Question Summary:
What is the punishment for committing adultery?

Question Detail:

Please tell me the punishment of adultery? Is there any type of taubah for these of people who commit such sins? If there was, then will performing Hajj help?
also wants to say they know that for this sin you are supposed to be stoned or flagged to death. On Would shrouding the dead or visiting the sick help shred the sin of such a major sin? The person earth do you know if there is any hope to be forgiven from such a sin?

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
 
Indeed committing adultery is one of the major sins in Islam and a despicable act in the eyes of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’alā. Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’alā mentions in the Qurān:
وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا الزِّنَا إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَاحِشَةً وَسَاءَ سَبِيلًا (القرآن 17:32)
“And do not go close to adultery. Indeed, it is ever an immorality and it is an evil way.”
(Quran 32:17)
 
In another verse, Allah Subhanhu Wa Ta’alā mentions that those men and women who commit adultery be lashed a hundred times for this despicable act:
الزَّانِيَةُ وَالزَّانِي فَاجْلِدُوا كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا مِائَةَ جَلْدَةٍ (القرآن 24:2)
“A (unmarried) woman or (unmarried) man found guilty of unlawful sexual intercourse, lash each one of them with a hundred lashes.”
(Quran 32:17)
There are also instances in the time of Rasullullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam where people committed adultery despite the fact that they were married. Such people were stoned to death.[1]
If a muslim who has committed adultery in a Islamic country, he/she would have been lashed or stoned to death. However, residing in a non-muslim country, these rulings will not apply. In this case, it is very important that one makes sincere taubah to Allah and repents and regrets for his actions. Tawbah is not confined to merely regretting ones sin and making an attempt to change. It is part of tawbah to adopt all practical measures to change. Stay away from all such avenues that will lead to sins.
If one is able to control his desires and not give in to his passions, he will attain the sweetness of Iman and a high ranking in the hereafter. The main thing is controlling the eyes.
People see multitudes of people and innumerable objects daily and the mind works in a very strange way. The cause of this is that when one is idle, it starts bringing back the things that a person has observed. Unfortunately, these things tend to be the Haram that a person has looked at during the day which causes one to get excited and do things that he shouldn’t be doing. The best way to cure this is to lower ones’ gaze and most importantly, use the internet only when one really needs to. This is because when one just browses the web aimlessly and goes onto ‘harmless’ websites such as Youtube , he will see other pictures and videos on the side and with the a final shove from Shaitan, ones desires get the better of him and before you know it, this person is indulged in Haram.
 
One should also try and ensure that the computer/ laptop stays in a place where everyone can see. This will prevent one from visiting immoral websites. It is also vital that one does not purchase or read any material in which he knows there are explicit, indecent and racy images or material that will lead one to other sins. One cannot place butter into a hot pan and expect it not to melt. Similarly, one cannot touch an electrical wire and expect not to get shocked.
 
A practical thing one can do to stop this habit and any other bad habit that one may have is to make a promise to Allah that he will not commit that sin, and for each time he does, he will give a certain amount of money in charity or to the local masjid. It is important that one keeps this amount realistic and even more important that one pays.
 
The final and most important thing is that one constantly makes dua to Allah and constantly remains in zikr. This will keep ones’ mind occupied at all times. One should not despair if he commits the sin again. Remember! If your taubah and intention are correct, Allah will definitely give you the taufeeq (ability) to refrain from this sin.
 
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mawlana Abdul Hannan Nizami,
Student Darul Iftaa
USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
www.daruliftaa.net