17/22. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 1453 — Forced Woman No Punishment
What Has Been Relates About A Woman Who Is Forced To Commit Adultery
Hadith About a Forced Woman and No Legal Punishment on Her
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 1453
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 1453
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُعَمَّرُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ الرَّقِّيُّ، عَنِ الْحَجَّاجِ بْنِ أَرْطَاةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ بْنِ وَائِلِ بْنِ حُجْرٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ اسْتُكْرِهَتِ امْرَأَةٌ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَدَرَأَ عَنْهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْحَدَّ وَأَقَامَهُ عَلَى الَّذِي أَصَابَهَا وَلَمْ يُذْكَرْ أَنَّهُ جَعَلَ لَهَا مَهْرًا . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ وَلَيْسَ إِسْنَادُهُ بِمُتَّصِلٍ وَقَدْ رُوِيَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ مِنْ غَيْرِ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ . قَالَ سَمِعْتُ مُحَمَّدًا يَقُولُ عَبْدُ الْجَبَّارِ بْنُ وَائِلِ بْنِ حُجْرٍ لَمْ يَسْمَعْ مِنْ أَبِيهِ وَلاَ أَدْرَكَهُ يُقَالُ إِنَّهُ وُلِدَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِ أَبِيهِ بِأَشْهُرٍ . وَالْعَمَلُ عَلَى هَذَا عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَغَيْرِهِمْ أَنْ لَيْسَ عَلَى الْمُسْتَكْرَهَةِ حَدٌّ .
'Abdul-Jabbar bin Wa'il bin Hujr Narrated from:
Narrated 'Abdul-Jabbar bin Wa'il bin Hujr: That His Father Said: "A Woman Was Forced To Commit Illegal Sexual Relations During The Time Of The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ). The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Did Not Enforce The Legal Punishment Upon Her, But He Enforced It Upon The One Who Had Done It To Her." And The Narrator Did Not Mention Him Assigning A Dowry To Her.
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1453In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 36English translation : Vol. 3, Book 15, Hadith 1453
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 1453
This hadith about a forced woman gives a clear and serious legal point. Wail bin Hujr narrated that a woman was forced to commit illegal sexual relations during the time of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not enforce the legal punishment upon her. Instead, he enforced it upon the one who had done it to her. The narrator also says that there was no mention of assigning a dowry to her in this report. The text later adds that people of knowledge held that there is no legal punishment upon a woman who was forced. For readers searching “rape victim no punishment hadith,” the core message is that blame and punishment were not placed on the forced woman.
What we learn from this hadith
- A woman who was forced was not given the legal punishment.
- The punishment was placed on the one who assaulted her.
- The narration does not mention a dowry being assigned to her.
- The report clearly separates coercion from willing sin.
