Impermissible to Ask a Potential Spouse If They Have Committed Zina

16-3-2023 | IslamWeb

Question:

Salam,Is it permissable to ask a potential spouse if they have committed zina before getting married?
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.

It appears to us that it is not permissible for a suitor to ask another if he/she had committed Zina (fornication or adultery) – Allah forbids – in the past because this is searching for their faults and seeking to find about their errors. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) forbade searching for people’s faults. Abu Barzah Al-Aslami may Allaah be pleased with him narrated that Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “O community of people, who believed by their tongue and belief did not enter their hearts, do not back-bite Muslims, and do not search for their faults, for if anyone searches for their faults, Allah will search for his fault, and if Allah searches for the fault of anyone, He disgraces him in his house.” [Abu Dawood]

As-San’aani may Allaah have mercy upon him said: “Do not search for their faults”; faults is the plural form of fault, and it is all they are ashamed of to appear to others; meaning: do not search for it and uncover it. As whoever follows the faults of his Muslim brother to reveal it to people or to know it, Allah will pursue his faults, that is: Allah will punish him by revealing his faults that should be concealed to people, a punishment like his act.” [End of quote – excerpt from at-Tahbeer li Idhah Ma’aani at-Tayseer]

Allah knows best.

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