The Punishment for Zina

Question

Question: A man, while fasting, commits zina with a prostitute. What will his ta‘zir (discretionary punishment) be? How can his sin be forgiven? Six men took part in this deed; two men testify that they did this deed.

Answer

Zina is established by the fornicator’s admission, and that only when he admits it four times; in the qadi’s session there must be exactly four witnesses whose testimony must be accepted according to the Shari‘a, that is, trustworthy (thiqa) and upright (‘adil). After such proof, if the man is married he is punished by stoning; otherwise he is given a hundred lashes.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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