'Some words can lead to Sin'

“Verily, Allah is with those who are righteous and those who do good” (An-Nahl, 16: 129).

Without doubt, God is with those who adopt Taqwa, that is, righteousness and with those who do even greater deeds than Taqwa, that is, they are beneficent (being always eager to do good and serve mankind).

The Fine Line between 'Good' and 'Evil'

The meaning of Taqwa is to abstain from wrongdoing in such a manner that even the very fine lines around it are not crossed. Remember, however, that goodness is not that a person should consider himself to be ‘good’ because he has not usurped another’s rights or stolen another person’s property or that he has abstained from lying and adultery. 

Remember, even talking such loving words to other persons other than those permitted may make the person incline towards the sin of adultery. It must be borne in mind that such behaviour can become a sin, for Satan seizes every little opportunity to make ʻgood’ become ʻbad’. That is why, every believer, man or woman must guard against this grievous sin, and preserve himself or herself as the Holy Quran advises:

“…If you fear Allah, then do not be soft in speech, lest he in whose heart is disease should covet, but speak with appropriate speech.” (Al-Ahzab, 33: 33).

So, mere words can become prelude to a major sin which is adultery. This is indeed grievous in the eyes of Allah. The punishment for this is severe. So, no excuse about this. 

Stoning to Death for Adultery ?

“The Islamic law attaches great importance to chastity and condemns illicit relations before marriage. 

Severe penalties sanction this kind of crime, but it is false to say that Islam has made provision for the stoning to death of the offenders. 

In fact, the Quran makes no mention of stoning as a punishment, whether for the sin of adultery or for any other crime. The verse establishing the sentences for adultery contains no ambiguity.

“The woman and the man guilty of adultery or fornication, flog each of them with a hundred stripes: Let not compassion move you in their case, in a matter prescribed by Allah, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day: and let a party of the Believers witness their punishment.” (24: 3)

 Although the Quran has clearly prescribed flogging, some schools of thought maintain that this verse deals exclusively with the punishment reserved for unmarried people who commit the sin of adultery and that married persons who are found to be guilty (of the sin) have to face the penalty of death by stoning.

However, the word “Al-Zani” denotes both the fornicator and the adulterer. The fornicator is that unmarried person who commits the sin of lust. No linguistic authority has so far proved otherwise and it is obvious that the above verse does not distinguish between married and unmarried people.  

The confusion seems to exist because the Holy Prophet of Islam (pbuh) had, on certain occasions, ordered the killing of those accused of adultery. However, it should be noted that before the Holy Quran was revealed in its entirety, the Holy Prophet (pbuh) conformed to the laws contained in the Torah to judge certain crimes, for the books of Moses (as) have provided for the stoning to death in these cases (Leviticus 20: 10, Deuteronomy 22: 122, John 8: 3-5).