Can I Marry Someone Who Is in an Unlawful Relationship?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Shaykh Abdul Rahim Reasat
Question
Should I conceal a sin I know of, and can I marry someone in an unlawful relationship?
Answer
In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful.
All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all beings, and may peace and blessings be upon our master Muhammad.
Yes, you should veil her and do not expose her sin to anyone else. The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, said, “Whoever veils a Muslim, Allah will veil him in this life and the next.” (Muslim)
Marriage, however, is a completely different matter. Having such a relationship outside of marriage is sinful, and someone who is engaged in such a relationship and able to commit zina, in that situation, is not someone whom you should consider for marriage.
Marriage is something Allah loves, and zina is something He hates. I doubt that a marriage that starts off on this basis would have much good in it. Instead, I would advise you to repent sincerely to Allah, leave the situation, and do not go back to it.
Look for a spouse who considers what God has commanded and prohibited to be important and tries to follow those injunctions.
May Allah pardon our mistakes and protect us from doing acts that could lead to a difficult situation on the Day of Judgement. Amin.
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Related Answers
- Can I Marry the Woman I Fornicated With? – Explains that sincere repentance removes the burden of past sins and that a couple who have repented may lawfully marry while observing proper boundaries until the nikah.
- Can I Marry Someone I Fornicated With? – Clarifies the validity of marrying someone with whom one previously committed zina and emphasizes sincere repentance as the path forward.
- Marrying a Man I Have an Illicit Relationship With – Advises ending an unlawful relationship, repenting sincerely, and choosing a spouse whose commitment to Islam is reflected in their conduct.
- Am I Obliged to Marry My Girlfriend? – Explains that unlawful relationships create no marital obligation and that the proper course is sincere repentance and either a lawful marriage or complete separation.
Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began studying Arabic Grammar and Morphology whilst studying for a degree in English and History. After graduating, He traveled to Damascus and studied Arabic, Hanafi Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Theology, and Logic with Shaykh Adnan Darwish, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahman Arjan al-Binsawi, Shaykh Husayn Darwish, Shaykh Muhammad Darwish, the late Shaykh Rashad Shams, and others. He then moved to Amman to continue his studies in those fields, as well as in Tafsir, Quranic Sciences, Hadith Methodology and Commentary, Prophetic Biography, Prophetic Perfections and Traits, Rhetoric, Arabic Literature, and Tajwid. His teachers include Shaykh Ali Hani, Dr. Hamza al-Bakri, Dr Salah Abu al-Hajj, Dr Mansur Abu Zina, Shaykh Ahmad Hasanat, Shaykh Ahmad Jammal, and others.
