He Came to His Sister by Mistake at Night

Question

Everyone was sleeping in one room. At night he absent-mindedly came up to his sister’s woven bed. When his hand touched her, he realized that it was his sister. He did not have intercourse. What is the ruling for him?

Answer

His having gone to his sister by mistake has had no effect on his nikah; rather, if upon realizing it he immediately came back and did nothing — neither intercourse nor anything else — then there was no sin either. Nevertheless, istighfar (seeking forgiveness) is necessary in any case.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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