on the basis of confession. (1) Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “From the dawn of Islam until his own time, fornication has not been established through testimony; rather, it has only been established through confession, because testimony is difficult, as will become clear, if Allah wills.”

As for the rational basis, a person would not confess against himself to something that stains his honour and entails his punishment unless that were indeed the case.

Thus, establishing fornication through confession has three proofs: the Quran, the sunnah, and sound reasoning.

His statement: “that he confesses to it four times.” These are the conditions of confession: he must confess four times, saying, “I committed fornication,” then saying, “I committed fornication,” then saying, “I committed fornication,” and then saying, “I committed fornication.” The evidence for this is textual evidence and analogy. As for the textual evidence, the Prophet ﷺ did not carry out the prescribed punishment upon Ma'iz ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) until he had confessed four times. He would come and confess, and the Messenger ﷺ would turn away from him, until he had confessed four times. Once he had confessed four times, he said: “Stone him.” (2)

As for analogy: fornication is established only by the testimony of four men, as Allah, Most High, says:

“Why did they not produce four witnesses to it? Since they did not produce the witnesses, then before Allah they are the liars.” [Quran 24:13]

Since it is established only by four witnesses, confession is analogized to it; thus, it is established only by a confession made four times.

As for rational consideration: fornication is an atrocity and a grave matter, and a person should not be accused of it without further verification; this is achieved by repeating the confession four times;