Will the Consequences of Fornication Affect One Who Has Repented?

Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question

Do the six consequences of pre-marital sex only apply if it is done in public with witnesses who saw it happen or do they also apply if done in private? If the fornicator repents, will the six consequences be removed? In a time when the temptation of fornicating is high and easily accessible how do we find the strength to wait for marriage?

Answer

Thank you for your question. I am not aware of the six consequences that you speak of but rest assured that the repentance from any sin is beloved to Allah and that He is the Most-Forgiving, the Most-Merciful.

Ill Effects

You might be speaking about the capital punishment that is due to a Muslim who is proved to have fornicated with witnesses present. This law is not applied in the West, due to the lack of a Muslim caliphate or government, and in that case, a fornicator simply repents.

See the details here:
Can you provide me with some details concerning the punishment for committing adultery? Is it necessary to have a punishment for the sin to be forgiven?

Strength

The only, and sufficient, motivation that I can give you to stay away from fornication is the following:

Allah Most High says, “Approach not fornication, it is surely an indecency and evil as a way.” [Quran, 17:32]

And the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), said, “Whoever fornicates or drinks wine. Allah takes his faith from him as a man takes a shirt off over his head.” [Hakim]

Draw strength from the fact that fornication is an enormity that deserves punishment, and it is sufficiently wicked to treat another woman with such objectification and disrespect. Alhamdulillah, you certainly do have enough faith to hate fornication or you would not have asked about how to stay away from it.

Steps to Follow

Please try these steps:

-Pray on time daily and read some Qur’an daily with the meaning
-Lower your gaze from women and don’t engage in friendships with them unless you have to, and definitely don’t be alone with one
-Eliminate screen time, at the very least, indecent shows and music videos
-Busy yourself with charitable works, study, and worship
-Reduce red meat in your diet if you find your lusts are hard to control
-Fast more often to weaken your senses
-Surround yourself with pious people who guard their modesty
-Spend more time in the mosque, especially for obligatory prayers

These answers should also motivate you to shun fornication, please see them fully:
Why Are Sexual Relations Prohibited Before Marriage?
Is It Right to Have Sex With Someone You Love Before Marriage?
Repentance from Fornication

May Allah give you the best of this world and the next.

[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria for two years where she studied aqidah, fiqh, tajweed, tafsir, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her Masters in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She later moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.