What should a person who commits fornication do in order to be saved from this sin?

Dear Brother / Sister,

Fornication (adultery) is considered haram and a very ugly act in Islam and all previous religions. It is one of the major sins. Since it is an offense against honor and progeny, its punishment is the harshest of the hadd punishments.

The following is stated in the Quran:

“Nor come nigh to adultery: for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil, opening the road (to other evils).” (al-Isra, 17/32).

“Those who invoke not, with Allah, any other god, nor slay such life as Allah has made sacred except for just cause, nor commit fornication; - and any that does this (not only) meets punishment.” (al-Furqan, 25/68).

The punishment for the fornication of a single man or a single woman is a hundred lashes, and the punishment for adultery of a married man or woman who is chaste is being stoned to death (rajm). Allah Almighty states the following:

“The woman and the man guilty of adultery or fornication,- flog each of them with a hundred stripes: Let not compassion move you in their case, in a matter prescribed by Allah, if ye believe in Allah and the Last Day: and let a party of the Believers witness their punishment.” (an-Nur, 24/2)

Jalda means striking in such a way to affect only the skin and not the flesh. Only thick clothes, such as furs and coats, are removed during the beating, not others.

Once, the Prophet (pbuh) was with his Companions. A young man came out and said very disrespectfully:

“O Messenger of Allah! I want to be friends with such and such a woman; I want to commit fornication with her.”

The Companions were outraged. Some of them got furious and wanted to beat the young man and remove him from the presence of the Messenger of Allah. Some of them shouted because the young man had spoken very impudently. Our beloved Prophet (pbuh) said, “Let that youth go!” The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) called the youth and made him sit next to him. He made him sit in such a way that his knees touched his own blessed knee and said:

“O young man! Do you want someone to do this bad deed with your mother? Would you like this ugly act?”  

The youth replied angrily:

“No. O Messenger of Allah.”

The Messenger of Allah said:

“Then the children of the person with whom you will do that ugly act will not like it either.” Then, he asked, “Do you want someone to do this bad deed with your sister?” The young man said, furiously:

“No. Never.”

The Prophet (pbuh) said:

“So, nobody wants it.”

Then, the Prophet (pbuh) placed his blessed hand on the chest of this young man and prayed as follows:

“O Allah! Make the heart of this young man pure. Preserve his honor and dignity and forgive his sins.”

The youth left the presence of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). It is reported that he never sinned again and he lived without such an evil thought even coming to his mind! (Musnad, V. 257)

One of the main moral virtues is chastity. Honor and dignity, respect and reputation are qualities that are absolutely dependent on having chastity. It is a moral duty for us to abstain from illegitimate pleasures and not to follow the lustful and animal desires of the ego.

Chastity is the most honorable of characters and one of the highest of qualities. It signifies the sublimity of belief, the dignity of the soul, and honor, which inspires dignity.

Chastity does not mean depriving the soul of its legitimate desires, such as eating, drinking and sexual intercourse. What is meant by it is to take the middle way in these activities and to act in a balanced manner because extremes and laxity are harmful for human beings everywhere. They lead man to unhappiness and restlessness. For example, extremism related to the stomach and sexual passions invites great dangers and fatal harm. Excess in this regard is called gluttony and licentiousness. Abstention is also as dangerous as excess. It leads to deprivation of the pleasures of life and legitimate delights. It causes the body to collapse and lose its strength and spirituality.

In verse 5 of the chapter of al-Mu’minun and verse 29 of the chapter of al-Ma’arij, one of the characteristics of believers is described as “preserving their chastity”. In verse 35 of the chapter of al-Ahzab, “preserving their chastity” is listed among the qualities that gain the believing men and women Allah’s forgiveness and rewards. In verses 30 and 31 of the chapter of an-Nr, God Almighty addresses the believing men and women respectively, commanding them to keep their eyes away from the haram and to protect their chastity.

In addition, the Prophet Yusuf (Joseph), the model of chastity is presented as an example. His struggle to protect his chastity is described between verses 23 and 33 of the chapter of Yusuf. The chaste behavior of the daughters of the Prophet Shu’ayb and the chastity of the Prophet Musa (Moses) are mentioned between verses 23 and 26 of the chapter of al-Qasas.

Chastity is a characteristic that protects a person from all kinds of disgrace. It protects a person from all kinds of harm. The Messenger of Allah addresses men as follows:

“Be chaste and honorable so that your women will be chaste and honorable.” (Faydul-Qadir, 4/318; Mundhiri, at-Targhib wat-Tarhib, 3/493)

“Treat the wives of others with chastity so that your wives will be chaste and honorable.” (Faydul-Qadir, 3/317, 492; Hakim, Mustadrak, 4/154)

“Be chaste, that is, abstain from immoral acts so that your women will also abstain from those evil acts.” (Hadimi, Bariqa, 5/42)

To sum up, for the protection of chastity, we should try to have small achievements against our carnal and bodily desires and feelings every day. One should be the master of his soul, not a slave of it. (Ahmed Hamdi Akseki, Ahlak İlmi ve İslam Ahlakı, 179-180)

Hoping that we will be granted what the Prophet Muhammad wants with the following prayer:

“O Allah! I ask You for guidance, piety, chastity and richness (of heart).” (Muslim, Dhikr 72; Tirmidhi, Da’awat 72; Ibn Majah, Dua 2

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