addressed us. - He praised and glorified Allah, then he mentioned stoning and said: Do not be diverted away from it, for it is one of the hadd punishments of Allah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stoned [adulterers], and we stoned [them] after he was gone. Were it not that some may say that 'Umar added something to the Book of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, that is not part of it, I would have written it in some place in the Mushaf. 'Umar bin al-Khattab testified - and on one occasion Hushaim said: and 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Awf and so and so and so and so[also testified] that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stoned [adulterers] and we stoned [them] after he was gone. But there will come people after you who do not believe in stoning, or in the Dajjal, or intercession, or the torment of the grave, or that people will be brought out of Hell after they have been burned in it.
Exposition of the Hadith on Stoning
This narration from the Musnad of Imam Ahmad, specifically Musnad 'Umar b. al-Khattab (ra) number 156, contains profound legal and theological implications. The opening praise of Allah establishes the proper context for discussing divine legislation.
The Legal Status of Stoning
The statement "Do not be diverted away from it" indicates the obligatory nature of this punishment. Stoning (rajm) constitutes a established hadd punishment for married adulterers, firmly rooted in the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ and practiced by the Rightly Guided Caliphs.
The emphasis on continuity from the Prophet's time through the caliphate of 'Umar demonstrates the consensus (ijma') of the early community on this ruling, making it an indisputable part of Islamic law.
The Quranic Context
'Umar's concern about adding to the Quran reflects the meticulous care the Companions exercised in preserving revelation. While the ruling of stoning was revealed and practiced, its specific wording was not preserved in the mus'haf compilation, though it remains binding through mutawatir practice.
Warning Against Deviation
The prophecy regarding future generations denying stoning along with other fundamental beliefs demonstrates the interconnectedness of Islamic creed and law. Rejection of established punishments often precedes denial of other essential doctrines.
The mention of Dajjal, intercession, torment of the grave, and eventual removal from Hell all represent core Sunni beliefs that would be challenged by deviant groups, showing how doctrinal corruption begins with rejecting established texts and practices.