Author: Mawlawi Ismail Sarani
Adultery: Its Prevalence and Destructive Effects on Society (the 9th and final part)
Adultery from the Perspective of the Prophetic Mission
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) regarded adultery as the greatest sin after polytheism. He said: «ما من ذنب بعد الشرک اعظم عند الله من نطفة وضعها فی رحم لا یحل له» Translation: “There is no sin after shirk (associating partners with Allah) greater in the sight of Allah than a drop of semen placed in a womb that is unlawful for him.”
In another hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: «یا معشر المسلمین ایاکم و الزنا فان فیه ست خصال، ثلاث فی الدنیا و ثلاث فی الاخرة…» Translation: “O Muslims, beware of adultery, for it has six evil consequences: three in this world and three in the Hereafter. The worldly ones are it takes away one’s dignity, causes lasting poverty, and shortens one’s life. The ones in the Hereafter are the wrath of Allah, a harsh reckoning, and eternal damnation in Hell.”
Then the Prophet recited the verse: «أَنْ سَخِطَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَفِي الْعَذَابِ هُمْ خَالِدُونَ» Translation: “That Allah is angry with them, and they will abide in the punishment forever.”
When the Prophet (peace be upon him) said that adultery takes away a person’s dignity and goodness, he was referring to a clear truth—that adultery deprives a person of purity of the soul and spiritual beauty, both of which are sources of peace and happiness.
Regarding the statement that “adultery brings poverty and misery,” it means that indulging in unlawful pleasures and illegitimate luxuries leads to the wasting of blessings and the squandering of energy and resources. There are types of wealth that bring hardship, and a person who commits adultery is dragged into poverty and helplessness by them.
As for the saying “adultery shortens life,” it refers to the fact that adultery destroys the health and wellbeing of the adulterer. By pursuing animalistic pleasures, he is led into recklessness and confusion, making his body prone to diseases such as syphilis, heart problems, and other fatal afflictions.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) also said: «و اذا ظهر الزنا ظهر الفقر و المسکنة» Translation: “When adultery becomes widespread, poverty and misery will also spread.” (Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar)
Another hadith states: «ما ظهر فی قوم الربا و الزنا الا احلوا بانفسهم عقاب الله» Translation: “Whenever interest and adultery appear among a people, they bring down the punishment of Allah upon themselves.” (Narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas’ud)
«یا شباب قریش! احفظوا فروجکم، لا تزنوا، ألا من حفظ فرجه، فله الجنة» Translation: “O youth of Quraysh! Guard your private parts and do not commit adultery. Whoever protects his private parts will be granted Paradise.” (Narrated by Ibn Abbas)
«من یضمن لی ما بین لحییه و ما بین رجلیه تضمنت له الجنة» Translation: “Whoever guarantees for me what is between his jaws (his tongue) and between his legs (his private parts), I guarantee Paradise for him.” (Narrated by Sahl ibn Sa’d)
It should be noted that while adultery is inherently shameful, adultery with a neighbor’s wife is even worse. A neighbor expects safety and protection from his neighbor—not betrayal and violation of his family’s honor.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: «الزانی بحلیلة جاره لا ینظرالله الیه یوم القیامه و لایزکیه و یقول: ادخل النار مع الداخلین» Translation: “Whoever commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, Allah will not look at him on the Day of Judgment, nor purify him, and He will say: Enter the Fire along with the others.”
Regarding the punishment of adulterers on the Day of Judgment, the Prophet (peace be upon him) shared a dream: “I and Jibreel came to an oven-shaped pit, narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, from which loud voices were coming. When I looked inside, I saw naked men and women being burned by flames. Whenever the flames shot up, they screamed louder. I asked Jibreel: ‘Who are these?’ He replied: ‘These are the adulterers and adulteresses, and this will be their punishment until the Day of Judgment.'”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) also stated that adultery occurs in different forms, such as:
Looking at the unlawful (zina of the eyes)
Walking toward the unlawful (zina of the feet)
Committing an unlawful act with the hand (zina of the hand)
A Deed the Devil Delights In
According to a narration, Satan sends out his armies daily and says: “Whoever among you achieves the most, I will place a crown on his head.”
The first follower says: “I created conflict between a husband and wife, which led to divorce.” Satan replies: “That’s nothing. They may remarry.”
