Fatwa ID: 05306

Answered by: Mufti Javed ibn Nazir Kachhalia

Question

Assalamu. Alaikum, I am getting married, but I have some lustful thoughts come in my mind about my mother-in-law will my marriage be legal or not.

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

Answer

Human has inherited angelic qualities or devilish traits, whichever he wishes to nurture and nourish so he will flourish.

We as humans and desires succumbed to temptations. But at the same time, Allah has given us also tools to protect ourselves from those temptations.

Lustful thoughts are part of Shaytan’s plot. If those kinds of thoughts do come to mind unintentionally then this is not a sin, but if they are done intentionally then it’s a sin and we should be seeking pardon and refuge from Allah SWT.

The Quran states, “Satan threatens you with want, and orders you to commit shameful acts, but Allah promises His pardon and Grace, for Allah is bounteous and all-knowing.” (Quran 2:268) When a Muslim indulges in lustful behaviour he or she is forgetting Allah and, instead, following the suggestions of Shaytan.

There are ways to tackle this illness in which we can find the remedy in the Quran and also in the Dua’s of the Prophetﷺ.

Few remedies are:

• Constantly, recite Surah An-Naas and Surah Al-Falaq.
• Constantly recite ‘La hawlawa la quwwataillabillahilalyyilazeem’
• Constantly read ‘Astaghfirullah’

In regards to your question, just by merely having lustful thoughts about your mother in law this does not invalidate your nikah or marriage. But we should be conscious of not having lustful thoughts, as this is from Shaytan and Shaytan wants us to commit severe crimes that will destroy our Deen and Akhirah. May Allah protect us. Ameen

If things do escalate and someone touches her mother in law with lust directly without any veil in between then the nikah with her daughter will be void.

It’s mentioned in ‘Fatawa Hindiyyah’ with the nearest meaning:

“HurmatMusaharat will be through wife’s daughter and wife’s mother… And according to Imam Abu Hanifah touching (mother in law) with lust it’s like having intimacy with her” (Fatawa Hindiyyah Vol 4, Pg 104, Dar Aalimul Kitaab)

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Mufti Javed ibn Nazir Kachhalia

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham