What is zina?

Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

 

assalamualaikum brother,

 

what is zina? plz explain coverig all the points related to this.and wht is the kaffara for it?(i mean what one has to do to seek forgiveness if zina is committed and the person is really sorry for it.).

 

hope u will reply this mail also.m thankful to you for sharing your knowledge with us and this is really helping me and people around me.JAZAKALLAH

 

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Answer:

 

What is zina

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

May Allah Subhanah reward you with the best of this world and the Hereafter for your kind comments of encouragement for our humble efforts in the propagation of the Truth.  If our humble and modest efforts have helped even one brother or sister get closer to Allah and His Deen of Truth, then we would consider ourselves indeed fortunate to have been given this opportunity by the Lord Most Merciful to serve in His Cause.  We hope, beg, and pray the Merciful Lord accepts our humble and weak efforts, forgives us our shortcomings, and saves you, us, and all the believers from the torment of the Hell Fire.  Ameen.

 

Your Question: what is zina? plz explain coverig all the points related to this.

In legal terms, ‘zina’ means the actual act of sexual intercourse between two members of the opposite sex who are not united in the sacred bond of marriage.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Israa verse 32:

Do not even go near ‘zina’ (fornication or adultery) for it is a very indecent thing and a very evil way!

 

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4886  Narrated by Anas ibn Malik

That he heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say: ‘The eye commits ‘zina’, and the palm of the hand, the foot, the body, the tongue and private part of the body confirm it or deny it.’

 

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.260         Narrated by Ibn Abbas

I have not seen a thing resembling 'lamam' (minor sins) than what Abu Huraira narrated from the Prophet (saws) who said "Allah has written for the children of Adan their share of adultery which he commits inevitably. The adultery of the eyes is the sight (to gaze at a forbidden thing), the adultery of the tongue is the talk, and the inner self wishes and desires and the private parts testify all this or deny it."

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 36 Surah Ya-Seen verse 65:

65      That Day shall We set a seal on their mouths.  But their hands will speak to Us and their feet bear witness to all that they did.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 41 Surah Ha-Meem verses 19-23:

19      On the Day that the enemies of Allah will be gathered together to the Fire they will be marched in ranks.

20      At length when they reach the (Fire) their hearing, their sight, and their skins will bear witness against them as to (all) their deeds.

21      They will say to their skins: "Why bear ye witness against us?"  They (their skins) will say: "Allah hath given us speech, (He) Who giveth speech to everything: He created you for the first time and unto Him were ye to return.

22      "Ye did not seek to hide yourselves lest your hearing, your sight, and your skins should bear witness against you! But ye did think that Allah knew not many of the things that ye used to do!

23      "But this thought of yours which ye did entertain concerning your Lord hath brought you to destruction, and (now) have ye become of those utterly lost!"

 

Although in legal terminology ‘zina’ would constitute the actual penetration of the male organ into the female organ of an unmarried couple, the Messenger of Allah (saws) warned the believers regarding the minor ‘zina’ of the eyes, hands, legs, etc. Not only is the evil act of actual ‘zina’ prescribed as absolutely forbidden in Islam, every path or every way that leads one to this evil path is also declared as forbidden!  Such is the gravity of this abomination of ‘zina’, that Allah Subhanah commands the believers in the Quran: Do not even go near ‘zina’!!!

 

Thus if one intentionally sees and watches ‘fahisha’ (indecency), it would constitute ‘zina’ of the eyes; if one derives pleasure from talks of ‘fahisha’, it would constitute ‘zina’ of the ears and mouth, if one touches or goes towards something or someone with the intention of ‘fahisha’, it would constitute ‘zina’ of the hands and the legs!  Although there is no prescribed punishment for the ‘zina’ of the eyes, mouth, ears, hands and feet in the life of this world, if one dies without seeking ‘taubah’ and repentance from their Lord, he will be held severely accountable for these acts of ‘minor’ zina in the Presence of their Majestic Lord in the Hereafter.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verse 33:

33      Say (O Prophet (saws)): ‘The things that my Lord hath indeed (absolutely) forbidden (declared ‘haraam’) are: shameful deeds whether open or secret; sins and trespasses against truth or reason; assigning of partners to Allah for which he hath given no authority; and saying things about Allah of which ye have no knowledge.

 

Your Question: wht is the kaffara for it?(i mean what one has to do to seek forgiveness if zina is committed and the person is really sorry for it.).