The second says: “I caused enmity between two brothers.” Satan replies: “That too may be resolved.”
Then a special follower of Satan says: “I lured a person into adultery.” Satan replies: “Excellent! At least you’ve done something meaningful,” and places a crown on his head.
The Stance of Prophet Yusuf (Joseph)
The story of Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him), as mentioned in the Qur’an, offers deep insight into the harms of adultery and the high moral character of those close to Allah. When the Aziz (ruler) of Egypt bought Yusuf and placed him in his household, he instructed his wife to treat him well. Over time, she fell in love with him and prepared herself to seduce him. She used every means—beauty, makeup, seclusion, and opportunity.
Hazrat Yusuf was faced with a severe test. On one side was a beautiful and noble woman offering herself in a secure and private setting, and on the other side was his youth and loneliness—conditions that amplify temptation. Yet the Qur’an says: «وَرَاوَدَتْهُ الَّتِي هُوَ فِي بَيْتِهَا عَنْ نَفْسِهِ وَغَلَّقَتِ الْأَبْوَابَ وَقَالَتْ هَيْتَ لَكَ قَالَ مَعَاذَ اللَّهِ إِنَّهُ رَبِّي أَحْسَنَ مَثْوَايَ إِنَّهُ لَا يُفْلِحُ الظَّالِمُونَ» Translation: “The woman in whose house he lived tried to seduce him. She closed the doors and said: Come to me. He said: I seek refuge with Allah! Indeed, He is my Lord, who has made my stay good. Truly, the wrongdoers will never succeed.”
In this situation, the earth and heavens waited to see what Hazrat Yusuf would do. Despite understanding everything, Yusuf was young and handsome and had been invited by a beautiful woman. Now, a perfect opportunity to take advantage of his beauty had presented itself, a situation that people strive to achieve with great effort and investment, had come about for Yusuf effortlessly, and everything depended on his will. But Yusuf turned his back on all his desires and said, “I seek refuge in Allah! He is my Lord, and He has honored me. Indeed, the wrongdoers never prosper.”
Final Word
The corruption and harm caused by indecency are vast and deeply affect society. Mere legal punishments are not sufficient deterrents—as evidenced by Christianity and other civilizations. There must be a comprehensive system that, alongside spiritual guidance and lawful channels for sexual expression, balances human instincts. Islam provides this balanced, practical solution—chief among them being marriage. The Qur’an commands: «وَأَنْكِحُوا الْأَيَامَى مِنْكُمْ وَالصَّالِحِينَ مِنْ عِبَادِكُمْ وَإِمَائِكُمْ إِنْ يَكُونُوا فُقَرَاءَ يُغْنِهِمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ» Translation: “Marry off the singles among you, and the righteous from among your male and female slaves. If they are poor, Allah will enrich them from His bounty. Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing.”
The word “ayama” (singles) refers to both men and women—whether they have never married or are widowed/divorced.
Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi, in his tafsir, writes: “Those free individuals who are single—whether virgins or widowed/divorced—and those among the slaves who are capable of fulfilling marital responsibilities should be provided the means for marriage.” This verse addresses the entire Ummah—not just individuals—making it a communal obligation to facilitate marriage for youth, since the harms of promiscuity affect society as a whole, just as the benefits of marriage contribute to communal peace. Therefore, guardians and authorities must make marriage accessible and easy for the young generation.
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Sources and References:
The Holy Qur’an
Bayan al-Qur’an (Tafsir)
Tafsir Ibn Kathir
Tafsir al-Tabari
Sahih al-Bukhari
Shu’ab al-Iman (al-Bayhaqi)
Musnad Ahmad
Targhib wa Tarhib
Mufradat al-Qur’an – Raghib Isfahani
Hijab and Chastity in Islam
Adultery and Its Prevention
Nida-ye Islam (Issue 10)
Islam Ki Siyasi Nazar Se
Arab Civilization
Immoral Acts in Islam
Women’s Rights: Between Equality and Justice
The Global Decline of Muslims
Setyar Teh Prakash
The Role of Marriage in Social Health
The Immodest Woman and Her Effects on the Ummah
The Prophet of Mercy
The Status of Women in Society
The West’s Track Record
The Rise and Fall of Western Liberalism
Modern Barbarism
The Sexual Revolution
Sins and Slips from the Islamic Perspective
Eleven Categories of Sinners – M. Abdul Ghani Ludhianvi
