Terrible Sin During Ramadan

Question:

A brother committed zina in Ramadan. He believes that his fast is ruined, though the act was committed during the night. What can he do to obtain Allah ta Ala’s forgiveness ?

Response:

He should resolve not to return to zina. Zina does not invalidate one’s Ramadan even if it is done during the day of the fast. One will simply have to make up the day and do an atonement of feeding 60 indigent people at 0.56 grams of the most commonly consumed grain of the town.

Follow up-Question:

And what should he do not to lose hope in being forgiven? The brother has always had issues being with women since becoming Muslim and that is one hurdle he continues to struggle with. Do you have any advice?

Response:
Remind him that Allah forgives every sin except for shirk. Even if a person’s sins were to reach the heaven in number, and then he asks
forgiveness, Allah will forgive him. The important thing is the effort. If he is overcome by weakness, let him continue to repent each
time, but he should never plan to do something with the intention of making tawba afterwards before he is even overcome by weakness.

And Allah knows best

Shaykh Abdullah Bin Hamid Ali