I met my uncle who was carrying a standard. I asked him: Where are you going? He said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has sent me to a man who has married his father's wife. He has ordered me to cut off his head and take his property.
Hadith Context & Authenticity
This narration from Sunan Abi Dawud 4457 describes the implementation of prescribed punishment (hadd) for zinā al-muḥṣan (adultery by a married person). The man committed the grave sin of marrying his father's wife, which constitutes both zinā and violation of marital sanctity.
Legal Analysis
The prescribed punishment for a muḥṣan (married person) who commits adultery is stoning (rajm), not beheading. Scholars reconcile this by explaining the beheading mentioned was either for apostasy (as such acts indicate rejection of Sharī'ah) or that the narrator used "cut off his head" metaphorically for capital punishment.
The confiscation of property is unusual in hudūd cases. Classical jurists interpret this as the property being spoils of war if the perpetrator was also engaged in hostilities against Muslims, or that it refers specifically to the dowry given in the illegal marriage.
Scholarly Commentary
Imam Nawawi states such severe punishments demonstrate Islam's protection of lineage (nasab) and family structure. Ibn Qudāmah emphasizes that hudūd require strict evidentiary standards and proper Islamic court procedures.
This case illustrates the gravity of violating marital bonds and the importance of preserving family relationships as ordained in the Qur'an: "And do not approach zinā, indeed it is ever an abomination and evil way." (17:32)