A young man committed fornication with a virgin, then repented. What should he do? Should he inform her family? He cannot marry her due to tribal differences.
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The questioner : May Allah preserve you, Shaykh. This is a question from a young man who asks: He used to commit sins, but he repented to Allah, the Exalted. However, there is one sin that still torments his conscience, which is that he committed zina (unlawful sexual intercourse) with a virgin. What should he do now, Shaykh? Should he approach her family, knowing that he is unable to marry her? He is still struggling with himself and living a psychologically disturbed life over this matter. What is your opinion on this?
The Shaykh : We see that if a person repents from any sin, then Allah will accept his repentance, because Allah mentioned the roots of the great, major sins in His saying, the Exalted:[Al-Furqan 25:68] And this shirk (associating partners with Allah) is [Al-Furqan 25:68] an aggression against Allah, against souls, and against honor. He said: [Al-Furqan 25:68-70] So it is obligatory for a person, if he repents with sincere repentance in which the five known conditions are completed, namely: regret, ceasing the sin, resolving not to return to it in the future, sincerity, which is the foundation, and that the repentance be before the time has passed. If these five conditions are completed in his case, it is sincere repentance, by which Allah erases all that has preceded of his sins, even zina (unlawful sexual intercourse).
As for the woman with whom he committed zina, if it was with her consent, she is not to be asked about it herself. If it was by coercion, he must repent to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, from this coercion. If he is able to make her lawful to him by marrying her, let him do so. If he is not able, let him seek forgiveness for her abundantly. Allah, the Exalted and Exalted, is the Forgiver, the Merciful.
As for the fact that her virginity was taken away by this zina, and that she will be in great distress, because if she proposes marriage claiming to be a virgin, there will be a problem. If she says that her virginity is gone, there will be many question marks raised about her. If she remains silent, there is an element of deception in this regarding the husband who marries her. But I hope that Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, if his repentance is sincere, and if the woman also, if she was consenting and her repentance is sincere, will make for her a way out and an exit.
And as for your statement in the question that it is not possible for him to marry her, I do not know why you said: it is not possible? Is he poor?
The questioner : The reasons why it is not possible for him to marry her are: the first is the difference in tribe. The second is the father's refusal of marriage to this family.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : The father is insistent on the refusal, and also the relationship of the family to the tribe differs from their tribe in terms of lineage.
The Shaykh : In any case, if it becomes easy for him to marry her, that is what is required. If it does not become easy, Allah will make for her a way out and an exit, as long as her repentance is sincere, because Allah, the Exalted, said:[At-Talaq 65:2] And this is general.
The Shaykh : We see that if a person repents from any sin, then Allah will accept his repentance, because Allah mentioned the roots of the great, major sins in His saying, the Exalted:
And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity
وَالَّذِينَ لا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهاً آخَرَor kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed], except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse
وَلا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ وَلا يَزْنُونَAnd whoever should do that will meet a penalty. (69) Multiplied for him is the punishment on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein humiliated - (70) Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good.
وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَاماً * يُضَاعَفْ لَهُ الْعَذَابُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَيَخْلُدْ فِيهِ مُهَاناً * إِلَّا مَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلاً صَالِحاً فَأُولَئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍAs for the woman with whom he committed zina, if it was with her consent, she is not to be asked about it herself. If it was by coercion, he must repent to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, from this coercion. If he is able to make her lawful to him by marrying her, let him do so. If he is not able, let him seek forgiveness for her abundantly. Allah, the Exalted and Exalted, is the Forgiver, the Merciful.
As for the fact that her virginity was taken away by this zina, and that she will be in great distress, because if she proposes marriage claiming to be a virgin, there will be a problem. If she says that her virginity is gone, there will be many question marks raised about her. If she remains silent, there is an element of deception in this regarding the husband who marries her. But I hope that Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, if his repentance is sincere, and if the woman also, if she was consenting and her repentance is sincere, will make for her a way out and an exit.
And as for your statement in the question that it is not possible for him to marry her, I do not know why you said: it is not possible? Is he poor?
The questioner : The reasons why it is not possible for him to marry her are: the first is the difference in tribe. The second is the father's refusal of marriage to this family.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : The father is insistent on the refusal, and also the relationship of the family to the tribe differs from their tribe in terms of lineage.
The Shaykh : In any case, if it becomes easy for him to marry her, that is what is required. If it does not become easy, Allah will make for her a way out and an exit, as long as her repentance is sincere, because Allah, the Exalted, said: