The people passed by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with a jew whose face blackened with charcoal and he was being taken around. He adjured them by Allah and asked: What is the prescribed punishment for a fornicator in your Divine book? He (the narrator) said: They referred him to a man of them. The Prophet (ﷺ) adjured him and asked: What is the punishment for a fornication in your Divine Book? He replied: Stoning. But fornication spread among our people of rank, so we disliked that a person of rank should be left alone and the punishment be inflicted on one who is lower in rank than him. So we suspended it for us. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then commanded regarding him and he was stoned to death. He then said: O Allah! I am the first to give life to a command of Thy Book which they had killed.
Hadith Context & Significance
This narration from Sunan Abi Dawud 4447 in the Book of Prescribed Punishments (Kitab Al-Hudud) demonstrates the Prophet's commitment to implementing Allah's law without distinction between social classes.
The incident reveals how previous communities distorted divine legislation when it conflicted with their social prejudices, preferring to suspend Allah's command rather than apply it equally to nobles and commoners.
Scholarly Commentary on the Jewish Man's Testimony
Classical scholars note that the Jewish man's confession confirms stoning as the prescribed punishment for married fornicators in the Torah, establishing continuity between previous divine laws and Islamic legislation.
The scholars emphasize that his admission under oath carries legal weight, demonstrating that the punishment of rajm (stoning) predates Islamic law and was reaffirmed by the Prophet.
Legal Implications & Principles
This hadith establishes the principle of equal application of hudud punishments regardless of social status, wealth, or lineage - a revolutionary concept in seventh-century Arabia.
Scholars derive from this that suspending divine punishments due to social considerations constitutes a grave sin, as it effectively "kills" Allah's command through neglect and selective application.
The Prophet's Final Declaration
The Prophet's statement "I am the first to give life to a command of Thy Book" signifies his role as the restorer of pure monotheistic practice and divine law after centuries of corruption.
Classical commentators explain this demonstrates the Prophet's commitment to implementing all divine commands fully, without compromise or hesitation, setting the standard for Muslim rulers and judges throughout history.