I am a 19-year-old woman. I got to know a young man with whom I committed sexual acts but I am still a virgin. Later Allaah guided me and I became very close to Him, so I decided to leave this young man. However, he loves me very much and wants to marry me, and I know that he has become a very religious man. At the same time, another righteous young man wants to propose to me. Should I accept the first young man because of what happened between us, or shall I accept the other and start a new and pure life with him after Allaah has guided me without telling him about my past?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

First, you have to repent sincerely to Allaah The Almighty from your previous unlawful relationship with that man. Also, you must intensely ask for the forgiveness of Allaah The Almighty and perform many good deeds, in the hope that Allaah The Almighty might accept your repentance and forgive your sin.

As for the first young man, if you feel that he has sincerely repented to Allaah The Almighty and regrets his sin and wants to marry you, we advise you to accept him and not the other, since this is better in terms of keeping your sin concealed and preserving your honor.

On the other hand, if you do not marry him and decide to accept the other man, you should not tell him about your past or disclose yourself and benefit from the protective concealment that Allaah The Almighty has granted you, for the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Whoever commits any of these sins should benefit from the protective concealment that Allaah The Almighty has granted him.” [Al-Haakim]

Allaah Knows best.