Refutation of those who excuse homosexuals on the grounds that this is the way they were created

Salaam. I'm not gay but I'm just wondering from a moral standpoint that since homosexuality is forbidden under Islam, what would happen to gay or lesbian individuals? A lot of gay and lesbians say that their sexual orientation is natural and they are born gay. Assuming that they are correct since straight people don't know, if homosexuality is outlawed in Islam then why would Allah make them that way so that their existence is a tortured and sexually frustrated way? 

Answer:  Praise be to Allaah. We do not agree with their claim that their sexual orientation is natural; rather it is a distortion of nature. Allaah counted their deed as wrongdoing and immoral, and He sent upon the people of Lut a punishment the like of which no other nation had seen. He also tells us that this punishment is not ever far from the wrongdoers. Their claim that their orientation is natural serves only to propagate and spread immorality, and it is just an excuse for them. Many of them change their appearance so as to look odd, so how can we say that this is how they were created? Allaah does not create anyone just to punish or torture them. He created mankind to worship Him, but He may try His slaves with hardship as a test of their faith, to expiate for their sins and to raise their status. Allaah is too Just to force a person to commit sin and then punish him. On the contrary, people commit sins by their own free choice – like these perverted people – and it is for this that they deserve to be punished. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “and your Lord treats no one with injustice” [al-Kahf 18:49] And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Nay, Allaah never commands Fahshaa’ (evil deeds, unlawful sexual intercourse). Do you say of Allaah what you know not?” [al-A’raaf 7:28] And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

Are you rewarded for having Sex In iSlam?

QUESTION: 

According to hadith (Muslim) there is reward for husband & wife's sexual intercourse. I heard that this reward is equivalent to merit point of 70 rakah of optional (nafl) prayer. Is it true?

Praise be to Allaah. 

Firstly:

 If a man has intercourse with his wife, he will be rewarded for that, because he is doing something halaal and avoiding something haraam. This is what is stated in the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him):

 It was narrated from Abu Dharr that some people from among the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “O Messenger of Allaah, the rich people will get more reward. They pray as we pray, and they fast as we fast, but they give in charity from their excess wealth.” He said, “Has not Allaah given you things with which you can give charity? Every tasbeehah (saying ‘Subhaan Allaah (Glory be to Allaah)’) is a charity. Every Takbeerah (saying ‘Allaahu akbar (Allaah is Most Great)’) is a charity. Every Tahmeedah (saying ‘al-hamdu-Lillaah (praise be to Allaah)’ is a charity. Every Tahleelah (saying ‘Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah (there is no god but Allaah)’) is a charity. Enjoining what is good is a charity. Forbidding what is evil is a charity. Having intercourse (with one’s wife) is a charity.” They said, “O Messenger of Allaah, if one of us fulfils his desire, is there reward in that?” He said, “Do you not see that if he does it in a haraam way he will have the burden of sin? So if he does it in a halaal way, he will have a reward for that.”

(Narrated by Muslim, 1674) 

Is it harmful to have sex on Tuesday?

Question: 

well i want to make a little inquiry plz kindly inform with the correct info I have heard that you are not supposed to have sex on tuesdays....and there is some thing that comes that night which then curses all those who are doing it...and they suffer some how later...then plz reply me and inform me with the correct info...from hadiths or Quran..

Praise be to Allaah.

I know, may Allaah teach us and you, that this is one of the myths and innovations that have no basis on the Qur’aan or Sunnah. It is like the things said by the people who follow innovations and are misguided, so that they say that it is makrooh to get married when the moon is in Scorpio or when it is under the rays [???], or when it is waning or in any of its other stages. (See Mu’jam al-Bida’ by Raa’id Sabri, 656).

Allaah has permitted intercourse at all times and in all places, with the following exceptions:

Treating premature ejaculation

My question is concerning premature ejaculation. I suffer from this “illness”. I have been married for nearly two years and this illness has prevented me from having normal intercourse with my wife. I can not satisfy her. Maybe this is a punishment from Allah? However, I read that this is a very widespread illness, and that it can be treated. There seems to be medical treatment as well as a kind of training/practice. This includes, among other things, that a person stimulates himself by rubbing his penis to learn to deal with the sexual arousal, and even to ejaculate. I know that this is normally forbidden to do, but I do not see a solution for the problem without treatment. I have tried other things before like a special ointment and other stuff, but without success. I am afraid, if I do not treat this illness that I might fall back into sin. There is so much information on the Internet, but I do not know what is trustworthy and what is just a way of making money. What can I do? Please give me advice!.

