عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ وَزَيْدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ: أَنَّ رَجُلَيْنِ اخْتَصَمَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا: اقْضِ بَيْنَنَا بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَقَالَ الْآخَرُ: أَجَلْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فاقْضِ بَيْننَا بكتابِ الله وائذَنْ لِي أَنْ أَتَكَلَّمَ قَالَ: «تَكَلَّمْ» قَالَ: إِنَّ ابْنِي كَانَ عَسِيفًا عَلَى هَذَا فَزَنَى بِامْرَأَتِهِ فَأَخْبرُونِي أنَّ على ابْني الرَّجْم فاقتديت مِنْهُ بِمِائَةِ شَاةٍ وَبِجَارِيَةٍ لِي ثُمَّ إِنِّي سَأَلْتُ أَهْلَ الْعِلْمِ فَأَخْبَرُونِي أَنَّ عَلَى ابْنِي جَلْدَ مِائَةٍ وَتَغْرِيبَ عَامٍ وَإِنَّمَا الرَّجْمُ عَلَى امْرَأَتِهِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أَمَا وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَأَقْضِيَنَّ بَيْنَكُمَا بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ أَمَّا غَنَمُكَ وَجَارِيَتُكَ فَرَدٌّ عَلَيْكَ وَأَمَّا ابْنُكَ فَعَلَيْهِ جَلْدُ مِائَةٍ وَتَغْرِيبُ عَامٍ وَأَمَّا أَنْتَ يَا أُنَيْسُ فَاغْدُ إِلَى امْرَأَةِ هَذَا فَإِن اعْترفت فارجمها» فَاعْترفت فرجمها
Translation

Zaid b. Khalid told that he heard God’s Messenger giving command that an unmarried man who committed fornication should receive a hundred lashes and be banished for a year. Bukhari transmitted it.

Comment

Prescribed Punishments

Mishkat al-Masabih 3556

Textual Analysis

This hadith establishes the legal punishment (hadd) for an unmarried fornicator (ghayr muhsan) as one hundred lashes and exile for one year. The term "ghayr muhsan" refers to one who has never been married or lacks the conditions of ihsan (being married, free, Muslim, and of sound mind).

Juridical Commentary

Scholars differ regarding the exile: Imam Malik and Imam al-Shafi'i consider it obligatory alongside flogging, while Imam Abu Hanifah holds it is not part of the prescribed punishment. The wisdom behind exile includes purification of society, prevention of corruption, and giving the offender opportunity for repentance away from previous environments of sin.

Legal Conditions

The punishment applies only when there is complete confession or the testimony of four upright witnesses who directly witnessed the act of penetration. The punishment is waived if there is any doubt (shubha) or if the accused retracts confession before execution of the punishment.

Divine Wisdom

These punishments serve as both purification for the individual and protection for society. They deter immoral behavior while maintaining the sanctity of marriage and family structure. The severity reflects the gravity of violating Allah's boundaries regarding sexual morality.