CCIRI

Adultery with Sister-in-Law

February 5, 2022

Question

Assalamualaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakathu. What is the ruling on adultery with one’s wife’s sister?

Answer

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

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Indeed, committing adultery is one of the major sins in Islam and a despicable act in the eyes of Allah Ta’alā. Allah Ta’alā says:
وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا الزِّنَا إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَاحِشَةً وَسَاءَ سَبِيلًا (سورة الاسراء: 32)
Translation: “And do not go close to adultery. Indeed, it is ever an immorality and it is an evil way.”
(Surah Al-Isra:32)
Furthermore, Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) advised one to be very cautious around one’s in-laws. See the following Hadith:
عَنْ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ عَامِرٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏”‏ إِيَّاكُمْ وَالدُّخُولَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَفَرَأَيْتَ الْحَمْوَ قَالَ ‏”‏ الْحَمْوُ الْمَوْتُ ‏” (صحيح مسلم: 2172)
‏Translation: Uqba bin Amir reported Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) as saying: Beware of getting, into the houses and meeting women (in seclusion). A person from the Ansar said: Allah’s Messenger, what about husband’s brother, whereupon he (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: Husband’s brother is like death. ‏‏(Saheeh Muslim: 2172)
Nevertheless, the rulings pertaining to committing adultery with one’s sister in law are the same as committing adultery with a common woman. In an Islamic country, an unmarried individual found guilty of adultery would receive 100 lashes and a married individual found guilty of adultery would be punished by stoning to death.[i]

[i] الزَّانِيَةُ وَالزَّانِي فَاجْلِدُوا كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مِّنْهُمَا مِائَةَ جَلْدَةٍ ۖ وَلَا تَأْخُذْكُم بِهِمَا رَأْفَةٌ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ۖ وَلْيَشْهَدْ عَذَابَهُمَا طَائِفَةٌ مِّنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ – 24:2

And Allah Ta'ālā knows best.

Answered by

Mufti Mirza-Zain Baig

B.Ed, CSAA

Montréal, Canada · Canadian Centre for Islamic Research and Ifta

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