19/1. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1493a — Li'an and Separation
Chapter
Li'an in Islam: Oaths, Truth, and Separation
Sahih Muslim : 1493a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1493a
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي ح، وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ - حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ أَبِي سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ، جُبَيْرٍ قَالَ سُئِلْتُ عَنِ الْمُتَلاَعِنَيْنِ، فِي إِمْرَةِ مُصْعَبٍ أَيُفَرَّقُ بَيْنَهُمَا قَالَ فَمَا دَرَيْتُ مَا أَقُولُ فَمَضَيْتُ إِلَى مَنْزِلِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ بِمَكَّةَ فَقُلْتُ لِلْغُلاَمِ اسْتَأْذِنْ لِي . قَالَ إِنَّهُ قَائِلٌ فَسَمِعَ صَوْتِي . قَالَ ابْنُ جُبَيْرٍ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ . قَالَ ادْخُلْ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا جَاءَ بِكَ هَذِهِ السَّاعَةَ إِلاَّ حَاجَةٌ فَدَخَلْتُ فَإِذَا هُوَ مُفْتَرِشٌ بَرْذَعَةً مُتَوَسِّدٌ وِسَادَةً حَشْوُهَا لِيفٌ قُلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْمُتَلاَعِنَانِ أَيُفَرَّقُ بَيْنَهُمَا قَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ نَعَمْ إِنَّ أَوَّلَ مَنْ سَأَلَ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فُلاَنُ بْنُ فُلاَنٍ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ أَنْ لَوْ وَجَدَ أَحَدُنَا امْرَأَتَهُ عَلَى فَاحِشَةٍ كَيْفَ يَصْنَعُ إِنْ تَكَلَّمَ تَكَلَّمَ بِأَمْرٍ عَظِيمٍ . وَإِنْ سَكَتَ سَكَتَ عَلَى مِثْلِ ذَلِكَ قَالَ فَسَكَتَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلَمْ يُجِبْهُ فَلَمَّا كَانَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ أَتَاهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الَّذِي سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْهُ قَدِ ابْتُلِيتُ بِهِ . فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ هَؤُلاَءِ الآيَاتِ فِي سُورَةِ النُّورِ { وَالَّذِينَ يَرْمُونَ أَزْوَاجَهُمْ} فَتَلاَهُنَّ عَلَيْهِ وَوَعَظَهُ وَذَكَّرَهُ وَأَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ عَذَابَ الدُّنْيَا أَهْوَنُ مِنْ عَذَابِ الآخِرَةِ قَالَ لاَ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ مَا كَذَبْتُ عَلَيْهَا . ثُمَّ دَعَاهَا فَوَعَظَهَا وَذَكَّرَهَا وَأَخْبَرَهَا أَنَّ عَذَابَ الدُّنْيَا أَهْوَنُ مِنْ عَذَابِ الآخِرَةِ . قَالَتْ لاَ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ إِنَّهُ لَكَاذِبٌ فَبَدَأَ بِالرَّجُلِ فَشَهِدَ أَرْبَعَ شَهَادَاتٍ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ وَالْخَامِسَةُ أَنَّ لَعْنَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ ثُمَّ ثَنَّى بِالْمَرْأَةِ فَشَهِدَتْ أَرْبَعَ شَهَادَاتٍ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ وَالْخَامِسَةُ أَنَّ غَضَبَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ ثُمَّ فَرَّقَ بَيْنَهُمَا.
Sa'id b Jubair reported: I was asked about the invokers of curses during the reign of Mus'ab (b. Zubair) whether they could separate (themselves by this process). He said: I did not understand what to say. So I went to the house of Ibn 'Umar (Allah be pleased with them) in Mecca. I said to his servant: Seek permission for Me. He said that he (Ibn 'Umar) had been taking rest. He (Ibn 'Umar) heard my voice. and said: Are you Ibn Jubair? I said: Yes. He'said: Come in. By Allah, it must be some (great) need which has brought you here at this Hour. So I got in and found him lying on a blanket reclining against a pillow stuffed with fibres of date-palm. I said: O Abu'Abd al-Rahman, should there be separation between the invokers of curses? He said: Hallowed be Allah, yes, The first one who asked about it was so and so. he said: Messenger of Allah, tell me If one of us finds his wife committing adultery: what should he do? If he talks, that is something great, and if he keeps quiet that is also (something great) (which he cannot afford to do). Allah's Prophet (ﷺ) kept quiet (or some time). After some time he (that very person) came to him (Allah's Messenger) and said: I have been involved in that very cage about which I had asked you Allah the Exalted and Majestic then revealed (these) verses of Surah Nur:" Those who accuse their wives" (verse 6), and he (the Holy Prophet) recited them to him and admonished him, and exhorted him and informed him that the torment of the world is less painful than the torment of the Hereafter. He said: No, by Him Who sent you with Truth, I did not tell a lie against her. He (the Holy Prophet) then called her (the wife of that person who had accused her) and admonished her, and exhorted her, and informed her that the torment of this world is less painful than the torment of the Hereafter. She said: No, by Him Who sent thee with Truth, he is a liar. (it was) the man who started the swearing of oath and he swore in the name of Allah four times that he was among the truthful. and at the fifth turn he said: Let there be curse of Allah upon him if he were among the liars. Then the woman was called and she swore four times in the name of Allah that he (her husband) was among the liars, and at the fifth time (she said): Let there be curse upon her if he were among the truthful. He (the Holy Prophet) then effected separation between the two.
[1] An-Nûr 24:6-9.Reference : Sahih Muslim 1493aIn-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 4USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 9, Hadith 3556
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1493a
This Hadith explains li'an in Islam through the question of Sa'id b. Jubair to Ibn 'Umar. The main issue is whether a husband and wife who invoke curses against each other are separated. Ibn 'Umar answered clearly that they are. The report then describes how the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) dealt with a case where a man accused his wife and both sides denied lying. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) reminded each of them that the punishment of this world is lighter than the punishment of the Hereafter. Then the man swore four times that he was truthful and invoked Allah's curse if he was lying. The woman also swore four times and invoked Allah's anger if he was truthful. After this process, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) separated them.
What we learn from this hadith
- Serious accusations in marriage must not be handled with anger or loose speech.
- Both husband and wife were warned to fear the punishment of the Hereafter before taking oaths.
- Li'an involves solemn testimony before Allah, not casual claims.
- After the mutual oaths, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) effected separation between the spouses.
