65/24.1. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4745 — The Case of Mula'ana
The Statement of Allah the Exalted: "And for those who accuse their wives, but have no witnesses except themselves..." (V.24:6)
Hadith About Mula'ana and a Marital Accusation
Sahih Bukhari : 4745
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4745
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَوْزَاعِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي الزُّهْرِيُّ، عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، أَنَّ عُوَيْمِرًا، أَتَى عَاصِمَ بْنَ عَدِيٍّ وَكَانَ سَيِّدَ بَنِي عَجْلاَنَ فَقَالَ كَيْفَ تَقُولُونَ فِي رَجُلٍ وَجَدَ مَعَ امْرَأَتِهِ رَجُلاً، أَيَقْتُلُهُ فَتَقْتُلُونَهُ أَمْ كَيْفَ يَصْنَعُ سَلْ لِي رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَأَتَى عَاصِمٌ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، فَكَرِهَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْمَسَائِلَ، فَسَأَلَهُ عُوَيْمِرٌ فَقَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَرِهَ الْمَسَائِلَ وَعَابَهَا، قَالَ عُوَيْمِرٌ وَاللَّهِ لاَ أَنْتَهِي حَتَّى أَسْأَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَجَاءَ عُوَيْمِرٌ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ رَجُلٌ وَجَدَ مَعَ امْرَأَتِهِ رَجُلاً، أَيَقْتُلُهُ فَتَقْتُلُونَهُ أَمْ كَيْفَ يَصْنَعُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " قَدْ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ الْقُرْآنَ فِيكَ وَفِي صَاحِبَتِكَ ". فَأَمَرَهُمَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِالْمُلاَعَنَةِ بِمَا سَمَّى اللَّهُ فِي كِتَابِهِ، فَلاَعَنَهَا ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، إِنْ حَبَسْتُهَا فَقَدْ ظَلَمْتُهَا، فَطَلَّقَهَا، فَكَانَتْ سُنَّةً لِمَنْ كَانَ بَعْدَهُمَا فِي الْمُتَلاَعِنَيْنِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " انْظُرُوا فَإِنْ جَاءَتْ بِهِ أَسْحَمَ أَدْعَجَ الْعَيْنَيْنِ عَظِيمَ الأَلْيَتَيْنِ خَدَلَّجَ السَّاقَيْنِ فَلاَ أَحْسِبُ عُوَيْمِرًا إِلاَّ قَدْ صَدَقَ عَلَيْهَا، وَإِنْ جَاءَتْ بِهِ أُحَيْمِرَ كَأَنَّهُ وَحَرَةٌ فَلاَ أَحْسِبُ عُوَيْمِرًا، إِلاَّ قَدْ كَذَبَ عَلَيْهَا ". فَجَاءَتْ بِهِ عَلَى النَّعْتِ الَّذِي نَعَتَ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْ تَصْدِيقِ عُوَيْمِرٍ، فَكَانَ بَعْدُ يُنْسَبُ إِلَى أُمِّهِ.
Sahl bin Sa`d Narrated from:
'Uwaimir came to `Asim bin `Adi who was the chief of Bani Ajlan and said, "What do you say about a man who has found another man with his wife? Should he kill him whereupon you would kill him (i.e. the husband), or what should he do? Please ask Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) about this matter on my behalf."`Asim then went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! (And asked him that question) but Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) disliked the question," When 'Uwaimir asked `Asim (about the Prophet's answer) `Asim replied that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) disliked such questions and considered it shameful."Uwaimir then said, "By Allah, I will not give up asking unless I ask Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) about it." Uwaimir came (to the Prophet) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! A man has found another man with his wife! Should he kill him whereupon you would kill him (the husband, in Qisas) or what should he do?"Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Allah has revealed regarding you and your wife's case in the Qur'an "So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ordered them to perform the measures of Mula'ana according to what Allah had mentioned in His Book. So 'Uwaimir did Mula'ana with her and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! If I kept her I would oppress her." So 'Uwaimir divorced her and so divorce became a tradition after them for those who happened to be involved in a case of Mula'ana.Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) then said, "Look! If she (Uwaimir's wife) delivers a black child with deep black large eyes, big hips and fat legs, then I will be of the opinion that 'Uwaimir has spoken the truth; but if she delivers a red child looking like a Wahra then we will consider that 'Uwaimir has told a lie against her." Later on she delivered a child carrying the qualities which Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had mentioned as a proof for 'Uwaimir's claim; therefore the child was ascribed to its mother henceforth.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4745In-book reference : Book 65, Hadith 267USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 269
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4745
This hadith about Mula'ana describes the case of Uwaimir, who asked what a man should do if he found another man with his wife. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم disliked such questions at first, but Uwaimir insisted on asking directly. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم then said that Allah had revealed Qur’an concerning him and his wife. He ordered both spouses to perform Mula'ana according to what Allah mentioned in His Book. After the process, Uwaimir said that keeping her would be oppression, so he divorced her. The hadith also mentions that this became a practice for those involved in Mula'ana. Later, the child was described in a way that matched the Prophet’s statement, and the child was ascribed to the mother. The narration centers on law, restraint, and following revelation rather than acting in anger.
What we learn from this hadith
- A serious marital accusation was handled through the ruling Allah revealed.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم directed the spouses to Mula'ana instead of private revenge.
- Divorce followed in this case after the Mula'ana process.
- The child was later ascribed to the mother, as stated in the narration.
