The Consequences of Adultery

Impacts and Detriments of Adultery on the Individual

Adultery has numerous adverse effects on individuals, including the following:

The act of committing adultery is considered one of the gravest sins, condemned unanimously by scholars. As stated in the Quran: “And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse. Indeed, it is ever an immorality and is evil as a way” (Quran 17:32). The adulterer is recognized as violating sacred boundaries and engaging in wrongdoing.
Engaging in this immoral act leads to further misdeeds and sinful behavior.
Adultery is a primary cause of serious diseases that can have detrimental effects on one’s physical health.
This behavior opens the door to numerous sins, such as injustices towards others, the neglect of one’s family and financial responsibilities. It can also foster emotional and psychological illnesses, poverty, and social ostracism, as individuals often lose respect and standing in the eyes of others.
Adultery contributes to various societal ills, including diminishing religious convictions, loss of moral scruples, dishonor, and fidelity. It invites divine wrath, results in disgrace on the Day of Judgment, and brings darkness to the heart, discomfort in the soul, and sadness in this life.
As one of the major sins, adultery comes with severe legal repercussions designated by religious law due to its negative impacts, solidifying its status as a significant transgression.

The implications of adultery extend beyond individuals, negatively affecting society as a whole. Key consequences include:

Adultery fosters resentment, animosity, conflict, and violence amongst individuals, disrupting family structures and leading to violations of honor.
This act can lead to the deterioration of households, severing familial and marital relationships, resulting in orphaned children and impaired upbringing, which may drive them toward delinquency and crime. Furthermore, adultery can distort lineage, misleading a spouse into raising a child that is not biologically theirs.
Adultery erodes societal ethics and promotes immorality through the proliferation of illicit relationships.
In extreme cases, it may provoke violent reactions stemming from jealousy, serving as a catalyst for the spread of diseases and moral decay within the community.
The wide-ranging ramifications of adultery can lead to societal collapse, compromising lineage integrity, dismantling homes, fostering discord among spouses, and creating enmity among individuals, ultimately resulting in societal fragmentation.

There are several legal and moral guidelines that can help individuals avoid adultery. These include:

Recognizing the grave nature of adultery as a prohibited act by Allah, which should not even be approached. The Quran states, “And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse. Indeed, it is ever an immorality and is evil as a way” (Quran 17:32). According to Al-Qurtubi, this prohibition extends beyond the act itself to include any actions that may lead to it.
Implementing strict penalties for those who commit adultery, such as corporal punishment, which reflects the seriousness of the offense. Adultery is also associated with greater punishment in the afterlife, equated with shirk (associating partners with Allah) and murder. The Quran mentions, “And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden, or commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever should do that will meet a penalty* multiplied for him is the punishment on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein humiliated.” Importantly, this scripture also encourages the possibility of repentance and returning to Allah.
Promoting marriage as a foundational institution that curbs the incidence of adultery, helping individuals maintain chastity and moral integrity.