Praise be to Allaah.

The view that masturbation is haraam is the view of most of the scholars and is supported by shar‘i evidence; in fact all sexual gratification is limited in our sharee‘ah to the wife or concubine (and the latter is not available in our time). Any other means of pleasure used by people is only a means of immorality and spreading mischief in the land, let alone the fact that it is contrary to the fitrah (sound human nature) with which man has been created with regard to the way of fulfilling physical desires. Whatever the case, we find it strange that masturbation is regarded as a means of treating premature ejaculation. What we have read and learned from dozens of medical websites and suggestions for treatment is that masturbation is one of the causes of premature ejaculation; this is according to the testimony of doctors first of all, and also that of those who are suffering from this problem. Hence we do not advise this method of treatment.

But if what you are doing, which requires rubbing the penis, whether maniy (semen) comes out of it or not, if this is a medical treatment that you need, then you can use this method of treatment in a manner that is permissible according to sharee‘ah, by means of intimacy with your wife and masturbation by her hand. The fuqaha’ have stated that masturbation with the wife’s hand is permissible for the husband, because the husband may enjoy all parts of her body – with the exception of anal intercourse – so there is nothing wrong with masturbation with the wife’s hand.

Al-Hattaab al-Maaliki (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

Study of the madhhab and the hadeeths indicate that that – i.e., masturbation with the wife’s hand – is permissible. And Allah knows best.

End quote from Mawaahib al-Jaleel, 3/406

Al-‘Allaamah Zakariya al-Ansaari al-Shaafa‘i (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

Masturbation with the wife’s hand is permissible for him as he may enjoy all parts of her body, but with his own hand (it is not permissible) because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And those who guard their chastity (i.e. private parts, from illegal sexual acts).

Except from their wives or (slaves) that their right hands possess, - for then, they are free from blame;

But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors”

[al-Mu’minoon 23:5-7].

This is among that which is beyond that.

End quote from Asna al-Mataalib, 3/186

Abu’l-Naja al-Hajaawi al-Hanbali (may Allah have mercy on him) says:

He may engage in masturbation with the wife’s hand.

End quote from al-Iqnaa‘; see commentary thereon, Kashshaaf al-Qinaa‘, 5/188

And Allah knows best.

Islam Q&A

Complete solution for addiction to masturbation and pornography

This is a delicate subject and some people have strong opinions about it. Therefore please, if interested in the subject, read the whole article to understand the point.

Teen Years
The human mind during the teen years, due to physiological changes, is constantly reminded of sex and sexuality. At this age a human's sexuality is the most active. It is very important that Muslim teenagers learn how to deal with it, and it is our duty to teach them on this important subject.

Required understanding: Who are the best believers? What does being Muslim really mean?
Being Muslim means submitting to Allah. True Muslims are those who have completely, totally, devoted their lives to Islam. Their only wish is to serve Allah. They spend all of their everyday lives doing what they believe is Allah's wish. They live for Islam. They have let go of their ego, of their 'personal lives', they know their owner, their master and their guide is Allah. You might ask, "THIS IS SLAVERY!". Yes it is. We are Allah's powerless slaves. Do you think otherwise?

The best Muslims during the Prophet's times were those whose only desire was avoiding the fire of Jahannam and entering Jannah. This is what they thought about most of their waking time, as Surah Al-Imran mentions:

Those who remember God (always, and in prayers) standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): "Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You! (Exalted be You above all that they associate with You as partners). Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire. [Quran, 3:190]

This is the type of humans that Islam aims to create.

In contrast, most unguided people are obsessed with gratifying their desires. They eat, please themselves in different ways and sleep, as the Quran says, just like animals.

Islam's Ruling on Masturbation

The late prominent scholar Sheikh Mustafa Az-Zarqa, may Allah bless his soul, has analyzed the issue of masturbation in detail and, after discussing the different views of scholars and jurists regarding it, issued the following fatwa:

“The only legal text used as evidence for the prohibition of masturbation is Allah’s saying describing the believers: “Those who guard their sexual organs except with their spouses or those whom their right hands possess, for (with regard to them) they are without blame. But those who crave something beyond that are transgressors.” (Al-Mu'mun: 5-7)

Commenting on this verse, some scholars hold the view that this habit (masturbation) falls under the category of those who seek fulfillment of their sexual desires outside the framework of marriage, and as such they are deemed transgressors. Those scholars put masturbation under the list of the forbidden categories of sexual fulfillment since it constitutes transgression of boundaries. This view is held by the Shafi`ites (followers of the Shafi`i school of Fiqh).

Is it haram or not then?
It is haram. Masturbation is not allowed and it is a sin. You might have a good reason, but it will still be a sin, just like the way you can have a good reason for stealing.
Some people say (including a scholar) that semen is something that needs to excreted. I don't think this is correct. Because a male's body does this automatically when he has too many sperms. He will have what is known as a wet dream, which is a perfectly normal and acceptable thing.
Problems that stem from masturbation

1. To Masturbate is to fall short of Islam's high morals. The best believers would never masturbate since they have completely devoted their lives to Islam. They welcome pain and hardship since they know it is better for their future. And resisting sexual temptations is a great act of self-discipline and contribute greatly to a person's spiritual growth, and there will sure be great rewards for it in the Hereafter.
2. Masturbation edges on sin. And as humans in a situation like this, we can never be sure if our actions are according to Islam or we have transgressed.
3. Masturbation can obsess a person's mind with sex. Some teenagers report on online forums that all they think about during the day and night is sex. How can someone like this help the world become a better place?
4. Masturbation will make the person lose self-respect.
5. For a male, losing semen can cause problems. To quote one of their readers: "I didn't masturbate until I was 17 years old. I didn't exercise much and yet I had this amazing 8 pack. I started masturbating about 1- 5 times a day and my 8 pack turned into a vague 4 pack. I noticed muscle loss in other parts of my body as well and I started having back problems and my eyes started getting really dry." The problem could have been caused by the high frequency. A book called The Garden of Fertility says typically a man needs 36 hours to replenish ejaculated sperm [copyright 2004, Katie Singer]. I expect when a man ejaculates more frequently than is healthy, his body will go into overdrive, trying to compensate for the lost semen by burning muscle protein to create energy. And for the dry eyes, I have read that tears and semen share some components. Since the body gives priority to procreation, the amount of fluid in the eyes and/or the helpful lubricants inside the fluid decrease.
6. Masturbation can cause the individual to miss prayers, since a male cannot pray after ejaculation until he makes ghusl (takes a shower). This can be problematic when he lives with parents, who might embarrass him by asking why he showered twice in one day.
7. For females, inserting a finger or an object into the vagina can break the hymen.

Pornography
Muslims are not allowed to invigorate their sexual appetite so that they have to masturbate.
The best Muslims are those who dedicate all of their time to serving Allah by (but not limited to) doing useful work, learning about Islam, socializing with people, and making a living. A Muslim must also take care of his or her mind and body's needs. One should eat and enjoy food when hungry. But watching porn is like swallowing a pill that induces hunger after you have eaten. It traps the person in a vicious cycle of never ending desire, exhausting the person's body and mind.
As mentioned earlier, it is the unguided nations that are only after gratifying their desires. Islam is the opposite of this.

Punishment for watching pornography
Watching porn is, as I said, like taking a hunger pill. By watching porn one is rejecting all of Islam's great teachings, transgressing on Allah's limits, and accepting to descend the ladder of enlightenment to the darkest pits of ignorance. That is what a Muslim is not, that is what Islam came to stop people from doing.
By watching porn a person doesn't just commit one crime, rather a plethora of others. Such as wasting time, weakening relationships, abusing the body and mind, letting life pass one by, forgetting the Day of Judgment, and most importantly, ignoring Allah's existence. Therefore, watching porn, even though it is a simple act in itself, indicates critical deviation from Islam's teachings.
From this study I have realized that watching porn is not the problem, it is a symptom of deeper problems. A well educated Muslim knows that the purpose of life is not chasing pleasures, it is accomplishing Islam's missions.

