: And those who invoke not any other god along with Allah, nor kill such life as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause, not commit illegal sexual intercourse (zina) and whoever does this shall receive the punishment. The torment will be doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace; except those who repent and believe and do righteous deeds, for those Allah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful. (al-Furqaan 25:68-70)

And come not near to unlawful sexual intercourse. Verily, it is a faahishah (a great sin) and an evil way. (Sura Al-Israa 17:32) Imaam al-Qurtubi (rahimaullah) said: The ulama said that the phrase And come not near to unlawful sexual intercourse is more eloquent than merely saying Do not commit zina, because the meaning is, Do not even come close to zina. This means not doing any deed that may get close to zina or lead to it, such as being alone with a member of the opposite sex, touching, looking, going to evil places, speaking in a haraam manner to a woman to whom one is not related, thinking about and planning immoral acts, and so on.

"Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from Zina illegal sexual acts, etc.). That is purer for them. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from Zina illegal sexual acts, etc.) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like palms of hands or one eye or both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer dress like veil, gloves, head-cover, apron, etc.), and to draw their veils all over Juyubihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms, etc.) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husband's sons, their brothers or their brother's sons, or their sister's sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islam), or the (female) slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigour, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you beg Allh to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful." (Sura 24:30-31)

Hadith warning against not even coming close to Zina: Some persons from Banu Hisham entered the house of Asma' daughter of Umays when AbuBakr also entered (and she was at that time his wife). He (Abu Bakr) saw it and disapproved of it and he made a mention of that to Allah's Messenger (saws) and said: I did not see but good only (in my wife). Thereupon Allah's Messenger (saws) said: Verily Allah has made her immune from all this. Then Allah's Messenger (saws) stood on the pulpit and said: After this day no man should enter the house of another person in his absence, but only when he is accompanied by one person or two persons. (Sahih Al-Bukhari Book 25, Hadith # 5403)

Abd-Allaah ibn Masood (RAA) said: I asked the Messenger of Allaah (saws), Which sin is worst in the sight of Allah? He said, To make any rival to Allah, when He has created you. I asked, Then what? He said, To kill your child for fear that he will eat with you. I asked, Then what? He said, To commit zina with the wife of your neighbour. (Reported in Sahih Al-Bukhaari, Hadith #492 and In Shaih Muslim, Hadith #90)

Rasulullah (saws) explained: If one of you were to be stabbed in the head with a piece of iron it would be better for him than if he were to touch a woman whom it is not permissible for him to touch. (Reported by al-Tabaraani; see also Saheeh al-Jaami, 5045). This refers to the punishment for touching, so how about worse deeds, such as embracing and kissing, and even worse kinds of illicit activity?

Rasulullah (saws) said, "Whenever a man is alone with a woman the Devil makes a third." (Al-Tirmidhi 3118, Narrated Umar ibn al-Khattab , Tirmidhi transmitted it as authentic) note: So we should always try not to be alone with a woman who is not mahrum to us and not even go close to Zina.

Repentence from Zina
Ibn Abbaas (RAA) said: There is no major sin if one asks for forgiveness, and there is no minor sin if one persists in repeating it. So if one wants to repent from having made the great sin of Zina he should remember these 4 things.

1) Do not despair, for Allah the Most Exalted and Glorified said in the Quran "Say: Oh my servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, for Allah forgives all sins; for He is oft-forgiving, most merciful." [Surah 39:53]

2) Let your repentance be truly from your heart, and stay away from all sources of temptations. Also, perform many good deeds, as good deeds abrogate the bad ones.

3) If you repent to Allah, you are no longer described as a fornicator (zaani). Therefore, you can marry a chaste woman.

4) The believer has high hope and aspiration for the best from Allah. He not only asks Allah for making his punishment easy in hellfire, but he also prays to Allah the Almighty to save him from Hell and award him with paradise for his repentance and good deeds.


Absolute Prohibition of Adultery, Prostitution and Other Forms of Sexual Promiscuity

Islamic Law explicitly prohibits adultery and fornication as clearly mentioned in the following Qur�anic injunctions:

�The man and woman guilty of adultery or fornication, flog each of them with a hundred stripes: let no compassion move you in their case, in a matter prescribed by Allah, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day: and let a party of believers witness their punishment.� (Qur�an 24:2)

Adultery, fornication and other promiscuous sex practices are punishable in Islam, because they are indeed serious crimes which affect the entire society. As discussed earlier, the AIDS problem, which is reaching epidemic proportion, is due largely to sexual permissiveness. Thus, the divine punishment for these social ills is certainly for the good of the entire humanly. Although, the AIDS problem is currently affecting largely those indulging in sexual promiscuity, many innocent individuals, including doctors, nurses and children, have been victimized by this social carnage. Even in countries, where AIDS is virtually non-existent, people are wary about the underlying danger. That is why the Chinese doctors likened AIDs to that of a holocaust.