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 24 Surah Noor verse 2:

2        The woman and the man guilty of ‘zina’ (fornication) flog each of them with a hundred stripes: let not compassion move you in their case in a matter prescribed by Allah if ye believe in Allah and the Last Day: and let a party of the believers witness their punishment.

 

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.810         Narrated by Jabir

A man from the tribe of Aslam came to the Prophet (saws) and confessed that he had committed adultery (illegal sexual intercourse). The Prophet (saws) turned his face away from him till the man bore witness against himself four times. The Prophet (saws) said to him, "Are you mad?" He said "No."  The Prophet (saws) asked, "Are you married?" He said, "Yes."  Then the Prophet (saws) ordered that he be stoned to death, and he was stoned to death at the Musalla (public gathering place).

 

If the one who commits illegal sexual intercourse (zina) and their case is brought to a Shariah Court, the prescribed punishment for the sin of ‘zina’ in Shariah depends on the marital status of the person convicted of the crime in a court of Shariah Law:

  1. Fornication:  If the man or the woman who is guilty of ‘zina’ (fornication) is unmarried, Shariah Law prescribes a punishment for a 100 lashes in public.
  2. Adultery: If the man or the woman who is guilty of ‘zina’ (adultery) is married, Shariah Law prescribes that the guilty should be stoned to death in public.

 

If one has committed ‘zina’ (adultery or fornication) and their case is not brought to a court of law, the only way those who wish to purify themselves from their crime is to turn back to their Lord in ‘Taubah’ and sincerely seek repentance from Him for their transgression.  If they are sincere in seeking repentance, they will find their Lord Forgiving and Merciful.

 

The conditions or ways to seek sincere Taubah or Repentance from the Merciful Lord are:

  1. One is aware that one has sinned,  and feels sorry and ashamed at their sin.
  2. Makes a solemn covenant and promise with Allah that they will not repeat the sin again.
  3. Turns to Allah and seeks forgiveness,  before one meets with their appointment of death.
  4. Is a believer and does righteous good deeds thereafter. 

 

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumur verses 53-54:

(O Prophet) say: “O My servants who have wronged their own souls….Do not despair of Allah’s Mercy!  Surely,  Allah forgives all sins.   He indeed is the All Forgiving,  All Merciful.   Return to your Lord and submit to Him before the scourge overtakes you;  for then you may get no help from anywhere.”

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imraan verse 135-136:

Allah likes such good people very much, who,  if ever they commit a base deed or wrong their own soul by the commission of a sin,  remember Allah instantly,  and ask for forgiveness from Him for their shortcomings.  For who,  but Allah,  can forgive sins?   (And Allah loves those) who do not knowingly persist in the wrongs they did.   These will be rewarded with forgiveness from Allah,  and with Gardens beneath which canals flow,  and they will reside therein forever!   How excellent is the reward of those who do good deeds!

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 25 Surah Furqaan verses 63-71:

The (true) servants of the Merciful are those who walk humbly on the earth.   When the ignorant people behave insolently towards them,  they say, “Peace to you”;  (And those) who pass their nights in prostrating themselves and standing before their Lord and pray, “O our Lord,  save us from the torment of Hell,  for its torment is killing!  It is an evil abode,  and an evil resting place”.  (And those) who,  when they spend are neither extravagant,  nor miserly,  but keep the golden mean between the two extremes.  (And those) who do not invoke any god but Allah Alone,  nor kill a soul unjustly,  which Allah has forbidden,  nor commit adultery… He who does this shall be punished for his sin,  and his torment shall be doubled on the Day of Resurrection,  and he shall abide in a state of ignominy;  EXCEPT THE ONE WHO MAY HAVE REPENTED (AFTER THOSE SINS),  AND HAVE BELIEVED AND DONE RIGHTEOUS DEEDS.   For then,  Allah will change his evil deeds into good deeds,  and He is very Forgiving and Merciful.   In fact,  one who repents and does righteous deeds,  returns to Allah as one rightly should!

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anaam verse 54:

When those come to you who believe in Our Signs,  say: "Peace be on you!  Your Lord had inscribed for Himself (the rule of) Mercy.  Verily if any of you did evil in ignorance,  and thereafter repented and amended (his conduct),  Lo! He is Oft-Forgiving,  Most Merciful."

 

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2357        Narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas'ud

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "He who repents of a sin is like him who has committed no sin."

 

There is nothing one can do or give as ‘kaffarah’ to atone for committing the heinous abomination of ‘zina’ except sincere ‘Taubah’ and repentance; if one is indeed sincere in their ‘taubah’, it is expected that they will find their Lord Forgiving and Merciful.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

Burhan

 
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