Abu Hurayrah and Zayd ibn Khālid al-Juhani (may Allah be pleased with both of them) reported: Two men from among the Bedouins came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I adjure you by Allah to judge me according to the Book of Allah." The other disputant – who was smarter – said: "Yes, judge between us according to the Book of Allah, and give me permission to speak first." The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Speak.’ He said: "My son was employed by this man, and he committed adultery with his wife. I was told that the punishment for my son would be stoning but that he could be ransomed for one hundred sheep and their offspring. I asked the people of knowledge, and they told me that the punishment for my son would be one hundred lashes and exile for one year and that this woman would be stoned." The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "By the One in Whose hand my soul is! I will judge between you according to the Book of Allah. The offspring and sheep will be returned, and your son is to be given one hundred lashes and exiled for one year. O Unays, go to that man's wife tomorrow, and if she admits, then stone her." So he went to her the next day, and she admitted it, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave the order that she be stoned.
By the One in Whose hand my soul is! I will judge between you according to the Book of Allah. The offspring and sheep will be returned, and your son is to be given one hundred lashes and exiled for one year. O Unays, go to that man's wife tomorrow, and if she admits, then stone her
Explanation
In this Hadīth, an unmarried man committed adultery with the wife of his employer. The father of the fornicator heard that anyone who commits adultery must be stoned. So he ransomed his son by offering one hundred sheep and their offspring to the husband of that woman. Later, he asked the people of knowledge, and they told him that the punishment for his son would be one hundred lashes and exile for one year rather than stoning, and that this married woman would be stoned. Therefore, the husband of the adulteress and father of the fornicator went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) together, asking him to judge between them according to the Book of Allah. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) judged that the one hundred sheep and their offspring must be returned to the father of the fornicator. He also told the father that his son was to be given one hundred lashes and be exiled for one year, because he was unmarried. Regarding the adulteress, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered one of his Companions to go to her to verify whether she would admit the crime. The woman admitted it, so he ordered her to be stoned as she was married.
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