According to Islamic Penal Law, whoever commits fornication (zina) while being sane, adult, in possession of free will and single (someone who has never been married and had sexual intercourse before), he or she must be lashed 100 times and deported from the local area for one year, provided that the application of this system of punishment is the sole right and duty of the Muslim state (should one exist); individuals are not authorized to implement it.

Widows, divorcés, and ex-married people are not considered single in Islamic law. Adultery (not fornication in this case) is penalized by stoning the criminal (male or female) until death.