27/7. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 3402 — Li'an and Divorce
Concession Allowing That
Li'an in Islam: Handling a Grave Marriage Dispute
Sunan an-Nasai : 3402
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 3402
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ الْقَاسِمِ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ شِهَابٍ، أَنَّ سَهْلَ بْنَ سَعْدٍ السَّاعِدِيَّ، أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ عُوَيْمِرًا الْعَجْلاَنِيَّ جَاءَ إِلَى عَاصِمِ بْنِ عَدِيٍّ فَقَالَ أَرَأَيْتَ يَا عَاصِمُ لَوْ أَنَّ رَجُلاً وَجَدَ مَعَ امْرَأَتِهِ رَجُلاً أَيَقْتُلُهُ فَيَقْتُلُونَهُ أَمْ كَيْفَ يَفْعَلُ سَلْ لِي يَا عَاصِمُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ ذَلِكَ . فَسَأَلَ عَاصِمٌ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَكَرِهَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْمَسَائِلَ وَعَابَهَا حَتَّى كَبُرَ عَلَى عَاصِمٍ مَا سَمِعَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلَمَّا رَجَعَ عَاصِمٌ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ جَاءَهُ عُوَيْمِرٌ فَقَالَ يَا عَاصِمُ مَاذَا قَالَ لَكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ عَاصِمٌ لِعُوَيْمِرٍ لَمْ تَأْتِنِي بِخَيْرٍ قَدْ كَرِهَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْمَسْأَلَةَ الَّتِي سَأَلْتَ عَنْهَا . فَقَالَ عُوَيْمِرٌ وَاللَّهِ لاَ أَنْتَهِي حَتَّى أَسْأَلَ عَنْهَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم . فَأَقْبَلَ عُوَيْمِرٌ حَتَّى أَتَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَسَطَ النَّاسِ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ رَجُلاً وَجَدَ مَعَ امْرَأَتِهِ رَجُلاً أَيَقْتُلُهُ فَتَقْتُلُونَهُ أَمْ كَيْفَ يَفْعَلُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " قَدْ نَزَلَ فِيكَ وَفِي صَاحِبَتِكَ فَاذْهَبْ فَائْتِ بِهَا " . قَالَ سَهْلٌ فَتَلاَعَنَا وَأَنَا مَعَ النَّاسِ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ عُوَيْمِرٌ قَالَ كَذَبْتُ عَلَيْهَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنْ أَمْسَكْتُهَا . فَطَلَّقَهَا ثَلاَثًا قَبْلَ أَنْ يَأْمُرَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Sahl bin Sa`d As-Sa`idi Narrated from:
'Uwaimir Al-'Ajlani came to 'Asim bin 'Adiy and said: "What do you think, O 'Asim! If a man finds another man with his wife, should he kill him, and be killed in retaliation, or what should he do? O 'Asim! Ask the Messenger of Allah about that for me." So 'Asim asked the Messenger of Allah about that, and the Messenger of Allah disapproved of the question, and criticized the asking of too many questions until 'Asim felt upset.When 'Asim went back to his people, 'Uwaimir came to him and said: "O 'Asim, what did the Messenger of Allah say to you?" 'Asim said: "You have not brought me any good. The Messenger of Allah disapproved of the question you asked." 'Uwaimir said: "By Allah, I will go and ask the Messenger of Allah." So he went to the Messenger of Allah and found him in the midst of the people. He said: "O Messenger of Allah, what do you think if a man finds another man with his wife -should he kill him, and be killed in retaliation or what should he do?"The Messenger of Allah said: "Something has been revealed concerning you and your wife, so go and bring her here." Sahl said: "So they engaged in the procedure of Li'an, and I was among the people in the presence of the Messenger of Allah. When 'Uwaimir finished he said: "I would have been telling lies about her, O Messenger of Allah, if I keep her." So he divorced her thrice before the Messenger of Allah told him to do so."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3402In-book reference : Book 27, Hadith 14English translation : Vol. 4, Book 27, Hadith 3431
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 3402
This Hadith explains a serious case involving Li'an in Islam. 'Uwaimir asked what a man should do if he finds another man with his wife. The Messenger of Allah disliked the question at first and criticized too much questioning. Later, when 'Uwaimir came himself, the Prophet said that something had been revealed concerning him and his wife. They then carried out the procedure of Li'an in front of the Messenger of Allah. After it ended, 'Uwaimir said that he would be lying about her if he kept her, so he divorced her three times before the Prophet told him to do so. The Hadith shows that grave marriage claims are not settled by personal violence. They are taken to proper judgment and handled under revealed guidance.
What we learn from this hadith
- Serious marital accusations should be brought to rightful authority.
- Personal revenge is not the way to handle a grave dispute.
- Li'an is mentioned as a procedure connected to this case.
- The report shows the weight of divorce after a major marital claim.
