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:

Dear brother Burhan

Assalaam O Alaikum

One my freinds who had seen some schollars saying that if two people who had pre marital sex cannot bond in the sacred act of marriage.

I. is it true and on what basis

2. Secndly, if one had indeed commited a sin, having sex before marriage but is it not for the best they get narried and be living honorably.

3.If not! isnt it discouraging for people who want to make the wrong they had commited to be right and even Allah forgives the sins which are graver than zinna.

Please explain in the light of quran

your brother in Islam And Humanity

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Answer:

Can one marry adulterer?

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: One my freinds who had seen some schollars saying that if two people who had pre marital sex cannot bond in the sacred act of marriage.

Q-I. is it true and on what basis

There is absolutely nothing in the Quran or the Sunnah which prohibits the two people who have sinned against themselves and committed the evil abomination of ‘zina’ (fornication) to marry each other, if they wish to do so; provided all the conditions of what constitutes a legal marriage are met.

On the contrary, the Quran clearly declares that the sin of ‘zina’ is such an abomination that none should marry one guilty of fornication except the one who is similarly guilty!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 24 Surah Nur verse 3: Let no man guilty of adultery or fornication marry any but a woman similarly guilty or an unbeliever, nor let any but such a man or an unbeliever marry such a woman: to the Believers such a thing is forbidden.

But if one who committed the abomination of ‘zina’ and subsequently turns to Allah seeking sincere forgiveness amending his/her conduct; it is expected that the Lord Most Merciful will forgive them of their past sins and not hold them accountable for their evil deed in the Hereafter.

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."

Thus, if one repents after one has committed the evil abomination of ‘zina’, they will be treated like one who is pure of the sin and it would be legal for them to marry anyone of their choice amongst the believers.

Q-2: Secndly, if one had indeed commited a sin, having sex before marriage but is it not for the best they get narried and be living honorably.

If one has sinned against oneself and committed the evil abomination of ‘zina’ before marriage, they are well within their rights if they choose to marry the one who committed the sin with them; provided of course that all the legal conditions of marriage are met.

Q-3: If not! isnt it discouraging for people who want to make the wrong they had commited to be right and even Allah forgives the sins which are graver than zinna.

Indeed the Lord is so Forgiving and so Merciful, that regardless of whatever sins one might have done in one’s past; if one turns to Allah and seeks sincere forgiveness before one’s appointment of death, and subsequently amends his/her conduct; it is expected that they will find their Lord Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Contrary to the popular but false belief, simply marrying the person with whom one committed the evil abomination of ‘zina’ will not right the wrong; but the act or deed which will obliterate and blot out the sin from one’s book of records is the seeking of sincere repentance and forgiveness from their Lord Most Merciful before they taste their appointment of death! That is the only act which will obliterate their sin.

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."

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