[Machine] We were with the Prophet ﷺ in the mosque of Al-Madinah on a certain night, when a man said, "What do you think if a man finds another man with his wife? If he kills him, will he be killed, or if he remains silent, will he bear the burden of anger?" By Allah, I will ask the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about this matter." The next morning, he went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and asked him the same question. The Prophet ﷺ replied, "If a man finds another man with his wife, and he kills him, then he will be killed. And if he speaks about it, he will be punished. And if he remains silent, he will bear the burden of anger." Then the verse was revealed, "And those who accuse their wives [of adultery] and have no witnesses except themselves - then the witness of one of them [shall be] four testimonies [swearing] by Allah that indeed, he is of the truthful. And the fifth [oath will be] that the curse of Allah be upon him if he should be among the liars" [Quran 24:6-7]. The man came to the Prophet ﷺ with his wife, and they both invoked curses on each other. The man confessed four times, "By Allah, he is one of the truthful." And on the fifth time, he said, "May the curse of Allah be upon me if I am lying." Then, when he turned away, the Prophet ﷺ said, "Wait, there is a possibility that she might bring forth a child who has curly hair." Eventually, she gave birth to a child with curly hair. Isaq said, Yahya Ibn Ma'een told me, "I asked Jarir, and he said, "No one else from Al-A'mash reported this hadith except you. But I heard it from him."  

كُنَّا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي مَسْجِدِ الْمَدِينَةِ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ أَرَأَيْتُمْ لَوْ وَجَدَ رَجُلٌ مَعَ امْرَأَتِهِ رَجُلًا فَإِنْ قَتَلَهُ قَتَلْتُمُوهُ وَإِنْ سَكَتَ سَكَتَ عَلَى غَيْظٍ فَوَاللَّهِ لَأَسْأَلَنَّ عَنْهُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ غَدَا عَلَيْهِ فَسَأَلَهُ فَقَالَ لَوْ وَجَدَ رَجُلٌ مَعَ امْرَأَتِهِ رَجُلًا فَإِنْ قَتَلَهُ قَتَلْتُمُوهُ وَإِنْ تَكَلَّمَ جَلَدْتُمُوهُ وَإِنْ سَكَتَ سَكَتَ عَلَى غَيْظٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ فَنَزَلَتْ {وَالَّذِينَ يَرْمُونَ أَزْوَاجَهُمْ} هَؤُلَاءِ الْآيَاتُ فِي اللِّعَانِ فَجَاءَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَامْرَأَتُهُ فَتَلَاعَنَا فَشَهِدَ الرَّجُلُ أَرْبَعَ مَرَّاتٍ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لِمَنِ الصَّادِقِينَ وَالْخَامِسَةُ أَنَّ لَعْنَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ فَلَمَّا أَخَذَتِ امْرَأَتُهُ لِتَلْتَعِنَ قَالَ لَهَا النَّبِيُّ ﷺ «مَهْ» فَالْتَعَنَتْ فَلَمَّا أَدْبَرَتْ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ « فَلَعَلَّهَا أَنْ تَجِيءَ بِهِ أَسْوَدَ جَعْدًا» فَجَاءَتْ بِهِ أَسْوَدَ جَعْدًا قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ قَالَ يَحْيَى بْنُ مَعِينٍ قُلْتُ لِجَرِيرٍ لَمْ يَرْوِ هَذَا عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ أَحَدٌ غَيْرُكَ قَالَ «لَكِنِّي سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْهُ»  

Messenger of Allah, if I were to find with my wife a man, should I wait until I bring four witnesses? He said: Yes. (Using translation from Muslim 1498b)  

لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ وَجَدْتُ مَعَ امْرَأَتِي رَجُلًا أُمْهِلُهُ حَتَّى آتِيَ بِأَرْبَعَةِ شُهَدَاءَ؟ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «نَعَمْ»  

[Machine] A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, "O Messenger of Allah, what do you think of a man who sees his wife with another man and he kills him, and then you also kill him? How would you deal with him?" So Allah, the Most High, revealed what is mentioned in the Quran about those who curse each other. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him, "The matter concerning you and your wife has been settled." He said, "But we cursed each other and I was a witness before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ." The man said, "O Messenger of Allah, if I had restrained myself from killing him, I would have lied about her, so I divorced her." Then she became pregnant and he denied the pregnancy. Her son was summoned to her, and then the ruling regarding inheritance was applied, that he would inherit from her and she would inherit from him as Allah had prescribed for her.  

