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Fatwa CenterSuspecting that wife has committed immorality and contracted STD
Question
Assalaamu alaykum. After reading many of the fatwas about a wife suspected to have engaged in fornication with another person besides her husband during time of marriage, the answer that I found is to advise the woman to confess her sin to Allaah and repent and that she is not required to confess her sin to her husband. My question is: what if the husband suspects that his wife really did that as well as that she might have gotten a sexual transmitted disease such as HIV/AIDS and that meeting with her would cause the transmission of such disease. And although we know that she can undergo a medical test, it would take a long time for that to be confirmed as she was not previously infected with any disease, and meanwhile her husband needs to fulfill his sexual desires. Also, to ask the wife to do a medical test would show the wife that her husband suspects her as well as scandalize her. Therefore, what should such a husband do to solve such a problem? Should he force his wife to confess to him or rather believe her and take the risk of contracting such a dangerous disease?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
It is impermissible for the husband to accuse his wife of committing immorality based on mere doubts and inner thoughts! The Islamic Sharee'ah forbade doubting the wife's chastity, searching for her faults, and thinking ill of someone whose actions are not suspicious. Please, refer to fataawa 21021 and 87877.
If the husband fears that his wife may have been infected with a contagious disease and his fear stems from a valid reason and not mere doubts, then he may try to convince her to have a medical checkup without accusing her of having committed adultery.
If a man suspected his wife's behavior and has good reason to believe that she is most likely not a chaste woman, then he should not hesitate in parting with her in order to safeguard his honor, religiosity, and health.
Lastly, we would like to point out that the husband should fulfill his duty of Qawaamah (guardianship) over his wife, protect her from potential temptations, spare her the evils of meeting in seclusion with non-Mahram (marriageable) men and impermissible intermixing with them, and then think well of her. He would thus safeguard her from temptations and block the way for the devil and his evil schemes to lure her into sin.
Allaah knows best.
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