Friend Leading One to Drinking and then Fornication
Question:
I am a lad of 30 years living in Middle East. I pray 5 times a day and a regular reader of Quran Majid. I am a very strong believer in Allah mainly because HE has helped me through impossible situations. My belief in ALLAH got stronger and stronger. I was in love with this girl who refused to accept my proposal even as friends. That day I went out with my friend who is a Muslim but drinks. I was dejected ’cause I lost for the 1oth time in marriage. ALLAH knows best what he wants out of my life. I took a few diluted alcoholic drinks ’cause my friend insisted that there is nothing to it. Though previously I have drunk only 4 times since I was 18 influenced by friends but in every time I lost the girl I was in love with I ended up drinking little.
Since I am not a regular drinker, small amount of alcohol has a great affect on me, I loose control very fast. My friend who was also under the influence took a prostitute in the car and ended up in her flat. I was still not interested but he insisted that since we use condoms there is no sin it is as good as masturbation. He was in having sex with this prostitute who charged 200 units of currency. I was out waiting to move when another prostitute who lured me into her room came and I ended up having intercourse with her. When I got up in the morning for Fajr prayers I realized what grave sin I had done MAJOR SIN”. I always kept preaching my friends to guard yourself from this type of sin and I ended up doing it. I want to repent and what as per Islam is the best way. I don’t want to loose my good deeds and land up in Hell.
Please give me your advice as this sin took place in a country where prostitution is a way of life and despite being a Muslim country, there is no Islamic Law.
Answer:
Consuming alcohol and fornication are two of the major enormities (al-kaba’ir) from the various sins. As such, one must always take care not to even come close to them.
Consuming of intoxicating substances (whether a small or large amount) is totally unlawful (haram). What your friend said to you that, a small amount is fine is completely untrue.
Moreover, consuming alcohol is such that it leads one to other sins, as it did with you and your friend.
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) is reported to have said:
“Abstain from consuming alcohol, for it is the key to all evil.” (Mustadrak of al-Hakim)
There is a saying that a person was invited to prostrate before idols, but he refused. He was then asked to murder somebody, again he refused. Then he was invited to commit adultery, be he refused. Then he was invited to consume alcohol, which he did, thus he went and committed all the other actions also.
Adultery and fornication (zina) is also a major sin. Allah commands us not to even come close to fornication or anything that may lead to it. What your friend said that, due to you using condoms, you are not committing a sin, is absolutely untrue. Adultery (zina) is adultery whether one commits it with or without a condom.
Thus, what you need to do is the following:
Firstly, you need to stay away from your (so-called) friend. You need to find good company- the company of the learned and pious. The company of good people will make you good, and the company of evil people will make you also evil. You may also contact some local religious scholar to give guidance to this friend, but you should not do that, for that could be a ploy of Shaytan in you being affected by your friend once again.
Secondly, you need to turn to Allah Most High and seek his forgiveness. Repent sincerely on your two sins, and surely Allah will forgive, for He says:
“O you who believe! Turn in sincere repentance to Allah.” (66:8)
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “The one who repents from sin is like the one who never sinned.” (Sunan Ibn Majah, no. 3240)
The conditions for sincere repentance have been mention many times in earlier posts, which are:
1) Leaving the sin immediately,
2) Being remorseful on the sin committed,
3) Firm intention to not return to the sin,
Thus, repent sincerely to Allah Most High, and it will be as though you never even committed a sin.
Also, it is recommended to give something in charity.
It is not necessary in order for one’s sin to be forgiven that he/she receives the legal punishment (hadd) for the sin committed.
Firstly because, one is not obliged to confess that he/she committed adultery or reveal any other sin to others for that matter. As such, one may keep the sin hidden and not inform the Islamic judge about it. Thus, repenting to Allah Almighty will be sufficient.
Secondly because, Islamic legal punishments (hudud) are only carried out in an Islamic state (dar al-Islam). Due to your country not implementing Islamic law, there will no need to receive the legal punishment of adultery.
In conclusion, repent sincerely to Allah, give something in charity and stay in the company of the good and pious people and avoid the company of those who will lead you into committing a sin.
May Allah Most High forgive all our shortcomings and sins, Ameen.
And Allah knows best
[Mufti] Muhammad ibn Adam
Darul Iftaa
Leicester , UK