In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Prohibition of Zina and Its Punishment (In the Light of Quran and Hadith)

Prohibition of Zina

وَلَا تَقۡرَبُوا الزِّنٰۤى اِنَّهٗ كَانَ فَاحِشَةً وَسَآءَ سَبِيۡلًا ۝
Transliteration: Wa lā taqrabū az-zinā innahū kāna fāḥishatan wa sā’a sabīlā
Translation: “And do not even go near Zina; indeed, it is an act of indecency and an evil way.” (Bani Isra’il 32)

Punishment of Zina

اَلزَّانِيَةُ وَالزَّانِي فَاجۡلِدُوۡا كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مِّنۡهُمَا مِائَةَ جَلۡدَةٍ وَّلَا تَاۡخُذۡكُمۡ بِهِمَا رَاۡفَةٌ فِىۡ دِيۡنِ اللّٰهِ اِنۡ كُنۡتُمۡ تُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ بِاللّٰهِ وَالۡيَوۡمِ الۡاٰخِرِ وَلۡيَشۡهَدۡ عَذَابَهُمَا طَآٮِٕفَةٌ مِّنَ الۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ ۝
Transliteration: Az-zāniyatu waz-zānī fajlidū kulla wāḥidim-minhumā mi’ata jaldah, wa lā ta’khudhkum bihimā ra’fatun fī dīnillāhi in kuntum tu’minūna billāhi wal-yawmil-ākhir, wal-yashhad ‘adhābahumā ṭā’ifatun minal-mu’minīn
Translation: “The woman who commits adultery and the man who commits adultery—flog each of them with a hundred lashes. And let not pity for them overcome you in the matter of Allah’s law, if you truly believe in Allah and the Last Day. And let a group of believers witness their punishment.” (An-Nur 2)

اَلزَّانِىۡ لَا يَنۡكِحُ اِلَّا زَانِيَةً اَوۡ مُشۡرِكَةً وَّالزَّانِيَةُ لَا يَنۡكِحُهَاۤ اِلَّا زَانٍ اَوۡ مُشۡرِكٌۚ وَحُرِّمَ ذٰلِكَ عَلَى الۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ ۝
Transliteration: Az-zānī lā yankihu illā zāniyatan aw mushrikah, waz-zāniyatu lā yankihuha illā zānin aw mushrik, wa ḥurrima dhālika ‘alal-mu’minīn
Translation: “The adulterer does not marry except an adulteress or a polytheist, and the adulteress—none marries her except an adulterer or a polytheist. And that has been made unlawful for the believers.” (An-Nur 3)

يٰۤاَيُّهَا النَّبِىُّ اِذَا جَآءَكَ الۡمُؤۡمِنٰتُ يُبَايِعۡنَكَ عَلٰٓى اَنۡ لَّا يُشۡرِكۡنَ بِاللّٰهِ شَيۡـًٔا وَّلَا يَسۡرِقۡنَ وَلَا يَزۡنِيۡنَ وَلَا يَقۡتُلۡنَ اَوۡلَادَهُنَّ وَلَا يَاۡتِيۡنَ بِبُهۡتَانٍ يَّفۡتَرِيۡنَهٗ بَيۡنَ اَيۡدِيۡهِنَّ وَاَرۡجُلِهِنَّ وَلَا يَعۡصِيۡنَكَ فِىۡ مَعۡرُوۡفٍ فَبَايِعۡهُنَّ وَاسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَهُنَّ اللّٰهَؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ غَفُوۡرٌ رَّحِيۡمٌ ۝
Transliteration: Yā ayyuhan-nabiyyu idhā jā’akal-mu’minātu yubāyi‘naka ‘alā allā yushrikna billāhi shay’an wa lā yasriqna wa lā yaznīna wa lā yaqtulna awlādahunna wa lā ya’tīna buhtānan yaftarīnahu bayna aydīhinna wa arjulihinna wa lā ya‘ṣīnaka fī ma‘rūf, fabāyi‘hunna wastaghfir lahunnallāh, innallāha ghafūrur-raḥīm
Translation: “O Prophet ﷺ, when believing women come to you pledging that they will not associate anything with Allah, nor steal, nor commit adultery, nor kill their children, nor bring forth a slander they invent between their hands and feet, nor disobey you in what is right—then accept their pledge and seek forgiveness for them from Allah. Indeed, Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Al-Mumtahanah 12)

Hadith Regarding Punishment of Zina

“Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه and Zayd ibn Khalid رضي الله عنه reported: We were sitting with the Prophet ﷺ when a man stood and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! I adjure you by Allah to judge between us according to the Book of Allah.’ The other party, who was more understanding, also stood and said, ‘Yes, judge between us according to the Book of Allah, and permit me to speak.’ The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Speak.’ He said, ‘My son was a servant with this man and he committed adultery with his wife. I gave one hundred sheep and a slave as compensation. Then I asked scholars who said: your son must receive one hundred lashes and be exiled for a year, and the woman is to be stoned.’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, I will judge between you according to the Book of Allah. The sheep and slave you gave are to be returned to you. Your son will receive one hundred lashes and exile for a year. And O Unays, go tomorrow to this man’s wife; if she confesses, stone her.’ The next day Unays went to her; she confessed and he carried out the stoning.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)

Punishment for Unmarried and Married Adulterers

“Sayyiduna ‘Ubadah ibn al-Samit رضي الله عنه reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Learn from me. Allah has ordained a way for them (the women who commit adultery). When an unmarried man commits adultery with an unmarried woman, then one hundred lashes and exile for one year; and if a married man commits adultery with a married woman, then one hundred lashes and stoning.’” (Sahih Muslim)