Library Ethics Greater Sins Chapter 12 Tenth Greater Sin: Fornication Alone in the Company of Non-mahram
Alone in the Company of Non-mahram
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Alone in the Company of Non-mahram
It is HarÄm for a stranger or non-mahram man to remain alone in company of a non-mahram woman when there is a risk of committing a sin, even though they may be busy in worship. In the same way women are ordered not to stay in company of non-mahram men when there is a chance of sinful act.
The Holy Prophet ( s.a.w.s.) says:
“One who believes in Allah and the Day of Judgement does not remain in a place where (even) the sound of breathing of the non-mahram women is perceived.”
Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) said:
“When the Prophet (a.s.) took allegiance from the women he told them to take an oath that they shall not sit alone in company of non-mahram men.
(Wasa’il ul-Shia)
A lonely place means the one where there is no chance of anyone else entering or coming. Like a room, the door of which is locked from inside. Or a place not frequented by people.
Islam has prescribed severe penalty for a serious offence like adultery. Some of the aspects are given in the points mentioned below.
1) If a person commits an incestuous fornication he is to be killed according to Islamic laws.
2) If one sees that a stranger is fornicating with his wife, then he can kill both of them if he considers himself safe in doing so. But if he does not feel safe or if he does not wish to kill them, then apparently his wife is not prohibited for him.
3) If a Kafir commits adultery with a Muslim woman, he is to be killed according to Shari’a. Similarly, if a Muslim is punished thrice for fornication and is again proved guilty for the fourth time, he is to be executed.
4) If the person is sane, major, and legally married, and has a wife with whom he could establish sexual relation whenever he wants, and inspite of this he commits fornication with another sane, mature woman, he has to be stoned to death according to the Islamic law. And according to some Mujtahids, he must first be given a hundred lashes.
5) If a man does not fulfill the conditions listed in the above point, and if he commits fornication with a woman then his penalty according to Islamic law is a hundred lashes. Similarly, the married woman who willingly commits fornication should be stoned to death. If she is unmarried, then the penalty for her is a hundred lashes.
“As for the fornicatress and the fornicators, flog each other of them, (giving) a hundred lashes, and let not pity for them detain you in the matter of obedience to Allah, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day, and let a party of believers witness this chastisement.”
(Surah an-NÅ«r 24:2)
After quoting the above ayat, the Journal of Anjuman al-Tablighat al-Islam writes:
Two points are derived from this. The first is that the punishment of the adulterer is carried out in the presence of other people. This will be a warning and a lesson to them. They will be terrified of committing the same sin after witnessing the horror of the punishment.
Another point, although its truth is not established, is that the punishment acts as a cure for the diseases of the sinner. It could be that due to the hundred lashes, the bodies of the sinners are so much heated that the germs that have entered their bodies are annihilated before they could multiply and spread.
One more point to be noted is that the germs of disease like syphilis etc. are not confined only to those who commit fornication. The spouse of the fornicator may also contract these diseases. Marriage with an adulterer is therefore detestable and is discouraged. If an adulterer man marries an adulteress woman, an innocent person is not victimised, but their deeds will definitely affect their progeny adversely. Their future generations will be contaminated with the evil of their sin and there will be some deformity or the other in their progeny. It is for this very fact that the religion of Islam says;
“The fornicator shall not marry any but a fornicatress or idolatress, and (as for) the fornicatress, none shall marry her but a fornicator or an idolater; and it is forbidden to the believer.”
(Surah an-NÅ«r 24:3)
