How Do I Deal with the Mistake of Sending Someone My Nude Pictures?
Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad
Question
What should one do if one sent nude pictures to a boy when they were in a relationship, but after some time, they broke up? I regret it so much, and I’m so sad about what a big mistake I have made. I cry and make duas to God to forgive us. Did Allah forgive us? And now I am terrified of what will happen if, by chance, the boy sends the pictures to somebody else.
Answer
Thank you for your question. I empathize with your fear regarding your past, but I ask you to trust in Allah Most High, trust in His forgiveness, and not despair.
Good Deeds
Immerse yourself in good deeds, be devout in seeking Islamic knowledge, pray on time, read the Quran, and by the grace of Allah, your past will seem like a distant memory. Look forward, be brave, and continuously supplicate to Allah that you become your best self, in this-worldly affairs and the next. When you feel guilt or shame, simply put your feelings into action and do a good deed. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Have taqwa (fear) of Allah wherever you may be, and follow up an evil deed with a good deed which will wipe it out, and behave well towards the people.” [Tirmidhi]
Tips
I recommend the following steps because it’s always worth a shot.
-Contact him and ask him to delete them
-Send him a message telling him that he must not share them. See those tips here:
Non-Consensual Distribution of an Intimate Image
-Stop stressing about it. You have made your tawba, don’t let this consume you.
-Imagine the worst possible thing that could happen. If he leaks the photos, you may feel like it is the end of the world, but it isn’t. Believe it or not, people actually forget about these things.
-Make the intention never to photograph or record yourself ever again, even when married.
Forgiveness
Anas bin Malik narrated that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Allah, Blessed is He and Most High, said, ‘O son of Adam! Verily as long as you called upon Me and hoped in Me, I forgave you, despite whatever may have occurred from you, and I did not mind. O son of Adam! Were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky, then you sought forgiveness from Me, I would forgive you, and I would not mind. O son of Adam! If you came to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth, and then you met Me not associating anything with Me, I would come to you with forgiveness nearly as great as it.’” [Tirmidhi]
Please see these links as well:
[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 and completed her Master’s 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.
