Does Prospective Spouse Have a Right to Know Past Fornication of Other for Medical Purpose?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

Many have asked about revealing sins, specifically fornication to a prospective spouse. You have responded that it is haram to reveal such sins. However, I feel that this answer neglects a very important fact. Namely, STDs, such as HPV, which 8/10 sexually active people have, can be asymptomatic. Doesn’t the prospective spouse have a right to know whether they will be exposing themselves to an STD, which the other person may not know they have?

It’s important to note that there are no tests for men (if they are asymptomatic), and for women, there are only tests for high-risk types of HPV (the types that cause cancer) but not the low-risk types (the types that cause genital warts. Is this a sharia-countenanced reason?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question and for seeking guidance.

The general principle is that one does not reveal the details of past sins. However, you have raised a good question and consideration. If any potential boy or girl believes that their past behavior may have exposed them to any infectious diseases, then they owe it to themselves and their prospective spouse to get tested and to be honest about the results of those tests and treat themselves before they get married.

Keeping Others Safe

Abdullah ibn ‘Amr and Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah (Allah be pleased with both of them) reported that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “The true Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe, and the emigrant (Muhajir) is the one who abandons what Allah has forbidden.” [Bukhari; Muslim]

Other than health considerations, however, it is best not to dwell on the past and instead focus on a brighter future, in sha’Allah.

I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. You will receive guidance and direction in sha’ Allah.

Related: A Guide to Marriage: SeekersGuidance Reader – SeekersGuidance

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I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for several years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to children and adults onsite and online extensively in the UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His interest is a love of books and gardening.