Fatwa ID: 04983

Answered by: Maulana Muqtaur Rahman

Question

Salam. Another question about infidelity and ‘cheating’. A married woman committed Zina. She made tawbah and feels terrible about it. Her question is whether she should/has to tell her husband about it or not.

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

Answer:

Zina is one of the major sins in Islam. In the Holy Quran Allah has said:

“And do not go near to Zina. It is shamelessness and is an evil way.”[1]

It is also narrated by Abu Hurairah: that the Messenger of Allah said: “The adulterer is not a believer while he is committing adultery, and the thief is not a believer while he is stealing, but there is a chance for repentance; (if he repents, Allah will accept the repentance).”[2]

Therefore, one should abstain from such actions and repent for one’s actions.

In regard to your query, it is not a condition for the repentance to be accepted that you should inform your spouse of the sin that has been committed.

Only Allah knows best

Written by Maulana Muqtaur Rahman

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

[1] Surah Al’Israa, Ayah 32

[2] Tirmidhi, Hadith No.2625