Solution
About resisting temptation

Researchers from Duke University, the University of Southern California, and the University of Pennsylvania found that asking college students about their vices actually causes them to stop resisting temptation. "We demonstrate that asking consumers to report their expectations regarding how often they will perform a vice behavior increases the incidence of these behaviors." Resisting temptation is difficult when you think about that which you're trying to resist!

It's a self-fulfilling prophecy: the study participants thought they'd succumb, so they did. Resisting temptation was difficult because of their thought processes.

Resisting the temptation to shop

Regarding purchasing power, these researchers found that even seemingly kind or harmless questions about advertised products lowers consumers' will. That is, even a few gentle questions leads people to purchase products they wouldn't normally buy - which makes resisting temptation difficult. The more they talk about the product, the more they give into their desires and the less they resist temptation. In fact, the Law of Attraction came alive and their thoughts became action.

Not surprisingly, these results were especially evident in people with low self-control. The lower your self-control is, the more trouble you'll have resisting temptation.

To resist temptation, turn temptation around. Instead of thinking about not eating chocolate chip cookies, focus on eating fresh fruit or veggies, or going out for a walk or run. Your focus will go far in resisting temptation. Instead of focusing on not gambling, think about other ways to spend your money. Those other ways will help you resist temptation. Instead of thinking about not surfing the internet, consider the benefits of sleeping all night long or spending time with family or friends. The more you learn about resisting temptation, the easier it'll get.

From Resisting Temptation on Suite101.com

To apply this to masturbation, Muslims should spend their time serving Allah. By focusing on working for Islam, the thought of masturbation will leave their minds.
How to serve Allah
What kinds of things can you do to serve Allah? I know that each of us is different, and some of my suggestions might not work for you. That is why you have to get creative. Use that brain!

1. Submit your soul to Allah. Tame your mind. Learn to think like this; "Everything, every second of my life, is meant to serve Allah. I am made for serving Allah. What is the best thing I can do right now to serve Allah?" This will reprogram your brain to start working for Allah's favor, not your own personal one.
2. Educate yourself in Islam. Start with books about Islamic belief, not Shari'ah ! Shari'ah won't do you much good if you do not have a strong moral and spiritual base that can allow applying it. It is like wanting to play a CD without a CD-player. The first thing you should do is read books on correct Islamic thinking.
3. Follow Islam to the fullest. Don't miss fajr prayers. Pray all of the prayers on time. Train your self-discipline. It is like a muscle, the more you train it, the stronger it gets.
4. Read Qur'an.
5. Start learning Arabic.
6. Start a blog on Islam. Make some friends. This will help you feel more accountable to your actions. Write about your growth in Islam. (But as a commenter pointed out, getting online is dangerous in itself because of all the tempting things we are shown on most websites. So it might be a good idea to stay away from the internet until you have enough self-discipline to resist temptation.)
7. Don't give up. I've read that a person needs 21 days to start a new habit. Spend all of this time teaching your brain the fact that you are Allah's servant, not your own personal desires'. And...
8. You will be sure to succeed. If you follow the teachings of this study follow, it will be impossible for you to fail.
9. Islam is not an easy religion. Giving up masturbation and resisting temptation is very hard too. Islam is very challenging. There is no 'beating' it. There are always higher grounds to conquer. But it is fun and will make you a strong, mature person. I wouldn't trade the sense of working for a higher purpose (the highest purpose!), the sense of having a great mission, for all the money and power in the world.
10. Tell your friends about this page.

Conclusion
Masturbation and porn are both parts of the darkness that Islam has come to enlighten. We have to devote our souls, our selves, totally to Islam. We have to stop thinking from a "me" perspective, we should train ourselves to think from an "Allah's servant" one.

Medical benefits of female circumcision

Could you explain me what is the medical benefit of girl’s circumcision?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Just as Allaah has created mankind, He has also guided them that which is best suited to their interests in this world and in the Hereafter, so He sent them Messengers and revealed Books to guide mankind to what is good and urge them to follow it, and to teach them what is evil and warn them against it. 

Islam may enjoin or forbid something and the people – or most of them – may not be able to see the wisdom behind this command or prohibition. In that case we are obliged to obey the command or heed the prohibition and to have certain faith that the laws of Allaah are all good, even if we cannot see the wisdom behind them. 

