A man who commits adultery with a woman and then marries her: those who permitted it

Abu Yazid said: Siba' bin Thabit married the daughter of Rabah bin Wahb. Siba' had a son from another woman, and the daughter of Rabah had a daughter from another husband. The boy committed zina with the girl, and the girl became pregnant. The matter was brought to Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), and both of them confessed to the sin. Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) had them flogged and expressed the wish that the two of them be married, but the boy refused.

Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) was asked: "If a man and a woman fall into wrongdoing with each other and the prescribed punishment (hadd) is also carried out on them, and then that man wants to marry that woman, how is that?" He said: "There is no harm in it; this matter began with wrongdoing and will end in marriage."

Al-Sha'bi said: This matter began with wrongdoing and will end in marriage.

Al-Akhnas said: One night I was reciting Surah Ha Mim 'Ayn Sin Qaf [Al-Shura: 1-2], and I reached this verse: "And He it is Who accepts repentance from His servants, pardons evil deeds, and knows what you do." In the morning I went to Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) to ask him about it. Meanwhile a man came to him and said: "If a person commits zina with a woman and then marries her, how is that?" At this Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) recited this verse: "And He it is Who accepts repentance from His servants, pardons evil deeds, and knows what you do." [Al-Shura: 25]

Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: This matter begins with wrongdoing and ends in marriage; it begins as unlawful and ends as lawful.

Al-Zuhri said: An unmarried man and an unmarried woman committed zina, so Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) had them flogged and exiled them for one year; then, after a year, he had the two of them married.

Sa'id bin al-Musayyib saw no harm in this marriage.

Ibrahim said: A man asked Alqamah: "If a person commits zina with a woman and then marries her, is it permissible to do so?" He said: "Yes," and then recited this verse of the Qur'an: "And He it is Who accepts repentance from His servants and pardons evil deeds."

Shaybah said: A man asked Sa'id bin Jubayr: "If a person commits zina with a woman and then marries her, is it permissible to do so?" He said: "This matter begins with wrongdoing and ends in marriage, and (his) wealth has made the woman lawful for the man."

Amr said: A man asked Jabir bin Zayd: "If a person commits zina with a woman and then marries her, is it permissible to do so?" He said: "He has more right to her, because it was he who spoiled her."

Ikrimah said about this marriage: There is no harm in it. The example of this man is like someone who steals a date-palm and then buys it.

Salim said: There is no harm in it.

Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When the two of them repent and reform themselves, there is no harm in it.

Silah bin Ashyam said: There is no harm in doing so. If the two of them repent, then Allah accepts their repentance; and if they are fornicators, then a fornicator is only fit for a fornicator.

Yahya bin Sa'id said: Umar bin Abd al-Aziz was once asked: "If a woman falls into sin with a man, and then afterwards good begins to appear in her deeds and conduct, may she marry that man?" Umar bin Abd al-Aziz said: "Do you think that I would forbid it?!"

Ubaydullah bin Abi Yazid said: A man asked Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both): "If a person commits zina with a woman and then marries her, is it permissible to do so?" He said: "Now he has found the way to what is lawful."

Mujahid and Ata said: If a man commits zina with a woman, it is lawful for him to marry that woman.

Sa'id bin al-Musayyib, Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sa'id bin Jubayr said: If a man commits zina with a woman and then marries her, there is no harm in it if the two of them repent and change their lives.

Ikrimah said: A man asked Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both): "If a person commits zina with a woman and then marries her, is it permissible to do so?" He said: "It began with wrongdoing and ended in marriage; its beginning is unlawful and its end is lawful."