The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "O Unais! Go to the wife of this (man) and if she confesses (that she has committed illegal sexual intercourse), then stone her to death."
Contextual Background
This narration from Sahih al-Bukhari 2314,2315 concerns a specific legal case during the Prophet's time where a man accused his wife of adultery.
The instruction to Unais (an appointed judge) demonstrates the Islamic judicial process requiring confession or four eyewitnesses for hadd punishment implementation.
Legal Methodology
The Prophet's directive emphasizes that stoning punishment cannot be applied based solely on accusation but requires either voluntary confession or conclusive evidence.
This establishes the principle of "innocent until proven guilty" in Islamic jurisprudence and protects individuals from baseless allegations.
Judicial Wisdom
By sending Unais rather than handling the matter directly, the Prophet (ﷺ) demonstrated proper delegation and established judicial protocols.
The conditional "if she confesses" shows the necessity of establishing guilt beyond doubt before implementing capital punishment, reflecting Islam's mercy alongside justice.