Circumcision is one of the Sunnahs of the fitrah, as is indicated by the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): "The fitrah is five things – or five things are part of the fitrah – circumcision, shaving the pubes, plucking the armpit hairs, cutting the nails, and trimming the moustache." narrated by al-Bukhaari (5889) and Muslim (257). 

Undoubtedly with regard to the Sunnahs of the fitrah, some of the wisdom behind them is obvious, and that includes circumcision. There are clear benefits to it which we should pay attention to and understand the wisdom behind it. 

 

Circumcision is prescribed for both males and females. The correct view is that circumcision is obligatory for males and that it is one of the symbols of Islam, and that circumcision of women is mustahabb but not obligatory. 

There are reports in the Sunnah which indicate that circumcision for women is prescribed in Islam. In Madeenah there was a woman who circumcised women and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to her: “Do not go to the extreme in cutting; that is better for the woman and more liked by the husband.”  Narrated by Abu Dawood (5271), classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. 

Female circumcision has not been prescribed for no reason, rather there is wisdom behind it and it brings many benefits. 

Mentioning some of these benefits, Dr. Haamid al-Ghawaabi says: 

The secretions of the labia minora accumulate in uncircumcised women and turn rancid, so they develop an unpleasant odour which may lead to infections of the vagina or urethra. I have seen many cases of sickness caused by the lack of circumcision. 

Circumcision reduces excessive sensitivity of the clitoris which may cause it to increase in size to 3 centimeters when aroused, which is very annoying to the husband, especially at the time of intercourse. 

Another benefit of circumcision is that it prevents stimulation of the clitoris which makes it grow large in such a manner that it causes pain. 

Circumcision prevents spasms of the clitoris which are a kind of inflammation.  

Circumcision reduces excessive sexual desire. 

Then Dr al-Ghawaabi refutes those who claim that female circumcision leads to frigidity by noting: 

Frigidity has many causes, and this claim is not based on any sound statistics comparing circumcised women with uncircumcised women, except in the case of Pharaonic circumcision which is where the clitoris is excised completely. This does in fact lead to frigidity but it is contrary to the kind of circumcision enjoined by the Prophet of mercy (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when he said: “Do not destroy” i.e., do not uproot or excise. This alone is evidence that speaks for itself, because medicine at that time knew very little about this sensitive organ (the clitoris) and its nerves. 

From Liwa’ al-Islam magazine, issue 8 and 10; article entitled Khitaan al-Banaat (circumcision of girls). 

The female gynaecologist Sitt al-Banaat Khaalid says in an article entitled Khitaan al-Banaat Ru’yah Sihhiyyah (Female circumcision from a health point of view): 

For us in the Muslim world female circumcision is, above all else, obedience to Islam, which means acting in accordance with the fitrah and following the Sunnah which encourages it. We all know the dimensions of Islam, and that everything in it must be good in all aspects, including health aspects. If the benefits are not apparent now, they will become known in the future, as has happened with regard to male circumcision – the world now knows its benefits and it has become widespread among all nations despite the opposition of some groups. 

Then she mentioned some of the health benefits of female circumcision and said: 

It takes away excessive libido from women

It prevents unpleasant odours which result from foul secretions beneath the prepuce.

It reduces the incidence of urinary tract infections

It reduces the incidence of infections of the reproductive system. 

In the book on Traditions that affect the health of women and children, which was published by the World Health Organization in 1979 it says: 

With regard to the type of female circumcision which involves removal of the prepuce of the clitoris, which is similar to male circumcision, no harmful health effects have been noted. 

And Allaah knows best.

Islam Q&A

In the book on Traditions that affect the health of women and children, which was published by the World Health Organization in 1979 it says:

With regard to the type of female circumcision which involves removal of the prepuce of the clitoris, which is similar to male circumcision, no harmful health effects have been noted.

Is love before marriage better?

What is more stable in Islam, a love marriage or an arranged marriage?

Praise be to Allaah.  

The issue of this marriage depends on the ruling on what came before it. If the love between the two parties did not transgress the limits set by Allaah or make them commit sin, then there is the hope that the marriage which results from this love will be more stable, because it came about as the result of the fact that each of them wanted to marry the other. 

If a man feels some attraction towards a woman whom it is permissible for him to marry her, and vice versa, there is no answer to the problem except marriage. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “We do not think that there is anything better for those who love one another than marriage.” (Narrated by Ibn Maajah, 1847; classed as saheeh by al-Busayri and by Shaykh al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 624) 

Al-Sindi said, as noted in Haamish Sunan Ibn Maajah: 

The phrase “We do not think that there is anything better for those who love one another than marriage” may be understood to refer to two or to more than two. What this means is that if there is love between two people, that love cannot be increased or made to last longer by anything like marriage.  If there is marriage as well as that love, that love will increase and grow stronger every day.” 

But if that marriage comes about as a result of an illicit love relationship, such as when they meet and are alone together and kiss one another, and other haraam actions, then it will never be stable, because they committed actions that go against sharee’ah and because they have built their lives on things that will have the effect of reducing blessings and support from Allaah, for sin is a major factor in reducing blessings, even though some people think, because of the Shaytaan’s whispers, that falling in love and doing haraam deeds makes marriage stronger.   

Moreover, these illicit relationships that take place before marriage will be a cause to make each party doubtful about the other. The husband will think that his wife may possibly have a similar relationship with someone else, and even if he thinks it unlikely, he will still be troubled by the fact that his wife did do something wrong with him. And the same thoughts may occur to the wife too, and she will think that her husband could possibly have an affair with another woman, and even if she thinks it unlikely, she will still be troubled by the fact that her husband did something wrong with her. 

So each partner will live in a state of doubt and suspicion, which will ruin their relationship sooner or later. 

The husband may condemn his wife for having agreed to have a relationship with him before marriage, which will be upsetting for her, and this will cause their relationship to deteriorate. 

Hence we think that if a marriage is based upon an illicit premarital relationship, it will most likely be unstable and will not be successful. 

With regard to arranged marriages where the family chooses the partner, they are not all good and not all bad. If the family makes a good choice and the woman is religious and beautiful, and the husband likes her and wants to marry her, then there is the hope that their marriage will be stable and successful. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) urged the one who wants to get married to look at the woman. It was narrated from al-Mugheerah ibn Shu’bah that he proposed marriage to a woman, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Go and look at her, because that is more likely to create love between you.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 1087; classed as hasan by al-Nasaa’i, 3235) 

But if the family make a bad choice, or they make a good choice but the husband does not agree with it, then this marriage is most likely doomed to failure and instability, because the marriage that is based on lack of interest usually is not stable.

 And Allaah knows best.

Islam Q&A

I have a major problem controling my sexually urges

As Salaam Alaikum
I have a serious problem. I have been muslim for a couple of years. I have a major problem controling my sexually urges. Before I was muslim I had no sex whatsoever and was a virgin. But recently I have been doing some haraam things. On 3 occasions I have payed for oral sex from prostitutes. This is all I have done. My penis has never been in a women's vagina. Is this zinnah? Am i still a virgin? Am I still muslim? What can I do to stop? Please help me!
jazaakum Allahu khirun

Praise be to Allaah.

There is no doubt that what you have done is a kind of zinaa (unlawful sexual activity), although it is not the worst kind, so you must repent sincerely to Allaah, give up this sin, regret what has happened and be determined never to go back to it. Avoid bad friends and bad places, lower your gaze and keep your distance from women to whom you are not related (non-mahram). If you repent to Allaah, He will accept your repentance. You are still a Muslim, but you have committed an act of disobedience towards Allaah by doing this sinful act, so come back to your Lord and seek His forgiveness for what you have done. Do more good deeds to expiate for and cancel out your bad deeds, do those things that will help you to remain chaste, and hasten to marry according to Islam. Finally, we will leave you with a story from which you may learn a valuable lesson:

Ibn Mas’ood reported that a man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and told him that he had kissed or touched a woman, or something similar, as if he was asking how he could expiate for this (according to another report: a man had done something with a woman that fell short of actual intercourse. He came to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab, who regarded it as something very serious; then he came to Abu Bakr, who regarded it as something very serious. Then he came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)). Then Allaah revealed the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “And perform al-salaah at the two ends of the day and in some hours of the night. Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (i.e., small sins). That is a reminder (advice) for the mindful (those who accept advice).” [Hood 11:114]. The man asked, “Is this concerning me, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said: “It is concerning whoever of my ummah does this.” (Reported by Muslim, may Allaah have mercy on him, in his Saheeh, 4963).

