Question:
Last Ramadan, I was raped by a work colleague and the sanctity of this day was violated despite my best efforts. So, am I required to offer expiation or just make up for this day? Please advise.
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger.
If you were really raped as you mentioned, then you are not required to offer expiation or make up for that day, as the Prophet said: “Allah pardons my Ummah [nation] for what they commit by mistake, or because of forgetfulness as well as what they were forced to commit.”
Although some scholars judged this Hadeeth as weak, its meaning is in accordance with the overall rules of the Sharee‘ah and Al-Albaani judged it as Saheeh (authentic) based on its various narrations.
Nevertheless, coercion must be valid under Sharee‘ah, such as threatening with killing and unbearable harm. Thus, if the coercion was invalid, you must sincerely repent to Allah The Almighty and make up for this day. As for expiation, scholars held different opinions whether the woman, with whom someone had sexual intercourse during a day of Ramadan, must offer expiation or not, and we chose the opinion that she is not required to offer it.
Finally, you should know that what happened to you is one of the countless evil consequences that have resulted from the woman’s working without observing the Sharee‘ah regulations and refraining from intermixing with men and being with them in seclusion.
Hence, you and all Muslim women must learn from this incident how to make adherence to chastity and modesty your top priority.
We supplicate Allah The Almighty to cover our misdeeds and the misdeeds of all Muslims, and to protect our families and all Muslims from deviation.
Allah Knows best.