QUESTION

How do the Muslims deal with a man who sexually abused his 10 year old step-daughter? He admitted to it verbally and in writing, so his wife was granted a khula'. How should the Muslims in America interact with him in general, and specifically what are his rights over the children, and what are his children's rights over him?

ANSWER by Shaykh Wasee Allaah 'Abbaas, lecturer at the Ka'bah, instructor at Umm Al-Quraa University in Makkah

If this man repents and then behaves righteously, then the Muslims must deal with him in a good manner. [1] The rights of his children, including his step-daughter, are still to be observed. Their rights are not to be taken away.

The woman is the one who must stay away from him, and she may not have any kind of relationship with him.

FOOTNOTES

[1] It was asked, "Concerning the man who admitted to sexually abusing his step-daughter, is this not considered adultry? I had always assumed that the punishment for rape/incest was death as for the fornicator."

It is important to note that this answer is about a specific situation in a non-Muslim land where the Muslims do not have the ability to apply the appropriate Islaamic punishments. So it should be known that the shaykh is not seeking to change the Sharee'ah or cancel any of its rulings. This is merely his advice for the Muslims in the absence of an Islaamic court.

SOURCE

This was translated exclusively for www.bakkah.net from a handwritten answer provided by the shaykh, file no. AAWA028, dated 1423/7/20.

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