Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Sir,

Many thanks for this. From the below do we understand that one should not admit his sins in public? What happens when a Judge asks him if he committed such and such evil deed ??

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Answer:

Judge asks for confession

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.95 Narrated by Abu Huraira

I heard Allah's Messenger (saws) saying, "All the sins of my followers will be forgiven except those of the ‘Mujahirin’ (those who commit a sin openly or disclose their sins to the people). An example of such disclosure is that a person commits a sin at night and though Allah screens it from the public, then he comes in the morning, and says, 'O so-and-so, I did such-and-such (evil) deed yesterday,' though he spent his night screened by his Lord (none knew of the sin except the one who committed it and Allah) and in the morning he removes Allah's screen from himself."

A person who commits a sin in private, and Allah Subhanah in His Mercy screens that sin from the public so that the sinner may seek repentance….but that evil-doer without any fear or remorse, comes and daringly brags to people about the transgression he did in privacy….it is evident that such an evil-doer is neither ashamed at the transgression of the boundaries of Allah through the commission of his sin, nor repentant, nor fears the Accounting of Allah Subhanah; to the extent that he daringly brags and boasts about his transgression to others without any fear of repercussion or penalty! The Messenger of Allah (saws) said that Allah Subhanah will not forgive the sins of such an ardent and unrepentant sinner or ‘Mujahireen’.

Your Question: What happens when a Judge asks him if he committed such and such evil deed ??

If one has transgressed one of the prescribed boundaries of Allah through the commission of a sin, and the case has been taken to Court….then it is only obvious that the sin of the person is not something between him and his Lord….but rather the person has unjustly usurped the rights of another for the case to reach the Courts!

When one is accused of committing a crime in a Court of Law, and is asked by the Judge whether he indeed committed the crime or unjustly usurped the rights of another….then it would only befit the character of a believer who sincerely fears Allah and the Last Day to declare the truth, even if he has to bear witness against himself……

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 135:

135 O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for justice as witnesses to Allah even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts) lest ye swerve and if ye distort (justice), or decline to do justice; verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.

The ‘Mujahireen’ as related in the narration are those people who commit a sin against their own souls and boast and brag regarding their transgression when Allah Subhanah Himself has concealed their sin from the people. But if one who commits a crime against another individual and their case is taken to Court, and the Judge confronts them regarding their crime and they bear witness against themselves through a confession….the confession of such people will not be considered as the bragging of a ‘Mujahireen’ in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan