Does Allah Forgive Zina? Find Out Here!

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Does Allah Forgive Zina? ~ Hi, dear readers! In this article, I will address a common question about Zina: "Does Allah forgive Zina?" As Muslims, it’s essential for us to understand this topic, which is why I wrote this article. Be sure to read it until the end!

I will highlight some important aspects of "Does Allah forgive Zina?". Some important aspects I will discuss include the following:

Why Does Zina Need Forgiveness?

A crucial aspect of "Does Allah forgive Zina?" is understanding why Zina needs forgiveness. It's important for you to grasp this concept before delving deeper into the discussion. My goal is for you to have a comprehensive understanding of the topic.

There are many reasons why Zina needs forgiveness, but I will focus on a few key points.

Reasons Why Zina Needs Forgiveness

Now, I will explain three significant reasons why Zina requires forgiveness:

Zina Is One of the Major Sins

As Muslims, we understand that Zina is a major sin. There are numerous explanations for this, which I have discussed in previous articles. Therefore, I won’t elaborate further here.

The Consequences of Zina Are Severe

Zina leads to devastating consequences, including:

1. Zina diminishes one’s faith.
2. Zina removes piety (wara').
3. Zina destroys honor and self-respect.
4. Zina reduces jealousy.
5. Those who commit Zina incur the wrath of Allah Ta’ala.
6. Zina darkens the face and soul.
7. Zina clouds the heart, stripping it of light.
8. Zina often leads to poverty.
9. Zina strips the perpetrator of their dignity before God and people.
10. Zina removes admirable qualities like trustworthiness, replacing them with labels such as traitor and immoral.
11. The sinner risks eternal punishment in Hell, as described by Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
12. Zina tarnishes one’s reputation, branding them as "al-khabits."
13. Zina can lead to disobedience towards parents, breaking family ties, and other immoral behaviors.
14. Zina is often accompanied by other vices like drunkenness and lying.
15. Those who commit Zina must face punishment.
16. Zina undermines lineage.
17. Zina can lead to the spread of dangerous diseases.
18. Zina opens doors for families to fall into similar sins.
19. Zina destroys a person's honor and dignity.
20. Zina causes the loss of the rewards for good deeds, leading to bankruptcy on the Day of Resurrection. On Judgment Day, the sinner will face those harmed by their actions.

Sinful Muslims Must Repent to Allah

The third important reason why Zina needs forgiveness is that Muslims who have committed Zina must repent. We can find explanations for this in the following verses of the Quran and hadith:

Quran About the Obligation to Repent from Zina

Some of the Quranic verses regarding the obligation to repent from Zina are as follows:

ٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلۡعِقَابِ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٞ رَّحِيمٞ

Know that Allah is severe in requiting (evil) and that Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

ثُمَّ أَفِيضُواْ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ أَفَاضَ ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرُواْ ٱللَّهَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٞ رَّحِيمٞ

Then hasten on from the place from which the people hasten on and ask the forgiveness of Allah; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا

So, I said to them, "Ask your Lord for forgiveness (reading Istighfar), verily He is the Most Forgiving." (Noah, 10)

Hadith About the Obligation to Repent from Zina

One relevant hadith regarding the obligation to repent from Zina is as follows:

رَوَى الْبَيْهَقِيُّ وَالْأَصْبَهَانِيُّ وَابْنُ أَبِيْ الدُّنْيَا عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ وَلَا أُمَّةٍ اِسْتَغْفَرَ اللهَ فِيْ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ سَبْعِيْنَ مَرَّةً لَمْ يُكْتَبْ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِيْنَ , وَمَنْ اِسْتَغْفَرَ اللهَ فِيْ كُلِّ اللَّيْلَةِ سَبْعِيْنَ مَرَّةً لَمْ يُكْتَبْ مِنَ الْغَافِلِيْنَ

Al-Baihaqi, al-Ashbahani, and Ibn Abi ad-Dunya narrated from Anas that the Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad) sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, "There is no servant who asks forgiveness from Allah (reciting Istighfar) every day up to seventy times, unless he will not be recorded as a liar. And whoever asks forgiveness from Allah every night up to seventy times will not be recorded as someone who forgot."

