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What is the Sharia ruling on someone who falsely accuses an innocent young man of sodomy with the intention of tarnishing his reputation and gaining the admiration of women? Is he considered an accomplice in his killing if his family decides to kill him based on this accusation? And is accusing an individual of acts preliminary to sodomy comparable to accusing him of sodomy itself? How can one repent from such an act and rectify the harm caused? And is one held accountable for evil thoughts that have not yet been acted upon?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

You have committed a great sin by slandering an innocent man, and you must repent sincerely by seeking his forgiveness, disavowing your own words, and proclaiming his innocence. Feigning piety for people is a sin that necessitates repentance. You must strive for Allah's pleasure, for people's affection is by His permission and comes through righteous deeds, whereas slandering them brings the Creator's wrath and the creatures' hatred. Informing someone that a young man is receptive is not slander (qadhf) unless you intend to insinuate sodomy. The Hadd (prescribed punishment) is implemented by those in authority, not by individuals. If the young man was unjustly killed or harmed because of your falsehood, then you bear a share of the sin due to your causation. Beware of returning to such acts, for the Hadith about Allah overlooking whispers of the self is not absolute. Your question reveals envy of handsome young men, which is a fruit of weak conviction and lack of contentment. Its cure lies in striving against the self and not transgressing against Allah's creation.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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