Why Hide Others' Adultery When It Is A Crime
All crimes are proved on the basis of circumstantial evidence, while adultery, to be proven as a crime, has a requirement of four witnesses in Islam–which if not present–no circumstancial evidence can compensate for that and may also in return result in punishment of ‘ Qadhf ‘ for the individual reporting it. That is why this distinction remains between the two.
Ok, so it means that it in itself is not a crime but a major sin. But if a believing Muslim get indulged in that then from God for the purpose of purification a punishment will be given. Can this be said? But if that’s right then this causes confusion that a thing which in it’s nature is a major sin but not a crime, on the basis of external factors (or requirement of four witnesses) becomes a crime. Like thing in it’s nature is a sin but why does it become a crime because of some external factor?