Fatwa #1371228 November 2005South Africa
regarding Nikaah. If you have in the past been involved in relationships and participated in haraam activities and now repent your actions and change your lifestyle to that of the approved Islamic Lifestyle
Question
My question is regarding Nikaah. If you have in the past been involved in relationships and participated in haraam activities and now repent your actions and change your lifestyle to that of the approved Islamic Lifestyle....and want to do things properly i.e. nikaah. How does one make sure that you can still have the right way of doing nikaah. No courting and dating and relationships, when the boys who follows the correct way would not want a girl with a past? I so sincerely would like a pious husband who has a love for the deen. I know you have said that one does not have to tell your partner your past sins....but I dont know what to do now, how can i not? Is their some duaah I can make to help me with this?Please help.
Answer
Tawbah means to repent from one’s past. Once a person has repented, it is as though all one’s past sins, major and minor are forgiven (on condition one resolves never to return to sin, one is remorseful and one stops from sinning immediately).
The correct procedure of an Islamic Nikah is for a woman to wait for proposals. Once she receives a proposal, she should offer Istikhaara Salaat asking Allah to guide her to what will be best for her Dunyaa, Deen and Aakhirah. In the same way, if a girl has knowledge of a good boy who in her discretion will be a good partner for her, she may also send a proposal. One should always remember that if one’s Tawbah was sincere and once inculcates the quality of Taqwah, Allah will always open the road.
It is also of privotal important that you do not mention your past at the time of any proposal or after marriage because this could have serious repercussions on your marriage.
and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai