65/24.3. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4747 — Proof, Oaths, and Repentance
"But it shall avert the punishment (of stoning to death) from her..." (V.24:8)
Hadith About Mula'ana, Proof, and the Call to Repent
Sahih Bukhari : 4747
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4747
حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عَدِيٍّ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ حَسَّانَ، حَدَّثَنَا عِكْرِمَةُ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ هِلاَلَ بْنَ أُمَيَّةَ، قَذَفَ امْرَأَتَهُ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِشَرِيكِ بْنِ سَحْمَاءَ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " الْبَيِّنَةَ أَوْ حَدٌّ فِي ظَهْرِكَ ". فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِذَا رَأَى أَحَدُنَا عَلَى امْرَأَتِهِ رَجُلاً يَنْطَلِقُ يَلْتَمِسُ الْبَيِّنَةَ. فَجَعَلَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " الْبَيِّنَةَ وَإِلاَّ حَدٌّ فِي ظَهْرِكَ " فَقَالَ هِلاَلٌ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ إِنِّي لَصَادِقٌ، فَلَيُنْزِلَنَّ اللَّهُ مَا يُبَرِّئُ ظَهْرِي مِنَ الْحَدِّ، فَنَزَلَ جِبْرِيلُ، وَأَنْزَلَ عَلَيْهِ {وَالَّذِينَ يَرْمُونَ أَزْوَاجَهُمْ} فَقَرَأَ حَتَّى بَلَغَ {إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ} فَانْصَرَفَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهَا فَجَاءَ هِلاَلٌ، فَشَهِدَ، وَالنَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّ أَحَدَكُمَا كَاذِبٌ فَهَلْ مِنْكُمَا تَائِبٌ ". ثُمَّ قَامَتْ فَشَهِدَتْ فَلَمَّا كَانَتْ عِنْدَ الْخَامِسَةِ وَقَّفُوهَا، وَقَالُوا إِنَّهَا مُوجِبَةٌ. قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ فَتَلَكَّأَتْ وَنَكَصَتْ حَتَّى ظَنَنَّا أَنَّهَا تَرْجِعُ ثُمَّ قَالَتْ لاَ أَفْضَحُ قَوْمِي سَائِرَ الْيَوْمِ، فَمَضَتْ. فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَبْصِرُوهَا فَإِنْ جَاءَتْ بِهِ أَكْحَلَ الْعَيْنَيْنِ سَابِغَ الأَلْيَتَيْنِ خَدَلَّجَ السَّاقَيْنِ، فَهْوَ لِشَرِيكِ بْنِ سَحْمَاءَ ". فَجَاءَتْ بِهِ كَذَلِكَ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لَوْلاَ مَا مَضَى مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ لَكَانَ لِي وَلَهَا شَأْنٌ ".
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
Hilal bin Umaiya accused his wife of committing illegal sexual intercourse with Sharik bin Sahma' and filed the case before the Prophet. The Prophet (ﷺ) said (to Hilal), "Either you bring forth a proof (four witnesses) or you will receive the legal punishment (lashes) on your back."Hilal said, "O Allah's Apostle! If anyone of us saw a man over his wife, would he go to seek after witnesses?" The Prophet (ﷺ) kept on saying, "Either you bring forth the witnesses or you will receive the legal punishment (lashes) on your back." Hilal then said, "By Him Who sent you with the Truth, I am telling the truth and Allah will reveal to you what will save my back from legal punishment."Then Gabriel came down and revealed to him:-- 'As for those who accuse their wives...' (24.6-9)The Prophet (ﷺ) recited it till he reached: '... (her accuser) is telling the truth.' Then the Prophet (ﷺ) left and sent for the woman, and Hilal went (and brought) her and then took the oaths (confirming the claim). The Prophet (ﷺ) was saying, "Allah knows that one of you is a liar, so will any of you repent?" Then the woman got up and took the oaths and when she was going to take the fifth one, the people stopped her and said, "It (the fifth oath) will definitely bring Allah's curse on you (if you are guilty)." So she hesitated and recoiled (from taking the oath) so much that we thought that she would withdraw her denial. But then she said, "I will not dishonor my family all through these days," and carried on (the process of taking oaths). The Prophet (ﷺ) then said, "Watch her; if she delivers a black-eyed child with big hips and fat shins then it is Sharik bin Sahma's child." Later she delivered a child of that description. So the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If the case was not settled by Allah's Law, I would punish her severely."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4747In-book reference : Book 65, Hadith 269USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 271
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4747
This hadith about Mula'ana begins with Hilal bin Umaiya accusing his wife before the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم told him to bring proof, meaning witnesses, or face legal punishment. Hilal insisted he was truthful and said Allah would reveal what would save him from the punishment. Then Jibril came with the verses about those who accuse their wives. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم recited them and called the woman. Hilal gave his oaths, and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that Allah knew one of them was lying, asking whether either would repent. The woman also gave her oaths, hesitating before the fifth one, then continued. The narration ends with the child matching the description given and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم saying that, had Allah’s law not already settled the case, he would have acted against her. The hadith stresses proof, oaths, and Allah’s knowledge.
What we learn from this hadith
- A serious accusation required proof or legal consequence.
- The verses of Mula'ana provided a revealed process for this case.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم reminded both parties that Allah knew who was lying.
- The call to repent was made during the process.
