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]
