Zina
Zina (Arabic: الزنا ) is the Arabic word for "unlawful sexual relations." It is used to refer to both adultery and fornication.
The Islamic definition of adultery differs from the commonly agreed upon definition of the word. The meaning also differs in relation to gender.
Married Men
Adultery is the consensual sex with a woman who does not qualify as one of the following:
- His wife
- His concubine
- His slave
See Quran 23:1-7 and Quran 70:29-30.
A Muslim man is permitted to have up to four wives (Quran 4:3) and an unlimited number of concubines and slave girls[1]. Unmarried men cannot be found guilty of adultery even if they sleep with another man's wife. They can only be found guilty of fornication which does not merit the death penalty in Islam. If an unmarried man sleeps with a married woman, her transgression merits death by stoning but his transgression merits 100 lashes and possible exile for one year (Sahih Bukhari 3:49:860).
Married Women
Adultery is the consensual sex with a man who does not qualify as one of the following:
- Her husband
A Muslim woman can only have one husband at a time. She may not have sex with her male slaves.[2]
See Also
- Adultery - A hub page that leads to other articles related to Adultery
References
- ↑ Tafsir Ibn Kathir - Quran 33:50 (Indeed We know what We have enjoined upon them about their wives) means, `concerning the limiting of their number to four free women, and whatever they wish of slave-girls
- ↑ - Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi - Tafhim al-Qur'an (Quran 23:1-11, Footnote 7 #2)