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 Jan,

I first of all sincerely want to thank you from my heart for replying to my previous question, it made me feel so much better and I have repented to Allah and I hope Allah accepts this from me and forgives me for my past deeds.

Dear Brother Jan I am so sorry I keep bothering you but I have one more question and I have searched online a lot and have not been able to get answers for this.

I read this statement in the Holy Quran

"The adulterer/fornicator does not marry except an the adulteress/fornicatress or a sharer/taker of partners (with God), and the adulteress/fornicatress , none marries her except an adulterer/fornicator or sharer/taker of partners (with God), and that (was) forbidden on the believers."

My question is, because I have been a fornicator and an adultress in my past, does this mean I will have to marry a fornicator? Or will Allah automatically give me a husband who has been a fornicator? Can you please explain me the depth of this statement from Quran dear Brother Jan?

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do reply to me, I need you to help me please.

Much love and prayers for you and your family.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Must zani always 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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 24 Surah Nur verses 2-5:

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.

3 Let no man guilty of ‘zina’ 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.

4 And those who launch a charge against chaste women and produce not four witnesses (to support their allegation) flog them with eighty stripes: and reject their evidence ever after: for such men are wicked transgressors

5 Unless they repent thereafter and mend (their conduct): for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Respected sister, it is not as if one (man or woman) guilty of the crime of ‘zina’ can only be legally married to one who is likewise guilty of the same heinous crime; nor does this Aayah make it legal for a believer (man or woman) guilty of of ‘zina’ to marry a disbeliever!

But rather, such is the monstrosity of the heinous crime of ‘zina’ in the Sight of the Lord Most Majestic, that He Declares it absolutely forbidden for a believer (man or woman) who sincerely fears Allah and the Last Day to seek to marry one who is known to be a committer of such a heinous and immoral crime!

It is neither permissible nor lawful in Islam for a believer to knowingly seek in marriage an immoral and impious woman who has been convicted or has confessed to committing the heinous crime of ‘zina’; nor is it permissible for a believing woman to knowingly agree to marry an immoral and impious man who has been convicted or has confessed committing ‘zina’, unless of course the person guilty of ‘zina’ repents and amends his/her conduct, for Allah is indeed 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."

The prohibition to marry is only for those adulterous men and women who do not repent for their abomination of ‘zina’, nor amend their conduct; but wish to continue their immoral activities without fear of Allah and the Last Day; it is to such manifest transgressors and evildoers that Islam has absolutely forbidden the believers to seek in marriage.

Your Question: ….My question is, because I have been a fornicator and an adultress in my past, does this mean I will have to marry a fornicator?

Respected sister in Islam, regardless of the quality or the quantity of the evil deeds one might have done in one’s past…..if one sincerely turns in ‘taubah’ unto their Lord Most Gracious, seeks sincere forgiveness, and thereafter amends their conduct……it is expected that their Lord Most Merciful will accept their repentance and cleanse them of all their sins.

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!

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2338 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "Allah accepts a servant's repentance (taubah) till he gives up his spirit in death."

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2339 Narrated by Abu Sa'id

Allah's Messenger (saws) said that the Shaytaan said, "By Thy Might, my Lord, I shall continue to lead Thy servants astray as long as their spirits are in their bodies!" The Lord, Who is Great and Glorious, replied, "By My Might, Glory and Exalted Station, I shall continue to pardon them as long as they ask My forgiveness!"

Respected sister, if you have sought sincere repentance from your Lord Most Merciful for your past deeds, rest absolutely assured that your Lord Most Gracious will accept your sincere repentance and completely cleanse your ‘Book of Records’ of each and every one of your evil deeds and shortcomings.

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!

Your Question: …..does this mean I will have to marry a fornicator?

Absolutely not!!!

If you have indeed sincerely sought repentance for your past sins and have strived to amend your conduct, it would be your duty now to seek to marry the most pious, righteous, and God-fearing believer you can find on the face of this earth……one who would not only love, and respect, and cherish your companionship in the life of this world, but who, together with you, would strive to attain the highest rank of Paradise in the Hereafter.

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