Receive my teachings, receive my teachings. Allah has appointed a way for those women. If the parties have been married, they shall receive a hundred lashes and stoned to death. If the parties are unmarried, they shall receive a hundred lashes and banished for a year.
Hadith Reference & Context
This commentary pertains to Sunan Abi Dawud 4415 from the Book of Prescribed Punishments (Kitab Al-Hudud). The hadith addresses the legal consequences for unlawful sexual relations (zina) in Islamic jurisprudence.
Scholarly Commentary
The punishment varies based on marital status: married offenders receive one hundred lashes followed by stoning (rajm), while unmarried offenders receive one hundred lashes and exile for one year. This distinction reflects the gravity of violating marital trust.
Stoning (rajm) for married persons is established through multiple authentic narrations and consensus (ijma') of early scholars. The exile for unmarried offenders serves as both punishment and societal protection, allowing time for repentance.
Legal Conditions & Evidentiary Requirements
These punishments require strict evidentiary standards: either a confession repeated four times or testimony from four male witnesses who directly observed the act. Any doubt (shubha) prevents implementation.
The purpose of these stringent requirements is to make conviction difficult, emphasizing that hudud punishments are meant to protect society while giving precedence to mercy whenever possible.
Wisdom & Objectives
These prescribed punishments serve to preserve lineage, protect family structure, and maintain public morality. The graduated approach shows Islam's consideration for individual circumstances while upholding divine limits.