Q: Is it permissible to marry a woman who has previously committted Zina (adultery)? At the time she was young and not married but felt very guilty for her actions. Would I be punishing myself for marrying someone of this nature?
A. It is permissible for a person who has repented from Zina to marry a chaste person. The third verse of Surah Noor “The adulterer marries not but an adulteress…” is not stating a law, but stating what generally happens. Zina is a social ill which corrupts the natural disposition of a person. The result is that such a corrupted person will usually seek out a partner (adulterer/adulteress) of the same disposition. He/she will not be content with a chaste person.
According to the Hadeeth, once a person repents from a sin, he/she is free from that sin.
Thus, a person who has repented may marry a chaste partner.
(For further elaboration: Surah Noor, Tafseer Ma’aariful Qur’aan)