Is Zina forgiven by Allah?

Now, I will explain the focus of the discussion in this article: Is Zina forgiven by Allah? Or does Allah forgive Zina?

If we explore Islamic literature about sins and the forgiveness of sins, we will find that Allah forgives all kinds of sins except for the sin of shirk. Therefore, we can conclude that Allah forgives Zina if the person who committed it sincerely repents.

There are several reasons why Allah would forgive Zina. I will explain some important reasons in the following paragraphs.

The Reasons Why Zina is Forgiven by Allah

There are many reasons why Zina will be forgiven by Allah if the person who committed it repents. However, two of the most important reasons are found in the Quran and hadith, which explain that if sinners (including those who commit Zina) repent to Allah, He will forgive them.

Let’s consider some explanations about forgiveness for Zina below!

Quran About Forgiveness for Zina

Regarding the Quran and forgiveness for Zina, the relevant verses are as follows:

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَغۡفِرُ أَن يُشۡرَكَ بِهِۦ وَيَغۡفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآءُۚ وَمَن يُشۡرِكۡ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدۡ ضَلَّ ضَلَٰلَۢا بَعِيدًا

Surely Allah does not forgive that anything should be associated with Him, and He forgives what is besides this to whom He pleases; and whoever associates anything with Allah indeed strays off into a remote error.

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَغۡفِرُ أَن يُشۡرَكَ بِهِۦ وَيَغۡفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآءُۚ وَمَن يُشۡرِكۡ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱفۡتَرَىٰٓ إِثۡمًا عَظِيمًا

Surely Allah does not forgive that anything should be associated with Him, and forgives what is besides that to whom He pleases; and whoever associates anything with Allah indeed commits a great sin.

Hadith About Forgiveness for Zina

The hadith regarding forgiveness for Zina is as follows:

وَرَوَى التِّرْمِذِيُّ عَنْ أَنَسٍ عَنْ رَسُوْلِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ : يَقُوْلُ اللهُ تَعَالَى ياَ ابْنَ آدَمَ لَوْ بَلَغَتْ ذُنُوْبُكَ عَنَانَ السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ اسْتَغْفَرْتَنِيْ غَفَرْتُ لَكَ

At-Tirmidhi narrated from Anas, from the Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad) sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, who said: "Allah Taala said: O son of Adam, if your sins have reached the side of the sky and you ask for My forgiveness (reading Istighfar), then I will forgive you."

وَرَوَى أَحْمَدُ وَالْحَاكِمُ : قَالَ إِبْلِيْسُ وَعِزَّتِكَ لَاأَزَالُ أُغْوِيْ عِبَادَكَ مَا دَامَتْ أَرْوَاحُهُمْ فِيْ أَجْسَادِهِمْ . فَقَالَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ : وَعِزَّتِيْ وَجَلَالِيْ لَاأَزَالُ أَغْفِرُ لَهُمْ مَا اسْتَغْفَرُوْانِيْ

Ahmad and al-Hakim reported, "Satan said, 'For the sake of Your glory, I will always lead Your servants into sin as long as their souls remain in their bodies.' Allah Azza wa Jalla replied, 'For the sake of My glory and My majesty, I will always forgive them as long as they ask for forgiveness from Me (reading Istighfar).'"

Conclusion

In conclusion, the question of whether Allah forgives Zina is one that resonates deeply within the Muslim community. While Zina is recognized as a major sin with severe consequences, the teachings of Islam emphasize the boundless mercy and compassion of Allah. Sincere repentance is the key to seeking forgiveness, as illustrated in both the Quran and Hadith. Allah assures us that no sin, except for shirk, is beyond His mercy if one truly repents. The importance of understanding the need for forgiveness underscores the necessity of returning to Allah with a pure heart. For those who have committed Zina, hope remains in the act of seeking forgiveness through heartfelt repentance. Ultimately, this journey of returning to Allah is not only about seeking mercy but also about restoring one's faith and dignity. May this understanding guide us all toward a path of righteousness and divine forgiveness. Ameen.

I think that’s enough for this article. May it be useful. Ameen.

See you again in the next article!