Fatwa ID: 07947

Answered by Alimah Maryam Badshah

Question:

If someone used to be in a sinful relationship with a disbelieving woman and compliments her in a praising manner such as “you are an angel” or “you are the most beautiful person in the world” or “you’re the best person in the world”, etc., how do they repent from it, and are they held responsible for the thoughts the disbelieving woman will have of herself such as her thinking “I am an angel” & so on? If so how should one go about it? 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

Allah (swt) says: “Do not go near Zina, indeed it is an immorality and an evil way.” Surah Al-Isra’ (17:32)

Before contemplating whether or not you are responsible for the thoughts of others, you should first sincerely repent for having committed such a deplorable major sin as fornication (Zina). Major sins are only forgiven through sincere repentance or an accepted Ḥajj. A sincere repentance is to ask Allah (swt) for forgiveness, thereafter leaving the sin entirely and be sincere in both respects. Therefore, regardless of what had been said in the past, you should close all avenues of contact and ensure that you do not associate with this person again out of fear of repeating the sin. Instead seek forgiveness from Allah and repent from the entire situation.

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Alimah Maryam Badshah

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

References:

﴿ وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا الزِّنَىٰ ۖ إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَاحِشَةً وَسَاءَ سَبِيلًا ۝﴾

Qur’an (17:32)

ثُمَّ اعْلَمْ أَنَّ تَجْوِيزَهُمْ تَكْفِيرَ الْكَبَائِرِ بِالْهِجْرَةِ وَالْحَجِّ مُنَافٍ لِنَقْلِ عِيَاضٍ الْإِجْمَاعَ عَلَى أَنَّهُ لَا يُكَفِّرُهَا إلَّا التَّوْبَةُ وَلَا سِيَّمَا عَلَى الْقَوْلِ بِتَكْفِيرِ الْمَظَالِمِ أَيْضًا، بَلْ الْقَوْلُ بِتَكْفِيرِ إثْمِ الْمَطْلِ وَتَأْخِيرِ الصَّلَاةِ يُنَافِيهِ لِأَنَّهُ كَبِيرَةٌ وَقَدْ كَفَّرَهَا الْحَجُّ بِلَا تَوْبَةٍ.

Raddul Muhtār (Vol.2, pg.624, Dār Al-Fiqr)

Ma’āriful-Qur’ān (4:31) (Vol.2, pg.405-408, Maktaba-e-Darul-’Uloom, Karachi)