Fatwa ID: 08673

Written by Maulana Mohammed Aabu Saeed Miah

Question:

I live abroad and have a friend here who has committed zina a few years ago, but has repented since. He is now trying to get engaged and married soon In Sha Allah, does he have to tell his wife to be that he has committed zina and be open about his past with her? Or is it better that he keeps his sins to himself and lives with the guilt? And is there any proof from the Qur’aan or hadith for this ruling?

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

Answer:

It is from the mercy of Allah Ta’ala that he conceals the sins of a believer. He saves the honour of his slave through doing so. It is necessary (wajib) upon a muslim to hide their sins as exposing one’s sins is a public display of disobedience. This is very bad. The significance can be understood through the comparison with disobedience of parents. The difference in severity is much more when a child disrespects their parent in seclusion compared to disobedience in public.

Please see the hadeeth below for the prophetic guidance on concealing sins.

Narrated Abu Huraira: I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) saying. “All the sins of my followers will be forgiven except those of the Mujahirin (those who commit a sin openly or disclose their sins to the people). An example of such disclosure is that a person commits a sin at night and though Allah screens it from the public, then he comes in the morning, and says, ‘O so-and-so, I did such-and-such (evil) deed yesterday,’ though he spent his night screened by his Lord (none knowing about his sin) and in the morning he removes Allah’s screen from himself.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 6069)

Regarding being open with one’s partner, it depends on the case. If one’s partner expects to be told any such information, then its is their right to be informed. This right must be fulfilled. If there is no expectation and no benefit in sharing this information, then it necessary to keep it concealed and to protect one’s God given honour.

References:

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَخِي ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ سَالِمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ “‏ كُلُّ أُمَّتِي مُعَافًى إِلاَّ الْمُجَاهِرِينَ، وَإِنَّ مِنَ الْمَجَانَةِ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ الرَّجُلُ بِاللَّيْلِ عَمَلاً، ثُمَّ يُصْبِحَ وَقَدْ سَتَرَهُ اللَّهُ، فَيَقُولَ يَا فُلاَنُ عَمِلْتُ الْبَارِحَةَ كَذَا وَكَذَا، وَقَدْ بَاتَ يَسْتُرُهُ رَبُّهُ وَيُصْبِحُ يَكْشِفُ سِتْرَ اللَّهِ عَنْهُ ‏”‏‏.

Sahih al-Bukhari 6069‏

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Maulana Mohammed Aabu Saeed Miah

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham