I asked Anas b. Malik (Allah be pleased with him) knowing that he had a knowledge of (the case of li'an). He said: Hilal b. Umayya (Allah be pleased with him) accused his wife with the charge of fornication with Sharik b. Sahma, the brother of al-Bara'b Malik from the side of his mother. And he was the first person who invoked curse (li'an) in Islam. He in fact invoked curse upon her. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: See to her if she gives birth to a white-complexioned child having dark hair and bright eyes; he must be the son of Hilal b. Umayya; and if she gives birth to a child with dark eyelids, curly hair and lean shanks, he must be the offspring of Sharik b. Sahma. He said: I was informed that she gave birth to a child having dark eyelids, curly hair and lean shanks.
Narrated by Muhammad (one of the narrators) reported:
Context
This hadith recounts a situation involving Hilal b. Umayya, who accused his wife of infidelity. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ provided a method to ascertain the truth based on the child's appearance. This illustrates the concept of divine justice and the seriousness of accusations in Islam, highlighting the need for evidence before making claims.
Modern Application
In contemporary society, this hadith underscores the importance of due process and the need for evidence in accusations. It serves as a reminder to approach sensitive matters with caution and to seek truth rather than jumping to conclusions.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Divine Justice and Punishments (Hudud) because it reflects the principles of justice in addressing serious accusations and the prescribed consequences for wrongful actions.
[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.
And they both raced to the door, and she tore his shirt from the back, and they found her husband at the door. She said, "What is the recompense of one who intended evil for your wife but that he be imprisoned or a painful punishment?"
Then whoever argues with you about it after [this] knowledge has come to you - say, "Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves, then supplicate earnestly [together] and invoke the curse of Allah upon the liars [among us]."
This hadith is #3630 from Sahih Muslim, in the Book of The Book of Invoking Curses. It is graded Sahih and narrated by Muhammad (one of the narrators) reported:.
