Should One Apologize to Another for Their Sexual Thoughts about Them?

Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question

I know someone who imagined two YouTubers of the opposite gender naked in a room together, and they repented but is unsure if he must apologize to them. They are scared to apologize to them because they fear that they will get reported.

Answer

Thank you for your question. May Allah reward you for being concerned about your friend, and may you always be his sincere advisor and friend.

Repentance

Repentance in this case is sufficient and he doesn’t need to inform them about his thoughts; in fact, informing them would just make things worse. Tell your friend to get in the habit of pushing these thoughts away and to bless the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) or make dhikr when the thoughts come. This way, when the wrong thoughts come, one will be fighting them off with the remembrance of God, and this habit will last his whole life, in sha’ Allah.

Please see these details on how to repent correctly and not repeat the mistake:
A Reader on Tawba (Repentance)
What Are the Conditions of Making Tawba?
Is Repentance Always Accepted?

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 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.