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Committed Zina in a Non-Muslim Country

Question

If a Muslim commits adultery in a non-Islamic Sharia country. What should they do to get the stoning or the lashes? And can they repent? Or this can never be forgiven by Allah.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

If a person commits Zina (fornication or adultery) whether in a Muslim or non-Muslim country and repents from it sincerely, Allah will accept his repentance.

Allah Says (what means):

• {Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allah has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin.} [Quran 4: 48]

• {And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed], except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever should do that will meet a penalty. Multiplied for him is the punishment on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein humiliated - Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 25: 68-70]

So, you should repent to Allah by giving up this dreadful sin. You should also have deep remorse for committing it and have a firm resolution not to do it again. If you are sincere, Allah will forgive you. Allah Says (what means): {[It is] the promise of Allah. Allah does not fail in His promise, but most of the people do not know.} [Quran 30: 6]

Know also that if the Hudood (plural of Hadd) are established and you commit a sin that is usually punished by a Hadd (corporal punishment prescribed by Islamic Law), you should first repent from your sin and conceal this act from anybody else and you are not asked to do anything else. But if you bring your case to the Sultan (ruler) or somebody who acts on his behalf, then you will have also to repent as described above and if the Hadd is applied on you, then your repentance is also valid.

Finally, know that Allah forgives all sins except polytheism (Shirk). So do not despair and repent to Allah sincerely as described above.

Allah knows best.

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