أَنَّ رَجُلًا أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ رَجُلًا رَأَى مَعَ امْرَأَتِهِ رَجُلًا يَقْتُلُهُ فَتَقْتُلُونَهُ أَمْ كَيْفَ يَفْعَلُ بِهِ؟ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ جَلَّ وَعَلَا مَا ذِكْرُ فِي الْقُرْآنِ مِنَ الْمُتَلَاعِنِينَ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «قَدْ قُضِيَ فِيكَ وَفِي امْرَأَتِكَ» قَالَ فَتَلَاعَنَا وَأَنَا شَاهِدٌ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنْ أَمْسِكُهَا فَقَدْ كَذَبْتُ عَلَيْهَا فَفَارَقَهَا فَكَانَتْ سُنَّةٌ بَعْدُ أَنْ يُفَرَّقَ بَيْنَ الْمُتَلَاعِنِينَ فَكَانَتْ حَامِلًا فَأَنْكَرَ حَمْلَهَا وَكَانَ ابْنُهَا يُدْعَى إِلَيْهَا ثُمَّ جَرَتِ السُّنَّةُ فِي الْمِيرَاثِ أَنْ يَرِثَهَا وَتَرِثُ مِنْهُ مَا فَرَضَ اللَّهُ لَهَا  

Sahl bin Sa’ad Al Sa’idi said that ‘Uwaimir bin Ashqar Al Ajilani came to ‘Asim bin Adl and said to him “Asim tell me about a man who finds a man along with his wife. Should he kill him and then be killed by you, or how should he act? Ask the Apostle of Allaah ﷺ ‘Asim, for me about it. ‘Asim then asked the Apostle of Allaah ﷺ about it. The Apostle of Allaah ﷺ disliked the question and denounced it. What ‘Asim heard from the Apostle of Allaah ﷺ fell heavy on him. When ‘Asim returned to his family ‘Uwaimr came to him and asked ‘Asim “What did the Apostle of Allaah ﷺ say to you”? Asim replied “You did not do good to me”. The Apostle of Allaah ﷺ disliked the question that I asked him. Thereupon ‘Uwaimir said “I swear by Allaah, I shall not leave until I ask him about it. So, ‘Uwaimir came to the Apostle of Allaah ﷺ while he was sitting in the midst of the people.” He said “Apostle of Allaah ﷺ tell me about a man who finds a man along with his wife. Should he kill him and then be killed by you, or how should he act?” The Apostle of Allaah ﷺ said “A revelation has been sent down about you and your wife so go away and bring her. Sahl said “So we cursed one another while I was along with the people who were with the Apostle of Allaah ﷺ. Then when they finished, ‘Umamir said “I shall have lied against her, Apostle of Allaah ﷺ if I keep her. He pronounced her divorce three times before the Apostle of Allaah ﷺcommanded him (to do so). Ibn Shihab said “Then this became the method of invoking curses.” (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 2245)   