According to a report narrated by ‘Abd-Allaah, a man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said, “O Messenger of Allaah, I fondled a woman in the furthest outskirts of Madeenah but I did not actually have intercourse with her. Here I am, judge me as you wish.” ‘Umar said to him: “Allaah had covered you, you should have covered yourself (i.e., you should not have spoken of it).” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not reply at all, so the man got up and left. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sent a man to follow him, call him and recite to him the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “And perform al-salaah at the two ends of the day and in some hours of the night. Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (i.e., small sins). That is a reminder (advice) for the mindful (those who accept advice).” [Hood 11:114]. A man who was present said: “O Prophet of Allaah, is this just for him?” He said, “No, it is for all the people.” (Reported by Muslim, 4964).

And Allaah knows best.

Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

He committed zina with her and she got pregnant; can he marry her while she is pregnant or should she abort the foetus?

One of my wife's divorced Muslim friends is not married and is pregnant. She wants to know if it is haraam for her to have an abortion or whether she should keep it (she is 4 weeks pregnant). The man who has made her pregnant also wants to marry her. Can she get married while she is pregnant ? There is no chance that anyone else is the father.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly:

It is permissible for the one who committed zina to marry the woman with whom he committed zina if they are no longer regarded as zaani, which is after repenting sincerely. If she is pregnant, it is not permissible to do the marriage contract with her until her pregnancy ends, and the child is not to be named after the zaani according to the majority of scholars. Some scholars are of the view that the illegitimate child is to be called after the zaani if he acknowledges him. See the answer to question no. 33591

In Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah it says: What is required of both of them is to repent to Allah then to give up this crime and regret what has happened in the past of committing immoral actions, and they should resolve never to go back to it and they should do a lot of righteous deeds in the hope that Allah will accept their repentance and turn their bad deeds into good deeds. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And those who invoke not any other ilaah (god) along with Allaah, nor kill such person as Allaah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse __ and whoever does this shall receive the punishment.

69. The torment will be doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace;

70. Except those who repent and believe (in Islamic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds; for those, Allaah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allaah is Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful

71. And whosoever repents and does righteous good deeds; then verily, he repents towards Allaah with true repentance”

[al-Furqaan 25:68-71]

If you want to marry her, you have to wait until it is established that she is not pregnant by waiting for one menstrual cycle before doing the marriage contract with her. If it turns out that she is pregnant, it is not permissible for you to do the marriage contract with her until after the pregnancy ends, in accordance with the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that a man should not irrigate the crop of another with his water.

End quote from Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, Majallat al-Buhooth al-Islamiyyah, vol. 9, p. 72

Secondly:


It is not permissible to abort the foetus in order to get rid of the shame of zina.

And Allah knows best.

Islam Q&A

Is zinaa intercourse only?

I need further information about the verse interpreted here about adultery. Adultery, according to the Hudood I read, require penetration. Is that true of Islamic law?
Are married persons, or single for that case, indulging in immoral acts that do not include penetration (but maybe oral sex), exempted from this punishment?
Secondly, is there a forgiveness for adultery? Or for what I inquired in my previous question.
I'd be greatly obliged to recieve an answer, because this issue has confused me for a long time.Praise be to Allaah.

Zinaa, in Arabic, means immorality, and is used with two meanings in shar’: a general meaning and a specific meaning.

The general meaning includes that which carries the punishment (hadd) and that which does not carry it. Islam does not give the name of zinaa only to that which carries the punishment, which is just one of many types of zinaa. Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said: “I have never heard any better definition of ‘small faults’ [al-Najm 53:32] than that which Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): ‘Allaah has decreed for every son of Adam his share of zinaa, and there is no way to escape from it. The zinaa of the eye is a glance, the zinaa of the tongue is speaking, and the zinaa of the mind is wishing and hoping; then the private part either acts upon this or it does not.’” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 11/26; Muslim, 4/2046).

Al-Bukhaari included this hadeeth in a chapter entitled Baab zinaa al-jawaarih doon al-farj (Chapter on the zinaa of faculties other than the private part).

Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Zinaa is not always associated with the private part itself, but may involve other faculties such as the eyes and so on.” Ibn Battaal (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Looking and speaking are called zinaa because they lead to real zinaa. This is why he said that the private part either acts upon this or it does not”

Zinaa is one of the forbidden deeds, one of the most serious major sins (kabaa’ir) after shirk and murder. Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings):

“And those who invoke not any other god along with Allaah, nor kill such life as Allaah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse – 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 Allaah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [al-Furqaan 25:68-70]

“And come not near to unlawful sexual intercourse. Verily, it is a faahishah [anything that transgresses its limits – a great sin], and an evil way (that leads one to Hell unless Allaah forgives him).” [al-Isra’ 17:32]

Imaam al-Qurtubi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “The ‘ulama’ said that the phrase And come not near to unlawful sexual intercourse is more eloquent than merely saying ‘Do not commit zinaa’, because the meaning is, Do not even come close to zinaa.” This means not doing any deed that may get close to zinaa 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.

‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood said: “I asked the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), ‘Which sin is worst in the sight of Allaah?’ He said, ‘To make any rival to Allaah, 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 zinaa with the wife of your neighbour.’” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 8/492; Muslim, 1/90).

All religions are agreed that zinaa is haraam; no religion allows it. The punishment for zinaa is the most severe of punishments, because it violates people’s honour and lineages.

The sin of zinaa may be of varying degrees, and the gravity of the offence depends on the nature and circumstances of the deed, although all zinaa is haraam, a major sin and an act of immorality. Zinaa with a mahram [i.e., incest] (Allaah forbid) or with a married woman is far worse than zinaa with a woman to whom one is not related or with an unmarried woman, because it involves violating the rights of the husband, contaminating his bed, attributing a child to him that is not his, and other kinds of offence and harm. If her husband is a neighbour, the crime of being a bad neighbour is added to the offence; if her husband is one's brother or relative, the crime of breaking family ties is added. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: He will not enter Paradise whose neighbour is not safe from his evil actions.” (Reported by Muslim, 1/68). There is no evil action worse than zinaa, and if the husband is absent for the sake of Allaah, such as in worship, seeking knowledge or jihaad, then the sin is compounded. Buraydah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The wives of the mujaahideen are as sacred and forbidden to those who stay behind as their own mothers. There is no man of those who stay behind who is entrusted by one of the mujaahideen with the care of his family and then betrays him (by committing zinaa), but he will be detained on the Day of Resurrection, and (the one whom he betrayed) will take as much of his good deeds as he wishes. So what do you think?” (Reported by Muslim, 3515). If the adulterer is married, the sin is greater, and the punishment is stoning, and if he is an old man, the sin is greater and the punishment is as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) mentioned in the hadeeth about the three whom Allaah will neither look at nor praise on the Day of Resurrection, and who will have a painful punishment.” (Saheeh Muslim, 156). If the deed is also committed during a sacred month or in a sacred place or at a time which is special in the sight of Allaah, the sin is compounded.

The fuqaha’ (may Allaah have mercy on them) stated that the basic act of zinaa which carries the punishment is illegal sexual intercourse, whereby the two “circumcised parts” [i.e. genitals] come together and there is penetration of the tip of the penis, because this is actual penetration (which carries the prescribed hadd or punishment).

A person must avoid evil deeds and everything that can lead to them. Allaah has commanded us to avoid the traps of the Shaytaan, because if a man takes one step in that direction, his shaytaan and his own ego (nafs) will keep urging him to do evil until he commits immoral deeds.

One should think about how serious it is to touch a woman to whom one is not related, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) 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? The Muslim qaadi is empowered to stipulate an appropriate punishment for every proven action other than actual intercourse; in the case of intercourse, the punishment set out by Islam is one hundred lashes and a year’s exile for one who is unmarried, and stoning for one who is married. This is the punishment in this world, and the punishment in the Hereafter is far more severe.

One of the important principles which the salaf (may Allaah have mercy on them) pointed out is that the sincere believer who truly hopes for Allaah and thhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gife Hereafter should not look at whether the sin is major or minor, or whether is carries a punishment (hadd) or not. It was reported that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said: “There is no major sin if one asks for forgiveness, and there is no minor sin if one persists in repeating it.” Someone else said: “If you want to disobey Allaah, do not think about the smallness of the sin, think about the greatness of the One Whom you are disobeying.”

With regard to the matter of repentance from zinaa, please refer to the book "I Want to Repent, But...", …”, under the heading Books on this website. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.

Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

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