My husband was on a trip in a foreign country and during his stay at the hotel he had a massage in his room and the woman who did the massage also masturbated him with her hands. Is this considered Zina? How can he make repentance? Should I trust him again?

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.

Masturbation by a Non-Mahram Woman (i.e. by other than the wife) is forbidden; whoever does so commits a clear sin. It is a kind of Zina (fornication or adultery) but it does not cause a Hadd (specific retributive punishment in the Sharee’ah).

Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said: “Allah has decreed for every son of Aadam his share of Zina which he will inevitably commit. The Zina of the eyes is (unlawful) looking, the Zina of the ears is (unlawful) listening, the Zina of the tongue is (unlawful) speech, the Zina of the hand is (unlawful) gripping, the Zina of the leg is walking (to places where a person intends to commit immorality), the heart yearns and desires, and the (person through his) private parts may or may not put that (desire) to effect.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Therefore, your husband has to make sincere repentance from what he has committed. Allah is Merciful and forgives His sincere Slaves.

Allah Says (what means):

• {Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful."} [Quran 39:53]

• {And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed], except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever should do that will meet a penalty. Multiplied for him is the punishment on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein humiliated - Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 25: 68-70]

The conditions of a true repentance are giving up the sin, feeling deep sorrow for the violation of the Commandments of Allah and firmly deciding not to return to it again.

Allah Says (what means): {And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds.} [Quran 11:114]

However, your husband's sin does not permit you to disobey him or mistrust him since Allah accepts the repentance of His Slaves who repent to Him.

Allah knows best.