أَنَّ رَجُلًا وَجَدَ مَعَ امْرَأَتِهِ رَجُلًا أَيَقْتُلُهُ فَتَقْتُلُونَهُ أَمْ كَيْفَ يَفْعَلُ؟ سَلْ لِي يَا عَاصِمُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ فَسَأَلَ عَاصِمُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَكَرِهَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ تِلْكَ الْمَسَائِلَ وَعَابَهَا حَتَّى كَبُرَ عَلَى عَاصِمٍ مَا سَمِعَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَلَمَّا رَجَعَ عَاصِمٌ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ جَاءَهُ عُوَيْمِرٌ فَقَالَ يَا عَاصِمُ مَاذَا قَالَ لَكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ؟ فَقَالَ عَاصِمٌ لِعُوَيْمِرٍ لَمْ تَأْتِنِي بِخَيْرٍ قَدْ كَرِهَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْمَسْأَلَةَ الَّتِي سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْهَا فَقَالَ عُوَيْمِرٌ وَاللَّهِ لَا أَنْتَهِي حَتَّى أَسْأَلُهُ عَنْهَا فَجَاءَ عُوَيْمِرٌ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَسَطَ النَّاسِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «قَدْ أُنْزِلَ فِيكَ وَفِي صَاحِبَتِكَ فَاذْهَبْ فَأْتِ بِهَا» فَقَالَ سَهْلٌ فَتَلَاعَنَا وَأَنَا مَعَ النَّاسِ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَا مِنْ تَلَاعُنِهِمَا قَالَ عُوَيْمِرٌ كَذَبْتُ عَلَيْهَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنْ أَمْسَكْتُهَا فَطَلَّقَهَا ثَلَاثًا قَبْلَ أَنْ يَأْمُرُهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ  

'Uwaimir came to ʿAsim bin ʿAdi who was the chief of Bani Ajlan and said, "What do you say about a man who has found another man with his wife? Should he kill him whereupon you would kill him (i.e. the husband), or what should he do? Please ask Messenger of Allah ﷺ about this matter on my behalf." ʿAsim then went to the Prophet ﷺ and said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! (And asked him that question) but Messenger of Allah ﷺ disliked the question," When 'Uwaimir asked ʿAsim (about the Prophet's answer) ʿAsim replied that Messenger of Allah ﷺ disliked such questions and considered it shameful. "Uwaimir then said, "By Allah, I will not give up asking unless I ask Messenger of Allah ﷺ about it." Uwaimir came (to the Prophet ) and said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! A man has found another man with his wife! Should he kill him whereupon you would kill him (the husband, in Qisas) or what should he do?" Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Allah has revealed regarding you and your wife's case in the Qur'an "So Messenger of Allah ﷺ ordered them to perform the measures of Mula'ana according to what Allah had mentioned in His Book. So 'Uwaimir did Mula'ana with her and said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! If I kept her I would oppress her." So 'Uwaimir divorced her and so divorce became a tradition after them for those who happened to be involved in a case of Mula'ana. Messenger of Allah ﷺ then said, "Look! If she (Uwaimir's wife) delivers a black child with deep black large eyes, big hips and fat legs, then I will be of the opinion that 'Uwaimir has spoken the truth; but if she delivers a red child looking like a Wahra then we will consider that 'Uwaimir has told a lie against her." Later on she delivered a child carrying the qualities which Messenger of Allah ﷺ had mentioned as a proof for 'Uwaimir's claim; therefore the child was ascribed to its mother henceforth. (Using translation from Bukhārī 4745)  

كَيْفَ تَقُولُونَ فِي رَجُلٍ وَجَدَ مَعَ امْرَأَتِهِ رَجُلًا أَيَقْتُلُهُ فَتَقْتُلُونَهُ أَمْ كَيْفَ يَصْنَعُ؟ فَقَالَ سَلْ لِي رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ فَأَتَى عَاصِمٌ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ رَجُلٌ وَجَدَ مَعَ امْرَأَتِهِ رَجُلًا أَيَقْتُلُهُ فَتَقْتُلُونَهُ أَمْ كَيْفَ يَصْنَعُ؟ فَكَرِهَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْمَسَائِلَ وَعَابَهَا فَأَتَى عُوَيْمِرًا فَقَالَ لَهُ إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ قَدْ كَرِهَ الْمَسَائِلَ وَعَابَهَا فَقَالَ عُوَيْمِرٌ وَاللَّهِ لَا أَنْتَهِي حَتَّى أَسْأَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَأَتَى عُوَيْمِرٌ فَسَأَلَهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «قَدْ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ جَلَّ وَعَلَا فِيكَ وَفِي صَاحِبَتِكَ» فَأَمَرَهُمَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَتَلَاعَنَا بِمَا سَمَّى اللَّهُ فِي كِتَابِهِ قَالَ فَلَاعَنَهَا ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنْ حَبَسْتُهَا فَقَدْ ظَلَمْتُهَا قَالَ فَطَلَّقَهَا وَكَانَتْ سُنَّةٌ لِمَنْ بَعْدَهُمَا مِنَ الْمُتَلَاعِنِينَ قَالَ ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «انْظُرُوا فَإِنْ جَاءَتْ بِهِ أَسْحَمَ أَدْعَجَ الْعَيْنَيْنِ عَظِيمَ الْأَلْيَتَيْنِ خَدَلَّجَ السَّاقَيْنِ فَلَا أَحْسِبُ عُوَيْمِرًا إِلَّا قَدْ صَدَقَ عَلَيْهَا وَإِنْ جَاءَتْ بِهِ أُحَيْمِرَ كَأَنَّهُ وَحْرَةٌ فَلَا أَحْسِبُ عُوَيْمِرًا إِلَّا وَقَدْ كَذَبَ عَلَيْهَا» قَالَ فَجَاءَتْ بِهِ عَلَى النَّعْتِ الَّذِي نَعَتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنْ تَصْدِيقِ عُوَيْمِرٍ قَالَ فَكَانَ يُنْسَبُ بَعْدُ إِلَى أُمِّهِ  

"I was asked about those who were involved in the case of Li'an and if they are to be separated, during the leadership of Mus'ab bin Az-Zubair. I did not know what to say. So I went to the house of Abdullah bin Umar and I sought permission to enter. I was told that he was taking a nap, but he heard me talking and he said: 'Is it Ibn Jubair? Enter. You would not have come except for a need.'"He said: "So I entered and found him lying on a saddlecloth from his mount. I said: 'O Abu Abdur-Rahman! Are those involved in Li'an separated?' He said: 'Glorious is Allah! Yes. The first who asked about that was so-and-so the son of so-and-so. He came to the Prophet and said: "O Messenger of Allah! If one of us saw his wife committing adultery what should he do? If he were to say anything, his statement would be a horrible matter, and if he were to remain silent, his silence about the matter would be horrible." "He said: 'So the Prophet remained silent and did not answer him. Afterwards he came to the Prophet and said: "The one who asked you about it has been tried by it." So Allah revealed these Ayat from Surat An-Nur. And those who accuse their wives and have no witnesses except themselves - until the end of those Ayat. So he called for the man and recited the Ayat to him and admonished him, reminded him, and he told him: "Indeed the punishment of the world is less than the punishment of the Hereafter." So he said: "Nay! By the One Who sent you with the truth! I did not lie about her." Then he did the same with the woman, admonished her and reminding her and he told her: "Indeed the punishment of the world is less than the punishment of the Hereafter." She said: "Nay! By the One Who sent you with the truth! He is not telling the truth.'" "He said: 'So he started with the man: He testified four times, by Allah that he is one of the truthful, and the fifth time that the curse of Allah be upon him if he was one of the liars. Then the same with the woman: She testified four times by Allah, that he was one of the liars, and the fifth time that the wrath of Allah be upon her if he was one of the truthful. Then he separated the two of them.'" (Using translation from Tirmidhī 1202)   

الْغُلَامُ إِنَّهُ قَائِلٌ فَقُلْتُ مَا بُدَّ مِنْ أَنْ أَدْخُلَ عَلَيْهِ فَسَمِعَ صَوْتِي فَعَرَفَهُ وَقَالَ أَسَعِيدٌ؟ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ ادْخُلْ مَا جِئْتَ هَذِهِ السَّاعَةَ إِلَّا لِحَاجَةٍ فَدَخَلْتُ وَهُوَ مُفْتَرِشٌ بَرْذَعَةَ رَحْلِهِ مُتَوَسِّدٌ وِسَادَةً حَشْوهَا لِيفٌ فَقُلْتُ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْمُتَلَاعِنَانِ أَيُفَرَّقُ بَيْنَهُمَا فَقَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ نَعَمْ إِنَّ أَوَّلَ مَنْ سَأَلَ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فُلَانُ بْنُ فُلَانٍ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ لَوْ أَنَّ أَحَدَنَا رَأَى امْرَأَتَهُ عَلَى فَاحِشَةٍ كَيْفَ يَصْنَعُ؟ إِنْ تَكَلَّمَ تَكَلَّمَ بِأَمْرٍ عَظِيمٍ وَإِنْ سَكَتَ سَكَتَ عَلَى مِثْلِ ذَلِكَ فَلَمْ يُجِبْهُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَلَمَّا كَانَ بَعْدُ ذَلِكَ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ الَّذِي سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْهُ قَدِ ابْتُلِيتُ بِهِ «فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ جَلَّ وَعَلَا هَؤُلَاءِ الْآيَاتِ فَدَعَا الرَّجُلَ فَتَلَاهُنَّ عَلَيْهِ وَوَعَظَهُ وَذَكَّرَهُ وَأَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ عَذَابَ الدُّنْيَا أَهْوَنُ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْآخِرَةِ» فَقَالَ لَا وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ مَا كَذَبْتُ عَلَيْهَا «ثُمَّ دَعَا بِالْمَرْأَةِ فَوَعَظَهَا وَذَكَّرَهَا وَأَخْبَرَهَا أَنَّ عَذَابَ الدُّنْيَا أَهْوَنُ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْآخِرَةِ» فَقَالَتْ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ إِنَّهُ لَكَاذِبٌ «فَبَدَأَ بِالرَّجُلِ فَشَهِدَ أَرْبَعَ شَهَادَاتٍ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لِمَنِ الصَّادِقِينَ وَالْخَامِسَةُ أَنَّ لَعْنَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ ثُمَّ ثَنَّى بِالْمَرْأَةِ فَشَهِدَتْ أَرْبَعَ شَهَادَاتٍ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لِمَنِ الْكَاذِبِينَ وَالْخَامِسَةُ أَنَّ غَضِبَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ ثُمَّ فَرَّقَ بَيْنَهُمَا»  

Ibn ‘Umar said “The Apostle of Allaah ﷺ said to the spouses who invoked curses on each other. Your reckoning is in Allaah’s hands for one of you is liar there is no way for you to (remarry) her. He then asked Apostle of Allaah ﷺ what about my property? He replied “There is no property for you. If you have spoken the truth, it is the price for your having had the right to intercourse with her and if you have lied against her it is still more remote for you. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 2257)  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لِلْمُتَلَاعِنَيْنِ «حِسَابُكُمَا عَلَى اللَّهِ أَحَدَكُمَا كَاذِبٌ لَا سَبِيلَ لَكَ عَلَيْهَا» قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَالِي؟ قَالَ «لَا مَالَ لَكَ إِنْ كُنْتَ صَدَقْتَ عَلَيْهَا فَهُوَ مَا اسْتَحْلَلْتَ مِنْ فَرْجِهَا وَإِنْ كُنْتَ كَذَبْتَ عَلَيْهَا فَذَاكَ أَبْعَدُ لَكَ»  

A man and his wife had a case of Lian (or Mula'ana) during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ and the man denied the paternity of her child. The Prophet ﷺ gave his verdict for their separation (divorce) and then the child was regarded as belonging to the wife only. (Using translation from Bukhārī 6748)  

لَاعَنَ امْرَأَتَهُ فِي زَمَانِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَانْتَفَى مِنْ وَلَدِهَا «فَفَرَّقَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بَيْنَهُمَا وَأَلْحَقَ الْوَلَدَ بِالْمَرْأَةِ»