Allah�s justice is equally open to all. In Islam, one can not just be abused by the law. For instance, a charge against a chaste individual needs to be confirmed, beyond any reasonable doubt. Allah (Subhanahu wa ta�ala, meaning: the Exalted, Most Glorious) says: �And those who launch a charge against chaste women, and produce not four witnesses (to support their allegations), flog them with 80 stripes; and reject their evidence ever after: for such men are wicked transgressors.� (Qur�an 24:4)

Islam, therefore, discourages unwarranted suspicion as much as possible. Allah says: �O you who believe! Avoid suspicion as much (as possible): for suspicion in some cases is a sin: and spy not on each other, nor speak ill of each other behind their backs. Would any of you like to eat die flesh of his dead brother? Nay, you would abhor it... But fear Allah: for Allah is Off-Returning, Most Merciful.� (Qur�an 49:12)

So, if a wicked person accuses a woman or a man of adultery or fornication, she or he should be given the benefit of the doubt. Allah warns the believers against the mischief of the wicked as follows: �O you who believe! If a wicked person comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth, lest you harm people unwittingly, and afterwards become full of repentance for what you have done.� (Qur�an 49:6)

Polygyny or plural marriage of men in Islam is limited only to a maximum of four with a condition that husbands are able to treat their wives with justice. Otherwise, the rule in Islam is monogamy. "And if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphan-girls, then marry (other) women of your choice, two or three, or four but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one or (the captives and the slaves) that your right hands possess. That is nearer to prevent you from doing injustice." (An-Nisa 4:3)

Polygamy solves the problem of adultery among men, who by nature are polygamous, or are not happy with their wives, from committing adultery. It prevents the prevalence of AIDS and other similar diseases arising from illicit sexual relations among people of loose morals. It minimizes divorce as men are given the option to marry other women of their choice without divorcing their present wives.

This subsequently, prevents the occurrence of juvenile delinquencies among children of broken families. Furthermore, polygamy gives the opportunity for more unmarried women to be married, considering the fact that women exceed men in number. This in turn eliminates fornication and prostitution, thus greatly reducing the number of children born out of wedlock. Unfortunately, children born out of wedlock are being ostracized in the same way as their mothers are being look down by the society. In polygamy, children are recognized as legal offspring of their fathers just as their mothers are respected as legally married women.

May Almighty Allah  save all Mankind from its evil. Aameen.

Taken from: members.tripod.com/dawaa/zina.html


The Evil Sin of Homosexuality

Homosexuality and Lesbianism have no place in Islam. This issue is clear from the primary source of Islam, The Holy Quran. No Muslim scholar, Imam or a leader of a Muslim community can alter this injunction. A person committing such an act is in violation of God's Law and should seek repentence before God gives up on him or her. As the following verses tell us, it was the people of prophet Lot (peace be on him) who started this evil act and were severly punished by God.

The Prophet Mohammad, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, was once asked about the deeds which would surely lead one to Paradise. He replied, 'Fear of Allah and upright behaviour.' On being asked about the deeds which would lead one to Hell, he said, 'Their sayings and their sexual behaviour.'" (Tirmithi) The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, also said, "I can guarantee Paradise to whoever can guard his mouth and what is between his legs." (Bukhari).

And Lot (Luth), when he said to his people: "Do you commit the worst sin such as none preceding you has committed in the world?

"Verily, you practice your lusts on men instead of women. Nay, but you are a people transgressing beyond bounds.

And the answer of his people was only that they said: "Drive them out of your town, these are indeed men who want to be pure!"

Then We saved him and his family, except his wife; she was of those who remained behind.

And We rained down on them a rain (of stones). Then see what was the end of the Mujrimun (criminals, polytheists, sinners, etc) (The Holy Quran, Surah Al-Araf (The Heights or The Wall with Elevations) Chapter 7, verses 80-84)

Let us all pray that God will spare us from His wrath. Let us pray that we will be among those to whom He has favored and not among those who have gone astray. Ameen.

Prayer