Q: I am a married man. My wife lives in my home country while I work in Brazil to sustain my family and pay for the education of my children. However, I committed Zina (sexual intercourse outside marriage) here. I performed Tawbah (repentance to Allah) and regretted it later. Is this enough, or should the Hadd (ordained punishment for violating Allah’s Law) be administered to me? Please advise, may Allah have mercy upon you.

A: Undoubtedly, Zina is one of the gravest sins. The means leading to it are women who wear immodest clothes, mixing between men and women who are non-Mahrams (not a spouse or an unmarriageable relative), degradation of morals and corruption of the surrounding environment in general. If you committed Zina due to being away from your wife and mixing with corrupt people, then regretted your crime and performed sincere Tawbah, may Allah accept your Tawbah and forgive your sins, according to His saying, And those who invoke not any other ilâh (god) along with Allâh, nor kill such person as Allâh has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse - and whoever does this shall receive the punishment. The torment will be doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace; Except those who repent and believe (in Islâmic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds; for those, Allâh will change their sins into good deeds, and Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. It was authentically reported from `Ubadah ibn (Part No. 22; Page No. 42) Al-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) in the Hadith of the Bay`ah (pledge of allegiance) made by women that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, Whoever among you fulfills his pledge will receive their reward from Allah; whoever commits any of those sins and receives the legal punishment (in this life), their punishment will be a Kaffarah (expiation) for that sin; and whoever commits any of those sins and Allah conceals them, it is up to Allah to punish or forgive them. However, you should leave the corrupt environment that encourages you to commit sins, and seek your livelihood elsewhere in a less corrupt country, to protect your religion. Allah's land is spacious, and there must be a country where a person can sustain himself. Whoever fears Allah and keeps their duty to Him, He will make a way for them to get out (from every difficulty); and He will provide for them from sources they could never imagine.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.