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Is it halal to make an marriage commitment between me and the girl (who is christian) to avoid the 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:

Asalam Alikum brother, I have a question, what is more haram, drinking alcohol or having sex without marriage? I have done both and inshallah I am trying to stop both. but every once in a while I seem to slip. How can I do taouba from these actions? and is it halal to make an marriage commitment between me and the girl (who is christian) to avoid the zina? Your answers will be appreciated 

 

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Answer:

 

Zina or Alcohol?

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 no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Your question: I have a question, what is more haram, drinking alcohol or having sex without marriage?

Beloved brother, zina’ and the consumption of intoxicants are both declared haraam by Allah and His Messenger (saws); and when something is declared haraam in Islam, there is no such thing as one being ‘more’ haraam than the other!

 

It would be more appropriate to ask which one is considered a bigger sin in Islam! The way to determine which is a bigger sin in the sight of Allah Subhanah, one has to see what are the punishments prescribed for each, and refer to the commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws) to see which sin is considered bigger. The harsher the punishment, the bigger the sin; the stronger and more emphasized the sin in the words of Allah and His Messenger (saws), the bigger the sin!

 

For example, the single biggest sin in the sight of Allah is considered the heinous crime of ‘shirk’ or associating, invoking, or worshipping others with Allah Subhanah! There is no bigger sin in the sight of Allah Subhanah than this one sin! Why??? Because Allah Subhanah has clearly declared in the Holy Quran that on the Day of Judgment, He may, if He so Pleases, forgive all sins, except this one sin of ‘shirk’! And He has declared that for people who die in the state of shirk, He has made Paradiseharaam’ for them! And He has also declared that whatever good deeds one might have done, if one dies in the state of shirk, all his good deeds will hold no weight on the Day of Judgment! No other sin has been declared as unforgivable, and no other sin carries the Judgment that Paradise is ‘haraam’ for the people who commit it….therefore, ‘shirk’ is considered the single biggest sin and crime in the sight of Allah Subhanah!

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 72:Whoever commits ‘shirk’ (invoking anything with Allah), Allah shall forbid for him Paradise, and Hell shall be his abode. And for such wrong doers there will be no one to help.

 

Allah says in the Quran: Chapter 4 Surah An-Nisa Verse 48:Shirk (associating other deities with Allah) is the only sin that Allah does not forgive, and He forgives, whomsoever He pleases, sins other than this. For whosoever associates any other partner with Allah, does indeed forge a big lie and commits the most heinous sin

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumar verse 65-66:If you commit ‘shirk’ all your works will be rendered vain and you will be among the losers. Therefore, you should worship Allah Alone, and be among His grateful servants.

 

Ref: the sin and punishment of Zina.

 

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!

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 24 Surah Noor verse 2:The woman and the man guilty of ‘zina’ (fornication), flog each one of them with a hundred stripes, and let not pity for them restrain you in regard to a matter prescribed by Allah; if indeed you believe in Allah and the Last Day! And let a section of the believers witness the punishment inflicted on them.

Sahih Muslim Hadith 4207 Narrated by Imran ibn Husayn

A woman from Juhaynah came to the Messenger of Allah (saws) and she had become pregnant because of adultery. She said: ‘O Messenger of Allah (saws), I have done something for which (prescribed punishment) must be imposed upon me, so impose that.’ The Prophet (saws) called her master and said: ‘Treat her well, and when she gives birth bring her to me.’ He did accordingly. Then the Prophet (saws) pronounced judgment on her. Her clothes were tied around her and then he (saws) gave the order and she was stoned to death. He then prayed over her (dead body). Thereupon Umar said to him: ‘Allah's Apostle, you offer prayer for her although she had committed adultery!’ Thereupon he (saws) said: ‘She has made such a repentance that if it were to be divided among seventy men of Medina, it would be enough. Have you found any repentance better than that she sacrificed her life for Allah, the Majestic?’

 

Thus, in light of the Quran and Sunnah the punishment for zina (fornication and adultery) is as follows:

Fornication: Flog both the guilty man and the woman with a hundred stripes in public.

Adultery: Stone both, the guilty man and the woman to death!

 

Ref: the punishment for consuming intoxicants.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verses 90-91:O you who have believed! Khamr’ (all types of intoxicants), games of chance, idols, and divining arrows are all abominable works of Shaitaan; therefore, stay (far) away from these so that you may attain success. Indeed, Shaitaan seeks to sow enmity and hatred among you by means of ‘khamr’ (intoxicants) and gambling, and to prevent you from the Remembrance of Allah and from Salaah. Will you not, then, abstain from these things?

 

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4470 Narrated by Qabisah ibn Dhuwayb

The Prophet (saws) said: “If anyone drinks wine, flog him; if he repeats it, flog him, and if he repeats it, flog him. If he does it again a fourth time, kill him.” A man who had drunk wine was brought (to him (saws)) and he (saws) gave him lashes. He was again brought to him, and he (saws) flogged him. He was again brought to him and he (saws) flogged him. He was again brought to him and he (saws) flogged him. The punishment of killing (for drinking) was repealed, and a concession was allowed.

 

Al-Muwatta Hadith 42.2

Yahya related to me from Malik from Thawr ibn Zayd ad-Dili that Umar ibn al-Khattab asked advice about a man drinking wine. Ali ibn Abi Talib said to him, "We think that you flog him for it with eighty lashes. Because when he drinks, he becomes intoxicated, and when he becomes intoxicated, he talks confusedly, and when he talks confusedly, he lies." (80 lashes is the same amount as for slandering) Umar gave eighty lashes for drinking wine.

 

In light of the Sunnah, the punishment for consuming intoxicants is 80 lashes in public.

 

Thus, if one compares the sin and punishment of zina (fornication and adultery) and the consumption of alcohol; the sin of zina is definitely bigger in the sight of Allah!

 

Your question: I have done both and inshallah I am trying to stop both. but every once in a while I seem to slip. How can I do taouba from these actions?

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said in an authentic narration: “All of you are sinners, and the best sinner (in the sight of Allah) is he who constantly seeks forgiveness (from Allah Subhanah).”

 

Beloved brother, no matter what you have done, the doors of Allah Subhanah are open for accepting Taubah and Repentance until one approaches his appointment of death, when that door is closed shut! It is our humble and sincere request that you turn to the Merciful Lord, and sincerely implore Him to forgive you your short-comings; you will find the Generous Lord Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful, Insha Allah.

 

Brother, we have written an answer on how to seek Taubah from the Merciful Lord, and are attaching that answer for your reference.

 

Your question: and is it halal to make an marriage commitment between me and the girl (who is christian) to avoid the zina?

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 5:Likewise you are permitted to marry believing chaste women, and chaste women from among the people of the Book (Jews and Christians), provided that you give them their due ‘mahr’ and desire chastity, not lewdness, nor sected intrigues.

 

Beloved brother, Allah Subhanah has made it permissible for the believers to marry only the ‘chaste’ woman from among the Jews and the Christians. The first thing you should do is turn to the Merciful Lord and seek His Forgiveness for the evil act of ‘zina’, and make a solemn covenant with Him that you will not repeat it again. Then you must try to invite the Christian girl to also seek forgiveness from the Merciful and try to invite her to Islam, as that will be purer and better for you and her. If she, of her own free will, accepts Islam; all her previous sins will be forgiven. If you then marry her, not only will you save yourself from ‘zina’; you will, Insha Allah, receive a huge reward from Allah Subhanah for inviting her to Islam.

 

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

 

Your Brother in Islam,

 

 

Burhan

 


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