On the authority of his mother than Umm Mubashshir said (Abu Sa'id b. al-A'rabi said: So he said it on the authority of his mother ; what is correct is: on the authority of his father, instead of his mother): I entered upon the Prophet (ﷺ). He then mentioned the tradition of Makhlad b. Khalid in a way similar to the tradition of Jabir. The narrator said: Then Bishr b. al-Bara' b. Ma'rur died. So he (the Prophet) sent for the Jewess and said: What did motivate you for your work you have done ? He (the narrator) then mentioned the rest of the tradition like the tradition of Jabir. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered regarding her and she was killed. He (the narrator in this version) did not mention cupping.
Hadith Commentary: Types of Blood-Wit (Kitab Al-Diyat)
From Sunan Abi Dawud 4514: This narration details the legal consequences for intentional poisoning, establishing important principles in Islamic criminal law regarding capital punishment for deliberate murder.
Legal Analysis of the Poisoning Case
The execution of the Jewess establishes that poisoning constitutes intentional murder (qatl al-amd) under Islamic law, requiring capital punishment as qisas (retribution).
The Prophet's direct interrogation demonstrates the necessity of establishing clear intent before implementing hudud punishments, ensuring justice through proper judicial process.
Scholarly Interpretation
Classical scholars like Imam al-Shafi'i and Imam Malik cite this hadith as evidence that any deliberate act causing death, including poisoning, requires capital punishment unless the victim's heirs choose diyat (blood-money).
The omission of cupping in this version indicates variant narrations, but the core legal ruling remains unchanged across transmissions.
Principles of Evidence and Confession
The Prophet's questioning establishes that confession remains valid evidence in capital cases, though scholars recommend seeking pardon when possible.
This case demonstrates the Islamic legal principle that means of killing don't alter the ruling - intentional murder through poisoning carries the same weight as direct physical assault.