Witnesses for Adultery
Total Hadiths 4
Authentic Hadiths Regarding Witnesses for Adultery in Islam
These authentic hadiths provide essential guidance on the strict legal requirements regarding witnesses for adultery in Islam. When Sa'd bin Ubada asked the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) whether a husband could immediately kill or punish a man found with his wife, the Prophet (ﷺ) strictly forbade it, emphasizing that one must wait until they bring four witnesses. Even when Sa'd expressed that his intense sense of honor and jealousy would urge him to strike with a sword immediately, the Prophet (ﷺ) reminded the companions to listen to their chief, acknowledging Sa'd's jealousy but stating that he himself is more jealous, and Allah is the most jealous. According to Islamic scholars, these narrations establish that personal jealousy cannot override legal processes, protecting society from vigilante justice and false accusations by requiring proper legal testimony.
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ، - يَعْنِي الدَّرَاوَرْدِيَّ - عَنْ سُهَيْلٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ سَعْدَ بْنَ عُبَادَةَ الأَنْصَارِيَّ، قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ الرَّجُلَ يَجِدُ مَعَ امْرَأَتِهِ رَجُلاً أَيَقْتُلُهُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ " . قَالَ سَعْدٌ بَلَى وَالَّذِي أَكْرَمَكَ بِالْحَقِّ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " اسْمَعُوا إِلَى مَا يَقُولُ سَيِّدُكُمْ ".
Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Sa'd b. 'Ubada al-Ansari said: Messenger of Allah, tell me if a man finds his wife with another person, should he kill him? Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: No. Sa'd said: Why not? I swear by Him Who has honored you with the Truth. There upon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Listen to what your chief says.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1498aIn-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 19USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 9, Hadith 3569
وَحَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنِي إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ عِيسَى، حَدَّثَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ سُهَيْلٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ سَعْدَ بْنَ عُبَادَةَ، قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنْ وَجَدْتُ مَعَ امْرَأَتِي رَجُلاً أَأُمْهِلُهُ حَتَّى آتِيَ بِأَرْبَعَةِ شُهَدَاءَ قَالَ " نَعَمْ " .
Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Sa'd b. Ubada (Allah be pleased with him) said: Messenger of Allah, if I were to find with my wife a man, should I wait until I bring four witnesses? He said: Yes.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1498bIn-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 20USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 9, Hadith 3570
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ مَخْلَدٍ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ بِلاَلٍ، حَدَّثَنِي سُهَيْلٌ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَوْ وَجَدْتُ مَعَ أَهْلِي رَجُلاً لَمْ أَمَسَّهُ حَتَّى آتِيَ بِأَرْبَعَةِ شُهَدَاءَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " نَعَمْ " . قَالَ كَلاَّ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ إِنْ كُنْتُ لأُعَاجِلُهُ بِالسَّيْفِ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ . قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " اسْمَعُوا إِلَى مَا يَقُولُ سَيِّدُكُمْ إِنَّهُ لَغَيُورٌ وَأَنَا أَغْيَرُ مِنْهُ وَاللَّهُ أَغْيَرُ مِنِّي " .
Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Sa'd b. Ubada (Allah be pleased with him) said: Messenger of Allah, if I were to find with my wife a man, should I not touch him before bringing four witnesses? Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Yes. He said: By no means. By Him Who has sent you with the Truth, I would hasten with my sword to him before that. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Listen to what your chief says. He is jealous of his honour, I am more jealous than he (is) and God is more jealous than I.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1498cIn-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 21USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 9, Hadith 3571
وَحَدَّثَنَاهُ أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا حُسَيْنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، عَنْ زَائِدَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ، بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ مِثْلَهُ . وَقَالَ غَيْرَ مُصْفِحٍ . وَلَمْ يَقُلْ عَنْهُ .
A hadith like this has been transmitted on the authority, of 'Abd al-Malik b. Umair with the same chain of narraters but with a slight change of words.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1499bIn-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 23USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 9, Hadith 3573
