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One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Regarding Adultery what is the Quaranic view about this.

What if a husband comits doing it, then the wife should do? And what if a wife commits the husband should do?

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Answer:

Quranic views about Adultery

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and who-ever 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: Regarding Adultery what is the Quaranic view about this.

Adultery and Fornication are considered amongst the gravest sins in Islam. And the gravity of the sin is personified by the punishment Allah and His Messenger (saws) have determined for this sin. One who commits adultery the punishment is stoning to death, and for one who commits fornication, the punishment is one hundred flogs!

The Quran uses the term ‘zina’ for both fornication and adultery. When a person who is not married and does the sexual act, then the sin is called fornication. When a married person commits the sexual act outside his/her marriage, that sin is termed adultery.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Isra verse 32: Do not even go near ‘zina’ (fornication and/or adultery), for it is a very indecent thing and a very evil way.

Allah says in the above verse, do not even go near adultery and fornication. That is how much ‘zina’ is hated in the eyes of Allah!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 25 Surah Furqan verses 63-76: The true servants of the ‘Rahmaan’ are those:

who walk humbly on the earth, who, when the ignorant people behave insolently towards them, they say, “Peace to you”, who, pass their nights in prostrating themselves and standing before their Lord, who, 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”, who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor miserly, but keep the golden mean between the two extremes, who do not invoke any god but Allah Alone, nor kill a soul , which Allah has forbidden, unjustly, nor commit ‘zina’ (fornication and 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, and have believed and done good righteous deeds. For then, Allah will change his evil deeds into good deeds. He is very Forgiving and Merciful. In fact, the one who repents and does good righteous deeds, returns to Allah as one rightly should. Who do not bear witness to falsehood, Who, if they have ever to pass by what is vain, pass by like dignified people, Who do not behave like the blind and the deaf when the Revelations of their Lord are recited to them for admonition, Who pray, “O our Lord, bless us with wives and children who may be the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders of the righteous people.”

Such are the people who will be rewarded with high palaces for their fortitude, wherein they will be welcomed with due respect, honor and salutations, and wherein they will live forever. What an excellent abode, and what an excellent resting place.

In light of the above verse, one of the characteristics of a true servant of the ‘Rahmaan’ is that he does not commit the sin of ‘zina’.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 24 Surah Noor verses 2-3: The woman and the man guilty of fornication, flog each of them with a hundred stripes, and let not pity for them restrain you in regard to a matter prescribed by Allah, if you indeed believe in Allah and the Last Day. And let a section of the believers witness the punishment inflicted on them.

The Messenger of Allah said, “The punishment for ‘zina’ (adultery) is ‘rajm’ (stoning to death.)”

Your question: What if a husband comits doing it, then the wife should do? And what if a wife commits the husband should do?

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 25 Surah Furqan verses 68-76:(The true servants of the ‘Rahmaan’ are those who do not): commit ‘zina’ (fornication and 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, and have believed and done good righteous deeds. For then, Allah will change his evil deeds into good deeds. He is very Forgiving and Merciful. In fact, the one who repents and does good righteous deeds, returns to Allah as one rightly should.

If the husband or the wife, are overcome by circumstance and emotions, and commit this heinous sin of ‘zina’ (adultery), the first thing they should do is beg sincere forgiveness from Allah. If they ask sincere forgiveness, feel sorry and ashamed and disgusted at committing this crime, and promise Allah that they will never do it again, they shall find Allah Forgiving and Merciful, Insha Allah. Thus the first thing, if one commits this heinous crime, is to beg sincere forgiveness from His Lord.

Likewise, the husband or wife, should always fear Allah, and also forgive the partner and sustain the marriage for the pleasure of Allah.

But if the husband or the wife is a habitual adulterer/adulteress, then obviously he/she does not fear Allah’s punishment and is a criminal in the eyes of Allah and Islamic Law. For these habitual cases, the partner should obtain a divorce and separate from the sinner, for it does not behove a believing man and a believing woman to live with one who habitually commits this heinous crime!

And Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the only Source of Strength.

May Allah guide you and us all to the Siraat al-Mustaqeem

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 and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan