The Sin of Fornication and Adultery

We've all heard of the seven deadly sins, but in reality their number
is not limited to seven. Abdullah ibn 'Abbas said: "Seventy is closer
to their number than seven". A major sin isone for which the
Quran/Sunnah prescribes apunishment in this life andin the next, or
that sin for which the sinner has incurred a curse by Allah or the
Messenger (sal-Allahu alayhi wa-sallam).
Fornication and Adultery will be discussed here and is one of the
major sins mentioned on this frightening list of seventy sins on:
http// www.themodernreligion.com/misc/hh/major_sins.htm
Each of the sins listed has attached to it seemingly smaller sins
which accumulate and lead to the bigger sin. Hence it makes complete
sense to understand that to indulge in the acts that lead to the major
sin are sin as well. So we should do our utmost to protect ourselves
from the paths that lead to the major sins.
***
I felt it was necessary to discuss this subject here asso many of the
questions submitted on IslamicAnswers.comare from people who have
fallen into zina and are now despairing and even contemplating
suicide. I have briefly touched upon:warning people about how easily
one can be lured towards zina, how to prevent oneself from falling
into zina, the dire consequences if one does fall and the concept of
Tawbah. This post has the following subheadings:
Part 1:
a) Seasons of sin - How a glance becomes despair
Part 2:
b) Why is Adultery/Fornication so attractive?
c) The million dollar question: How can we prevent ourselves from
giving into our base desires?
Part 3
d) Tame your wild horse before it tramples all over you!
d) There is way back through Sincere Tawbah
f) Conceal your sins, its an obligation!
g) There are blessings in following Allah's way
Seasons of sin - How a Glance becomes Despair
***
Summer Days - Flowers and Stars
The road to zina (fornication and adultery) starts with a look, a
glance, a sweet word, a tea, a coffee, a pizza, a shopping spree,
studying together all cosied up in the uni library...'Chill out, its
just innocent fun' (I hear you say). The shame and shyness left time
ago, so the rest starts to become a lot easier. Now the flirting,
touching, hugging, the 'I love you's and 'xxx's sent through email and
text messages, gradually turning from virtual to reality. Before you
know what's happening, your emotionshave taken over and all logic and
common sense have flown out the window along with the shame.
Allah? What, oh yeah, Allah and Islam, I'll think about that later,
I'm not doing anything wrong - I'm just chilling out with Yasin. Its a
cold drizzly day, and where you'd normally have to struggle out of
your warm bed for college or work, today youjump up, cos all you're
seeing are flowers and stars, all rosiness and glitter. Sound
familiar? Allah(swt)'s warning in theQuran Surah Al Isra, Verse 32,
bears little significancein our lives now: "And come not NEAR to
unlawful sexual intercourse. Verily, it is a faahishah (a great sin)
andan evil way."
Autumn - The Fall
This dizzy feeling of excitement or lust masquerading as love is oh
but a very short lived satisfaction. Girlfriend/boyfriend
relationships are major sins in Islam! Things do not "just happen."
One bad deed if not nipped in the bud, leads to another. You planted a
bad seed and instead of repelling it at the first stage, you allowed
it to become firmly planted and it began to flower. It was not
innocent fun, it was the beginning of a long line of sins leading to
zina and each of those seemingly 'minor' things were in fact not
small, they were 'major'. They were major, because each one stained
your heart with a small black dot, until eventually your whole heart
became covered with darkness.
Remember, Allah(swt) did not just say, 'Don't have unlawful sexual
intercourse, He(swt) warned us against even 'coming near' it! Because
you continued ignoring this, you were no longer able to see or hear
the light or truth, you became confused. Some of you hated doing
those bad things, but your goal had become only to please your
girlfriend/boyfriend. Some of you enjoyed sinning and became slave to
your lower desires. Either way, you became a slave to other than
Allah, thereby committing indirect shirk.
Some of you have now become compulsive liars too, as you sneak out the
door, telling your folks that you'll be studying in the library till
late; when in fact you're meeting your lover, and forgetting your
meeting with your Creator - Allah. When reminded about the punishments
for your sins,you put your fingers in your ears and continue
persevering in your wrongdoing. You allowed your emotions to rule your
soul.

--
:-> :->