The Prophet (ﷺ) said to those who were involved in a case of Lian, "Your accounts are with Allah. One of you two is a liar. You (husband) have right on her (wife)." The husband said, "My money, O Allah's Apostle!" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "You are not entitled to take back any money. If you have told the truth, the Mahr that you paid, was for having sexual relations with her lawfully; and if you are a liar, then you are less entitled to get it back."
Exposition of the Hadith on Li'ān
This narration from Sahih al-Bukhari (5350) addresses the grave matter of Li'ān (mutual imprecation) wherein a husband accuses his wife of adultery without producing four witnesses. The Prophet's statement "Your accounts are with Allah" indicates that the ultimate judgment of truthfulness rests with the Divine, while earthly rulings proceed according to legal evidence.
Legal Rulings Derived
The declaration "One of you two is a liar" establishes that in such accusations, truth cannot reside with both parties - either the husband's accusation is true or the wife's denial is true.
"You have right on her" refers to the husband's right to abstain from conjugal relations and separate from her, as Li'ān effectively dissolves the marriage according to the consensus of scholars.
Wisdom in the Mahr Ruling
The Prophet's refusal to return the Mahr contains profound wisdom: If the husband spoke truthfully, the Mahr was valid compensation for lawful intimacy during their marriage. If he lied, he is punished by forfeiting the Mahr as penalty for his false accusation against a chaste woman.
This ruling protects women from frivolous accusations while ensuring justice - either way, the husband cannot reclaim the bridal gift, thus discouraging false allegations that could destroy families and reputations.
Scholarly Commentary
Imam al-Qurtubi notes this hadith demonstrates how Islamic law balances rights - preserving the wife's honor while acknowledging the husband's grievance, yet preventing financial exploitation of such serious allegations.
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani explains that the Mahr's non-return serves as either fulfillment of contractual obligation (if truthful) or as punitive measure (if false), thus maintaining the sanctity of marriage and the seriousness of adultery accusations.