Hadith #586

Arabic Text

English Translation

Yazid narrated to us, 'Abbad ibn Mansur informed us, from 'Ikrimah, from Ibn 'Abbas (رضي الله عنهما), who said: When the verse was revealed: {And those who accuse chaste women then do not produce four witnesses, flog them with eighty lashes and do not accept their testimony ever} [24:4], Sa'd ibn 'Ubadah, the chief of the Ansar, said: "Was it revealed like this, O Messenger of Allah?" the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "O assembly of the Ansar! Do you not hear what your chief says?" They said: "O Messenger of Allah, do not blame him, for he is a jealous man. By Allah, he never married any woman except a virgin, and he never divorced a wife of his, and none of us dared to marry her because of the intensity of his jealousy." Sa'd said: "By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, I know that it is true and that it is from Allah Most High, but I was amazed that if I found a wicked woman with a man having intercourse with her, I would not be able to disturb or move him until I brought four witnesses. By Allah, I would not bring them until he had finished his need." It was not long before Hilal ibn Umayyah came — he was one of the three whose repentance was accepted — and he came from his land at night and found a man with his wife. He saw with his own eyes and heard with his own ears, but did not disturb him until morning. He went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the morning and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I came to my wife at night and found a man with her. I saw with my own eyes and heard with my own ears." the Messenger of Allah ﷺ disliked what he brought and it weighed heavily upon him. The Ansar gathered and said: "We have been tested with what Sa'd ibn 'Ubadah said. Now the Messenger of Allah ﷺ will flog Hilal ibn Umayyah and invalidate his testimony among the Muslims." Hilal said: "By Allah, I hope that Allah will make a way out for me." Hilal said: "O Messenger of Allah, I see how distressed you are by what I have brought. Allah knows that I am truthful." By Allah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was about to order his flogging when Allah sent down revelation upon him. When revelation descended upon him, they recognized it by the change in his skin color, so they left him until the revelation was complete. Then the verse was revealed: {And those who accuse their wives and have no witnesses except themselves, then the testimony of one of them shall be four testimonies by Allah that he is indeed among the truthful} [24:6-9]. the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was relieved and said: "Rejoice, O Hilal! Allah has made a way out and relief for you." Hilal said: "I had hoped for that from my Lord عز وجل." the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Send for her," so they sent for her and she came. He recited the verses to both of them, reminded them, and informed them that the punishment of the Hereafter is more severe than the punishment of this world. Hilal said: "By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, I have spoken the truth about her." She said: "He lied." the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Carry out the li'an between them." Hilal was told: "Testify," and he testified four times by Allah that he was among the truthful. When it came to the fifth, he was told: "O Hilal, fear Allah, for the punishment of this world is lighter than that of the Hereafter, and this is the decisive oath that will necessitate punishment upon you." He said: "By Allah, Allah will not punish me for this just as He did not flog me for it." So he testified in the fifth oath that the curse of Allah be upon him if he was among the liars. Then she was told to testify four times by Allah that he was among the liars. When it came to the fifth, she was told: "Fear Allah, for the punishment of this world is lighter than that of the Hereafter, and this is the decisive oath that will necessitate punishment upon you." She hesitated for a moment, then said: "By Allah, I will not disgrace my people." So she testified in the fifth oath that the wrath of Allah be upon her if he was among the truthful. the Messenger of Allah ﷺ separated between them and ruled that the child was not to be attributed to any father, that she was not to be accused because of the child, nor was the child to be accused, and whoever accused her or her child would receive the hadd punishment. He ruled that she had no right to housing or maintenance from him, because they were separating without divorce and without her being widowed. He said: "If she gives birth to a reddish, slightly built child with thin legs, then he is Hilal's; and if she gives birth to a dark-skinned, curly-haired, large-bodied child with thick legs and full buttocks, then he is of the one she was accused with." She gave birth to a dark-skinned, curly-haired, large-bodied child with thick legs and full buttocks. the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Were it not for the oaths, I would have had a matter to settle with her." 'Ikrimah said: He later became a governor over Egypt, and was attributed to his mother, not called by his father's name.