93/39. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 7194 — Fair Judgment in a Zina Case
To send one man only to manage certain affairs
Hadith About Fair Judgment in a Zina Case
Sahih Bukhari : 7194
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 7194
حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الزُّهْرِيُّ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، وَزَيْدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ الْجُهَنِيِّ، قَالاَ جَاءَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ اقْضِ بَيْنَنَا بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَقَامَ خَصْمُهُ فَقَالَ صَدَقَ فَاقْضِ بَيْنَنَا بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ. فَقَالَ الأَعْرَابِيُّ إِنَّ ابْنِي كَانَ عَسِيفًا عَلَى هَذَا فَزَنَى بِامْرَأَتِهِ، فَقَالُوا لِي عَلَى ابْنِكَ الرَّجْمُ. فَفَدَيْتُ ابْنِي مِنْهُ بِمِائَةٍ مِنَ الْغَنَمِ وَوَلِيدَةٍ، ثُمَّ سَأَلْتُ أَهْلَ الْعِلْمِ فَقَالُوا إِنَّمَا عَلَى ابْنِكَ جَلْدُ مِائَةٍ وَتَغْرِيبُ عَامٍ. فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لأَقْضِيَنَّ بَيْنَكُمَا بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ، أَمَّا الْوَلِيدَةُ وَالْغَنَمُ فَرَدٌّ عَلَيْكَ، وَعَلَى ابْنِكَ جَلْدُ مِائَةٍ وَتَغْرِيبُ عَامٍ، وَأَمَّا أَنْتَ يَا أُنَيْسُ ـ لِرَجُلٍ ـ فَاغْدُ عَلَى امْرَأَةِ هَذَا فَارْجُمْهَا ". فَغَدَا عَلَيْهَا أُنَيْسٌ فَرَجَمَهَا.
Abu Huraira and Zaid bin Khalid Al-Juhani Narrated from:
A bedouin came and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Judge between us according to Allah's Book (Laws)." His opponent stood up and said, "He has said the truth, so judge between us according to Allah's Laws." The bedouin said, "My son was a laborer for this man and committed illegal sexual intercourse with his wife. The people said to me, 'Your son is to be stoned to death,' so I ransomed my son for one hundred sheep and a slave girl. Then I asked the religious learned men and they said to me, 'Your son has to receive one hundred lashes plus one year of exile.' "The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I shall judge between you according to Allah's Book (Laws)! As for the slave girl and the sheep, it shall be returned to you, and your son shall receive one-hundred lashes and be exiled for one year. O you, Unais!" The Prophet (ﷺ) addressed some man, "Go in the morning to the wife of this man and stone her to death." So Unais went to her the next morning and stoned her to death.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 7193, 7194In-book reference : Book 93, Hadith 55USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 9, Book 89, Hadith 303
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 7194
This hadith about fair judgment repeats the case of a Bedouin whose son committed illegal sexual intercourse with another man's wife. The Bedouin first paid one hundred sheep and a slave girl as ransom after being told that his son faced stoning. He later asked learned people and was told a different ruling for his son. When the case came before the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, both sides asked for judgment by Allah's Book. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم returned the sheep and slave girl, ruled that the son receive one hundred lashes and exile for one year, and gave an order concerning the woman. The hadith teaches that each case must be judged correctly and that property taken by a wrong settlement should be returned.
What we learn from this hadith
- A judge must separate the details of a case before ruling.
- A wrong ransom or settlement should not stand.
- Seeking knowledge can correct a mistaken understanding.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم judged the matter according to Allah's Book.
