Remorse over Zina
| Fatwa #2293 | Category: Miscellaneous | Country: United Arab Emirates | Date: 17th March 2026 |
| Fatwa #2293 | Date: 17th March 2026 |
| Category: Miscellaneous | |
| Country: United Arab Emirates | |
Question
I want to know if someone who has committed zina under their desires multiple times with one person but realized that they are committing a big sin and repented to Allah, went for umrah and feel deep regret and remorse for their actions and promised Allah to never go back to that sin no matter what and is not in contact with the person they committed that sin with. It is still permissible for the girl to tell about her past to her future spouse and if the spouse asked to say wallah and she said yes she committed that sin and now the future spouse is threatening to expose her sins to her family is that valid?
She committed that sin 2 years ago and since then she feels ashamed and embarrassed of it and asked sincere repentance from Allah and never went back to that sin and trying to be a better muslim wearing abaya and hijab does that mean she is faking it? And she should stop being religious does her past define her future and what she is now? Also should she get the punishment of 100 lashes mentioned in the hadith?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Almighty Allah says in the Holy Quran,
قُلْ يَاعِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
Translation: O my slaves who have transgressed against themselves (by committing sins), do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah will forgive all sins. Indeed, He is Most Forgiving Most Kind. (Surah Zumar – 53)
Since you have made tawbah over your past, Insha-Allah, forgiveness has been written for you. Furthermore, Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam has taught us not to expose our own sins when Allah Himself has kept them concealed.
Nevertheless, in the enquired situation, it is not permissible for the spouse to threaten exposure of sins to others. What if he himself falls into the same dilemma? See the following hadith.
Once Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasllam ascended the pulpit and announced in a loud voice,
عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: صَعِدَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ المِنْبَرَ فَنَادَى بِصَوْتٍ رَفِيعٍ، فَقَالَ: يَا مَعْشَرَ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ بِلِسَانِهِ وَلَمْ يُفْضِ الإِيمَانُ إِلَى قَلْبِهِ، لَا تُؤْذُوا المُسْلِمِينَ وَلَا تُعَيِّرُوهُمْ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا عَوْرَاتِهِمْ، فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ تَتَبَّعَ عَوْرَةَ أَخِيهِ المُسْلِمِ تَتَبَّعَ اللَّهُ عَوْرَتَهُ، وَمَنْ تَتَبَّعَ اللَّهُ عَوْرَتَهُ يَفْضَحْهُ وَلَوْ فِي جَوْفِ رَحْلِهِ
Translation: “O you who accepted Islam with his tongue, while faith has not reached his heart! Do not harm the Muslims, nor revile them, nor spy on them to expose their secrets/sins. For indeed whoever tries to expose his Muslims brother’s sins, Allah exposes his sins wide open, even if he were in the depth of his house.” (Tirmidhi – 2032)
One of the signs of an accepted repentance is that changes occur in one’s life. You have stated that you have since not gone back to the sin and also began fulfilling the fardh of hijab. This is a sure sign of your true tawbah. Our past does not define us, rather it is what we do now onwards until we meet Allah that will define us. Rasulullah Sallallhu Alaihi Wasallam said,
عَنْ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: كُلُّ ابْنِ آدَمَ خَطَّاءٌ وَخَيْرُ الخَطَّائِينَ التَّوَّابُونَ
Translation: “Every child of Adam is a sinner. And the best of sinners is the repentant one.” (Tirmidhi – 2499)
If Allah himself concealed your sins from the people, then the punishment of this sin would also inadvertently be averted. As it is, application of Islamic punishments are subject to many conditions which are absent here.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Bilal Pandor
Concurred by
Mufti Muhammad Patel
Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah
Lusaka, Zambia