19/1. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1497a — Li'an and Clear Evidence
Chapter
Li'an and Evidence: No Punishment Without Proof
Sahih Muslim : 1497a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1497a
وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رُمْحِ بْنِ الْمُهَاجِرِ، وَعِيسَى بْنُ حَمَّادٍ الْمِصْرِيَّانِ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لاِبْنِ رُمْحٍ - قَالاَ أَخْبَرَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ، عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ، بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ ذُكِرَ التَّلاَعُنُ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ عَاصِمُ بْنُ عَدِيٍّ فِي ذَلِكَ قَوْلاً ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ فَأَتَاهُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ يَشْكُو إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ وَجَدَ مَعَ أَهْلِهِ رَجُلاً . فَقَالَ عَاصِمٌ مَا ابْتُلِيتُ بِهَذَا إِلاَّ لِقَوْلِي فَذَهَبَ بِهِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَخْبَرَهُ بِالَّذِي وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ امْرَأَتَهُ وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلُ مُصْفَرًّا قَلِيلَ اللَّحْمِ سَبِطَ الشَّعَرِ وَكَانَ الَّذِي ادَّعَى عَلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ وَجَدَ عِنْدَ أَهْلِهِ خَدْلاً آدَمَ كَثِيرَ اللَّحْمِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " اللَّهُمَّ بَيِّنْ " . فَوَضَعَتْ شَبِيهًا بِالرَّجُلِ الَّذِي ذَكَرَ زَوْجُهَا أَنَّهُ وَجَدَهُ عِنْدَهَا فَلاَعَنَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَيْنَهُمَا فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ لاِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ فِي الْمَجْلِسِ أَهِيَ الَّتِي قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لَوْ رَجَمْتُ أَحَدًا بِغَيْرِ بَيِّنَةٍ رَجَمْتُ هَذِهِ " . فَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ لاَ تِلْكَ امْرَأَةٌ كَانَتْ تُظْهِرُ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ السُّوءَ .
Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) reported: Mention was made of li'an in the presence of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). And Asim b. 'Adi passed a remark about it and then turned away, and a man of his tribe came to him complaining that he had found a man with his wife, whereupon 'Asim said: I have been taken by my words. He took him to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and told him about the man whom he had found with his wife and this man was a lean, yellow-coloured man with lank hair, and the person who was accused of committing adultery with her (his wife) had fleshy shanks, with wheat complexion and heavy bulk. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: O Allah, make (this case) manifest. And as she gave birth to a child, whose face resembled that person about whom her husband had made mention that he had found her with, and Allah's Messenger (may peace be, upon him) had asked them to invoke curses. A person said to Ibn 'Abbas (Allah be pleased with him): Is she (that woman) about whom Allah's Messenger (may peace be upen him) (said):" If I were to stone anybody without evidence, I would have stoned her"? Ibn 'Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) said: No, it is not she. That woman was one who openly spread evil in society.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1497aIn-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 16USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 9, Hadith 3567
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1497a
This Hadith reports that li'an was mentioned in the presence of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). 'Asim b. 'Adi said something about it, then a man from his tribe came to him saying he had found a man with his wife. 'Asim brought him to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and described the people involved. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, 'O Allah, make this case manifest.' The woman then gave birth to a child resembling the man mentioned by her husband, and the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) had the spouses invoke curses. The report also clarifies that this was not the woman about whom the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said that if he were to stone anyone without evidence, he would have stoned her. Ibn 'Abbas said that was another woman who openly spread evil.
What we learn from this hadith
- The case was brought to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) rather than acted upon privately.
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) asked Allah to make the matter clear.
- The spouses went through li'an in this case.
- The narration highlights that punishment is not based on suspicion without evidence.
