Laws of Cheating in Islamic Marriage That You Need to Know

Maintaining a relationship in marriage requires a lot of sacrifice. It is especially difficult to keep it away from the temptation of cheating. Whoever says that cheating is a pleasant thing is the person who has done it multiple times. Married couples will not say the same thing. Cheating only causes hurt and suffering because it’s the cruel act of betraying the person who loves you.

Many people think that it’s not cheating if it’s not physical. But it is. Now it’s even easier to cheat due to the free access of internet and technology. Exchanging messages can be more discreet. Cheating has bigger consequences when it happens between married couples. This especially applies to the Muslim couples. Below are the explanation about cheating in Islam:

Definition of Cheating According to Islam

In short, cheating is the act of hiding something for the benefit of oneself. That something is often hidden from the significant other. A person who cheats often display constant lying which can be observed through their behaviours.

In Islam, the act of cheating is known as al khianah az zaujiyyah, which means a person who turns to someone who is not their significant other. In other words, cheating in Islam can mean betrayal. A person who cheats does not keep the promise of being forever loyal to their significant other.

Laws of Cheating

Even though the cheating may not be in the form of sexual contact, the cheater is already cheating by the heart. These are the Signs Your Husband is Having Emotional Affair or the Ways to Know Wife is Cheating.

A person who does not know how to keep his heart and gaze will be easy to experience it. When the cheating does involve physical contact then it’s clear that it’s adultery. There are some laws of adultery in Islamic marriage that begins with the act of cheating:

The word of Allah in the Qur’an about adultery is mentioned in the following verse:

“And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse. Indeed, it is ever an immorality and is evil as a way.” (Al-Isra, 17:32)

From that verse alone, it is definite that cheating is an act that is very close to or even the same as committing adultery. So, a good Muslim should understand that they must avoid any acts of zina.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Rasulullah SAW spoke through the hadith by Abu Huraira that said:

“Verily, Allah has written for the son of Adam his portion of adultery which he will inevitably commit: the adultery of the eyes is a lustful look, the adultery of the tongue is lustful speech. The soul hopes and yearns for what the private parts will fulfill or deny.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)

In that hadith, it is mentioned some of the things that fall under the act of cheating by a husband to the wife or the wife to the husband.

Forms of Cheating in Islam

According to the hadit of Muhammad Rasulullah SAW said above, there are some things that can be categorised as the act of cheating which include:

• Haram gaze, which means the act of gazing wrongfully to a beautiful or handsome person, to their physical features and other things. Here are the Physical Signs of Wife Having an Affair.
• Haram conversation or talk in any form, which includes the act of purposely flirting and sweet talking to the opposite gender in the hopes of attracting them.
• A meeting which purpose is to have fun and seek satisfaction with someone who is not the person’s significant other.
• Committing adultery or zina with someone who is not their significant other. 

Laws of Cheating in Islamic Marriage

As explained, cheating is an act that is close to zina or it can be said as a form of zina that is repeated over and over again. Cheating is a sure way to hell if the person keeps doing it. It’s the consequence that a wife or a husband must accept. Learn the Signs Your Husband Doesn't Care about You Anymore as that can lead to serious cheating.

In a hadith, Muhammad Rasulullah SAW stated that in one of his dreams, he sees a punishment given by Allah to the person committing zina:

“So we proceeded and came across something like a Tannur. I think the Prophet said, ‘In that oven here was much noise and voices.’ The Prophet added, ‘We looked into it and found naked men and women, and behold, a flame of fire was reaching to them from underneath, and when it reached them, they cried loudly. I asked them, ‘Who are these?’ And those naked men and women whom you saw in a construction resembling an over, they are the adulterers and the adulteresses.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

That's the laws of cheating in Islamic marriage. 

Ways to Avoid Cheating

By now, Muslim must realize that cheating will cause heavy punishment to them. To avoid the punishment due to cheating, these are some things that Muslim can do:

• For women, covering the intimate parts while going outside the home and when there is a male guest coming over.
• Keep gaze away from the opposite gender.
• Increase spirituality and obedience to Allah which can keep away the temptation to cheat.
• Give affections to the significant other.
• If possible, do not meet a man who is a mahram when the husband is not at home. This can also serve as a way to avoid wrongful accusations by the neighbours.
• Avoid everything that is haram.
• Don’t tell secrets to anybody who is already married. Pouring your heart out to them will create sympathy which will then form an inappropriate, deeper feeling.
• Realise that there is a severe punishment for people who commit zina.
• Always be honest and respect oneself.

These are some helpful Ways to Make a Relationship Work after Cheating which can also save a marriage.

No matter what the reason is for the cheating, it is an act that is immoral. According to Islam, cheating is equivalent to zina. Married couples have the choice of following the orders of Allah or walk in the path of satan. Cheating is one of the things loved by satan because it reflects the bad nature of human.