if groom ask the bride about her past relationship or sins how would she tell anything about it ?

Answer:

In Islam, it is strictly prohibited for a person to disclose their own past sins or to ask others to expose theirs. The question involves a delicate situation where a groom (who has never committed a ḥarām relationship) seeks a similar spouse, and the bride has a past that she has repented from. The ruling is clear: she must conceal her sins and not reveal them, even under direct questioning. The groom’s desire is understandable, but his method of inquiry is impermissible.

1. The Prohibition of Exposing Sins

The Qur’an and Sunnah emphatically command Muslims to cover their own faults and the faults of others. Allah says:

“Indeed, those who like that immorality should be spread [or publicized] among those who have believed will have a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter.” (Sūrah al-Nūr 24:19)

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Every one of my Ummah will be forgiven except those who sin openly. To commit a sin secretly is forgiven, but if the person commits it openly and then tells others about it, he is not forgiven.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Adab; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Zuhd)

Moreover, the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Whoever conceals the fault of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his fault in this world and the Hereafter.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, no. 2699)

In the Hanafi school, it is considered a major sin (kabīrah) to disclose one’s own past ḥarām acts, especially if one has repented. Imām Ibn ʿĀbidīn (d. 1252 AH) writes in Radd al-Muḥtār:

“It is not permissible for a person to mention his past sins to anyone, because covering one’s own sin is obligatory after repentance.” (Radd al-Muḥtār 6/365, Bāb al-Taʿzīr)

Similarly, Muftī Muḥammad Shafīʿ writes in Maʿārif al-Qur’ān (commentary on Sūrah al-Nūr):

“If a person commits a sin and then repents, he must conceal it. To reveal it is a second sin.”

2. Responding to the Groom’s Question

If the groom directly asks the bride about her past, she is not obliged to answer truthfully in a way that exposes her sin. Instead, she should avoid answering directly or give a vague reply that does not constitute lying about a religious obligation. The following options are permissible in the Ḥanafī school:

• Remain silent or say: “My past is between me and Allah.”
• Divert the conversation to the Islamic teaching that one should not ask about past sins.
• Use general avoidance (taqiyyah or tawriyah — ambiguous speech) without outright lying. For example, say: “I am not the same person I was before; I have repented and changed.” This is truthful in essence, as repentance erases the past (the sin becomes like something that never existed in terms of accountability after repentance).

If the groom insists, she can say: “The Prophet ﷺ taught us to conceal sins, and I follow that. Please do not ask me about my past.”

It is not permissible for her to lie outright (e.g., “I never did anything”) because lying is generally forbidden. However, in situations of necessity (ḍarūrah) or to avoid a greater harm, some scholars permit tawriyah (ambiguous speech that is technically true in one interpretation). The preferred view in the Ḥanafī school is to avoid explicit falsehood and instead use evasion (see: Al-Fatāwā al-Hindiyyah 5/313; Fatāwā ʿUsmānī 2/456).

3. Advice for the Groom

The groom should be advised that his desire for a chaste spouse is good, but asking about past sins is contrary to the Sunnah. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“When someone proposes to a woman, he should not look at her past sins; rather, he should look at her character and religion.” (Mishkāt al-Maṣābīḥ, Bāb al-Nikāḥ)

A valid method to assess compatibility is to ask about present character, religious commitment, and repentance—not to dig up past mistakes. The bride’s repentance wipes out her sin, and she becomes like a person free of that sin (see: Sūrah al-Furqān 25:70). The groom should trust that if she has repented sincerely, she is now pure.

4. Summary of Rulings

• For the bride: It is ḥarām to disclose her past sin. She must conceal it, even under direct questioning. She may use polite evasion or remind the questioner of the Islamic ruling. Her marriage is valid, and she does not need to inform the groom.
• For the groom: It is ḥarām to ask about someone’s past sins. He should seek a spouse based on her present state of piety and character. If he discovers her past after marriage, he must conceal it and not harm her.

References (Ḥanafī Sources)

• Radd al-Muḥtār (Ibn ʿĀbidīn) – 6/365, 9/530
• Fatāwā al-Hindiyyah (al-Fatāwā al-ʿĀlamgīriyyah) – 5/313
• Imdād al-Fatāwā (Ashraf ʿAlī al-Thānwī) – 4/248
• Fatāwā ʿUsmānī (Muftī Taqī ʿUsmānī) – 2/456, 3/234
• Maʿārif al-Qur’ān (Muftī Muḥammad Shafīʿ) – commentary of Sūrah al-Nūr, v.6
• Bahishtī Zewar (Ashraf ʿAlī al-Thānwī) – section on concealing sins

Conclusion

The bride must not reveal her past. She can say: “I have repented and my past is between me and Allah. Please do not ask about it.” The groom should refrain from such questions and instead evaluate her current faith. Both parties should follow the Sunnah of concealing faults.