7/24/2019 AlSadi Tafsir Surah Alnur Verse 19

1/2

Those Who Love the Circulationof Illicit Acts among the Believers

From the Tafs!rof Shaykh Abd al-Ra"m#n ibn N#$ir al-Sad!1Translated by Ab%al-&asan M#lik 'dam al-Akh(ar

All#h says:

Verily, those who love that (the crime of) illegal sexual acts should be circulated

among those who believe, they will have a painful torment in this world and in the

Hereafter. And All#h knows and you know not.[al-N!r24:19]

Al-Sad!says in his commentary of this verse: (Verily those who love that the crime of

illicit acts should be circulated)2meaning: horrid, detestable a)airs, they love that the illicit

Those Who Love the Circulationof Illicit Acts among the Believers

al-Ra"m#niyyah Publishing

1

1See Tays!r al-Kar!m al-Ra"m#n(p. 612-613) by al-Sadimay All#h bestow His Mercy upon him.

2Shaykh al-Isl#mIbn Taymiyyah said: His statement: Verily, those who love that the crime of illicit actsshould be circulated amongst those who believe, they will have a painful torment in this world and inthe Hereafter.This is a censure for those who love this, and it could be [manifested] in the heart only, or, withthe tongue and limbs. It is also a censure for those who speak or inform about illicit acts, loving that they befallthe believers, either from envy and hatred or love of illicit acts; and both of these emanate [from] love of illicitacts and hatred for the believers; for everyone who loves the act, mentions it. Thus, every exploit that includesthe love of illicit acts circulating amongst the believers falls under this [exhortation].Rather, this persons punishment is worse, for indeed All#h has promised the painful punishment in this life andthe next for simply loving that illicit acts be spread; and this punishment may not be coupled with a statement or

action, so how much more if it is combined with a statement? Instead, it is upon a person to hate what All#hhates from illicit acts, their accusations, and their circulation amongst those who believe; and whoever is pleasedwith the act of a people will be gathered up with them, just like the wife of L%t was gathered with the people ofL%t even though she did not commit their evil act; however,since she was pleased with it, she was punishedalong with them. [See Majmu al-Fat#wa15/332]

He also says in Majmu al-Fat#wa(28/215) after citing the aforementioned verse: Thus, He has commandedwith the concealment of illicit acts, just as the Messenger of All#h!said, 'Whoever is trialled with these

o)enses, then let him conceal them under All#hs covering; for indeed, whoever makes his a)air known to us,

we will establish what is in the Book upon him.' And his !statement, 'All of my Ummahare forgiven except

those who expose themselves. And the one who exposes himself is the person who sins at night, and All#h has

covered it, then he wakes in the morning and tells of his deed.' So as long as a sin is concealed, then it is uponthe sinner only; however, if it is exposed and not censured, the harm becomes general. And how much more ifits exposure entices others to fall into it? For this reason, Im#m A"mad and others renounced certain forms ofpassionate love poetry to prevent it from stirring the desires to [commit] illicit acts. Therefore, he commandedthe one who was trialled with [feelings of] passionate love to guard his chastity and conceal it, so that he wouldbe from those about whom All#h mentions: Verily, he who fears All!h with obedience to Him (byabstaining from sins and evil deeds, and by performing righteous good deeds), and is patient, thensurely, All!h will not cause the reward of the Mu"sin$n(those who perform righteous deeds) to belost.[Y%suf 12:90]

7/24/2019 AlSadi Tafsir Surah Alnur Verse 19

2/2

act becomes widespread (amongst those who believe, they will have a painful torment)

meaning, a painful torment for the heart, and body. This is due to his debasement of his

Muslim brothers, love of evil befalling them and his boldness in [attacking] their honor. So if

this is the threat for merely loving that the illicit acts be spread, and finding its delight in his

or her heart, how about that which is worse than this from exposing it and spreading it? And

that is whether the illicit act has a foundation or not.3

And all of this is from the Mercy of All#h for His believing worshippers, and protection of

their honor, just as He protected their blood and their wealth and ordered them to that which

will cause their unity, and to love for their brother what they love for themselves, and to hate

for them what they hate for themselves. (And All#h knows and you know not)therefore,

He has taught you that which you were ignorant of.

Those Who Love the Circulationof Illicit Acts among the Believers

al-Ra"m#niyyah Publishing

2

3Im#m al-Bukh#r!brings in his book al-Adab al-Mufradthe chapter:Whoever Hears an Illicit Tale andthen Spreads it:On the authority of Al!ibn Ab%T#lib who said: The one who mentions an illicit act and the one who spreadsit are equal in sin.On the authority of Shubayl ibn Awf who said: It was said: Whoever hears a tale of an illicit act and thenspreads it, then he is equal [in sin] with the one who started it.It was on the authority of At#that he used to believe that the one who spread stories of fornication should bepunished. [See Sahih al-Adab al-Mufrad by Shaykh al-Albani p. 98]