Sahih al-Bukhari #4541
Prophetic Commentary on the Qur'an (Tafseer of the Prophet (pbuh))
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عَدِيٍّ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ حَسَّانَ، حَدَّثَنَا عِكْرِمَةُ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ هِلاَلَ بْنَ أُمَيَّةَ، قَذَفَ امْرَأَتَهُ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِشَرِيكِ بْنِ سَحْمَاءَ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " الْبَيِّنَةَ أَوْ حَدٌّ فِي ظَهْرِكَ ". فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِذَا رَأَى أَحَدُنَا عَلَى امْرَأَتِهِ رَجُلاً يَنْطَلِقُ يَلْتَمِسُ الْبَيِّنَةَ. فَجَعَلَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " الْبَيِّنَةَ وَإِلاَّ حَدٌّ فِي ظَهْرِكَ " فَقَالَ هِلاَلٌ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ إِنِّي لَصَادِقٌ، فَلَيُنْزِلَنَّ اللَّهُ مَا يُبَرِّئُ ظَهْرِي مِنَ الْحَدِّ، فَنَزَلَ جِبْرِيلُ، وَأَنْزَلَ عَلَيْهِ {وَالَّذِينَ يَرْمُونَ أَزْوَاجَهُمْ} فَقَرَأَ حَتَّى بَلَغَ {إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ} فَانْصَرَفَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهَا فَجَاءَ هِلاَلٌ، فَشَهِدَ، وَالنَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّ أَحَدَكُمَا كَاذِبٌ فَهَلْ مِنْكُمَا تَائِبٌ ". ثُمَّ قَامَتْ فَشَهِدَتْ فَلَمَّا كَانَتْ عِنْدَ الْخَامِسَةِ وَقَّفُوهَا، وَقَالُوا إِنَّهَا مُوجِبَةٌ. قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ فَتَلَكَّأَتْ وَنَكَصَتْ حَتَّى ظَنَنَّا أَنَّهَا تَرْجِعُ ثُمَّ قَالَتْ لاَ أَفْضَحُ قَوْمِي سَائِرَ الْيَوْمِ، فَمَضَتْ. فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَبْصِرُوهَا فَإِنْ جَاءَتْ بِهِ أَكْحَلَ الْعَيْنَيْنِ سَابِغَ الأَلْيَتَيْنِ خَدَلَّجَ السَّاقَيْنِ، فَهْوَ لِشَرِيكِ بْنِ سَحْمَاءَ ". فَجَاءَتْ بِهِ كَذَلِكَ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لَوْلاَ مَا مَضَى مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ لَكَانَ لِي وَلَهَا شَأْنٌ ".
Hilal bin Umaiya accused his wife of committing illegal sexual intercourse with Sharik bin Sahma'
and filed the case before the Prophet. The Prophet (ﷺ) said (to Hilal), "Either you bring forth a proof (four
witnesses) or you will receive the legal punishment (lashes) on your back." Hilal said, "O Allah's
Apostle! If anyone of us saw a man over his wife, would he go to seek after witnesses?" The Prophet (ﷺ)
kept on saying, "Either you bring forth the witnesses or you will receive the legal punishment (lashes)
on your back." Hilal then said, "By Him Who sent you with the Truth, I am telling the truth and Allah
will reveal to you what will save my back from legal punishment." Then Gabriel came down and
revealed to him:--
'As for those who accuse their wives...' (24.6-9) The Prophet (ﷺ) recited it till he reached: '... (her
accuser) is telling the truth.' Then the Prophet (ﷺ) left and sent for the woman, and Hilal went (and
brought) her and then took the oaths (confirming the claim). The Prophet (ﷺ) was saying, "Allah knows
that one of you is a liar, so will any of you repent?" Then the woman got up and took the oaths and
when she was going to take the fifth one, the people stopped her and said, "It (the fifth oath) will
definitely bring Allah's curse on you (if you are guilty)." So she hesitated and recoiled (from taking
the oath) so much that we thought that she would withdraw her denial. But then she said, "I will not
dishonor my family all through these days," and carried on (the process of taking oaths). The Prophet (ﷺ)
then said, "Watch her; if she delivers a black-eyed child with big hips and fat shins then it is Sharik
bin Sahma's child." Later she delivered a child of that description. So the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If the case
was not settled by Allah's Law, I would punish her severely."
