There are letters containing news of repentant men and women during their state of disobedience
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The Shaykh : The one after it?
The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah reward you with good. There are many letters that mention the news of repentant men and women, and so on, and they contain some details regarding the repentant women, such as going out with a man, and so on. Then Allah the Exalted accepted their repentance. Is it recommended that the children and wives be allowed to see these news reports, or should they be hidden from them?
The Shaykh : I see that it is obligatory to hide them. I see that it is not permissible for the one who has repented to disclose that, and it is not permissible for anyone to publish this. Because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:. What benefit do we have in saying: a girl went out with a young man and he did such-and-such to her, then she regretted it and repented?
Does this not cause the matter to be weakened in the hearts of the listeners and readers? I ask you?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : For this reason, we see that this is a very wrong and erroneous independent legal reasoning (ijtihad), and this thing is not permissible. As for what Allah the Exalted mentioned regarding the sin of Adam and its details, and the like of that, Allah the Exalted mentioned it, and He has the right to do what He wills. As for us, we expose the servants of Allah and then we make it obligatory to make this matter light for them. Do you know that when a person first hears this matter—that a woman went out with a person and he did such-and-such to her—he considers it very, very serious, and the hair on his skin stands up. But when it comes into the hands of people and is read, it becomes very light. And does every woman who does this thing have Allah grant her repentance?
Perhaps she does it and does not repent. For this reason, I see that if you see something like this, you should cut out the paper that contains this story, or else erase it completely. And praise be to Allah, if you lose five riyals with the eraser, this will not harm you, if Allah wills.
The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah reward you with good. There are many letters that mention the news of repentant men and women, and so on, and they contain some details regarding the repentant women, such as going out with a man, and so on. Then Allah the Exalted accepted their repentance. Is it recommended that the children and wives be allowed to see these news reports, or should they be hidden from them?
The Shaykh : I see that it is obligatory to hide them. I see that it is not permissible for the one who has repented to disclose that, and it is not permissible for anyone to publish this. Because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
All my Ummah (community) are forgiven except those who are open in their sins. They said: Who are they? He said: The man who sins and then in the morning talks about what he did.
كلّ أمّتي معافى إلاّ المجاهرين، قالوا: من هم؟ قال: الرّجل يذنب فيصبح ويتحدّث بما فعلDoes this not cause the matter to be weakened in the hearts of the listeners and readers? I ask you?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : For this reason, we see that this is a very wrong and erroneous independent legal reasoning (ijtihad), and this thing is not permissible. As for what Allah the Exalted mentioned regarding the sin of Adam and its details, and the like of that, Allah the Exalted mentioned it, and He has the right to do what He wills. As for us, we expose the servants of Allah and then we make it obligatory to make this matter light for them. Do you know that when a person first hears this matter—that a woman went out with a person and he did such-and-such to her—he considers it very, very serious, and the hair on his skin stands up. But when it comes into the hands of people and is read, it becomes very light. And does every woman who does this thing have Allah grant her repentance?
Perhaps she does it and does not repent. For this reason, I see that if you see something like this, you should cut out the paper that contains this story, or else erase it completely. And praise be to Allah, if you lose five riyals with the eraser, this will not harm you, if Allah wills.