Narrated by Narrated Ibn `Abbas:
Context
In this hadith, a man named Hilal bin Umaiya accused his wife of infidelity, seeking justice from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The Prophet insisted that Hilal provide proof or face punishment himself. This exchange led to a divine revelation that clarified the procedure for such accusations, emphasizing the importance of evidence in matters of honor and the serious consequences of false claims. The situation illustrates the balance between justice and mercy in Islamic law.
Modern Application
This hadith highlights the importance of evidence and accountability in our personal relationships today. It serves as a reminder to approach accusations with caution and to seek the truth before jumping to conclusions, fostering a culture of trust and integrity.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Divine Revelation and Punishments (Hudud) because it showcases how divine guidance was provided in a legal matter and emphasizes the serious implications of accusations in society.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ النُّورِ
An-Noor (The Light)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَٱلَّذِينَ يَرْمُونَ أَزْوَٰجَهُمْ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُمْ شُهَدَآءُ إِلَّآ أَنفُسُهُمْ فَشَهَٰدَةُ أَحَدِهِمْ أَرْبَعُ شَهَٰدَٰتٍۭ بِٱللَّهِ ۙ إِنَّهُۥ لَمِنَ ٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ
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.
سُورَةُ النِّسَاءِ
An-Nisaa (The Women)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَٱلَّٰتِى يَأْتِينَ ٱلْفَٰحِشَةَ مِن نِّسَآئِكُمْ فَٱسْتَشْهِدُوا۟ عَلَيْهِنَّ أَرْبَعَةًۭ مِّنكُمْ ۖ فَإِن شَهِدُوا۟ فَأَمْسِكُوهُنَّ فِى ٱلْبُيُوتِ حَتَّىٰ يَتَوَفَّىٰهُنَّ ٱلْمَوْتُ أَوْ يَجْعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لَهُنَّ سَبِيلًۭا
Those who commit unlawful sexual intercourse of your women - bring against them four [witnesses] from among you. And if they testify, confine the guilty women to houses until death takes them or Allah ordains for them [another] way.
سُورَةُ التَّحۡرِيمِ
At-Tahrim (The Prohibition)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَإِذْ أَسَرَّ ٱلنَّبِىُّ إِلَىٰ بَعْضِ أَزْوَٰجِهِۦ حَدِيثًۭا فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَتْ بِهِۦ وَأَظْهَرَهُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ عَرَّفَ بَعْضَهُۥ وَأَعْرَضَ عَنۢ بَعْضٍۢ ۖ فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَهَا بِهِۦ قَالَتْ مَنْ أَنۢبَأَكَ هَٰذَا ۖ قَالَ نَبَّأَنِىَ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ٱلْخَبِيرُ
And [remember] when the Prophet confided to one of his wives a statement; and when she informed [another] of it and Allah showed it to him, he made known part of it and ignored a part. And when he informed her about it, she said, "Who told you this?" He said, "I was informed by the Knowing, the Acquainted."
سُورَةُ الأَحۡزَابِ
Al-Ahzaab (The Clans)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
يَٰنِسَآءَ ٱلنَّبِىِّ مَن يَأْتِ مِنكُنَّ بِفَٰحِشَةٍۢ مُّبَيِّنَةٍۢ يُضَٰعَفْ لَهَا ٱلْعَذَابُ ضِعْفَيْنِ ۚ وَكَانَ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرًۭا
O wives of the Prophet, whoever of you should commit a clear immorality - for her the punishment would be doubled two fold, and ever is that, for Allah, easy.
سُورَةُ يُوسُفَ
Yusuf (Joseph)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
قَالَ هِىَ رَٰوَدَتْنِى عَن نَّفْسِى ۚ وَشَهِدَ شَاهِدٌۭ مِّنْ أَهْلِهَآ إِن كَانَ قَمِيصُهُۥ قُدَّ مِن قُبُلٍۢ فَصَدَقَتْ وَهُوَ مِنَ ٱلْكَٰذِبِينَ
[Joseph] said, "It was she who sought to seduce me." And a witness from her family testified. "If his shirt is torn from the front, then she has told the truth, and he is of the liars.
Common Words
103 total90 unique8 repeated
من6x
ٱلله3x
ٱلنبى2x
بعض2x
فلما2x
به2x
عن2x
قال2x
وٱلذين1x
يرمون1x
أزوجهم1x
ولم1x
يكن1x
لهم1x
شهداء1x
إلا1x
أنفسهم1x
فشهدة1x
أحدهم1x
أربع1x
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About Sahih al-Bukhari
This hadith is #4541 from Sahih al-Bukhari, in the Book of Prophetic Commentary on the Qur'an (Tafseer of the Prophet (pbuh)). It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated Ibn `Abbas:.