We were on the night of Friday staying in the mosque when a person from the Ansar came there and said: If a person finds hiswoman along with a man, and he speaks about it, you would lash him, and if he kills, you will kill him, and if he keeps quiet he shall have to consume anger. By Allah, I will definitely ask about him from Allah's Mescenger (ﷺ). On the following day he came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and asked him thus: If a man were to find with his wife a man and if he were to talk about it, you would lash him; and if he killed, you would kill him, and if he were to keep quiet. he would consume anger, whereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Allah, solve (this problem), and he began to supplicate (before Him), and then the verses pertaining to li'an were revealed:" Those who accuse their wives and have no witnesses except themselves" (xxiv. 6). The person was then put to test according to these verses in the presence of the people. There came he and his wife in the presence of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), and they invoked curses (in order to testify their claim). The man swore four times in the name of Allah that he was one of the truthful and then invoked curse for the fifth time saying: Let there be curse of Allah upon him if he were among the liars. Then she began to invoke curse. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to her: just wait (and curse after considering over it), but she refused and invoked curse and when she turned away, he (Allah's Apostle) said: It seems that this woman shall give birth to a curly-haired black child, And so she did gave birth to a curly-haired black child.
The Book of Invoking Curses - Sahih Muslim 1495a
This narration from Sahih Muslim details the divine revelation concerning li'ān (mutual imprecation) - a legal procedure for spouses when adultery is alleged without witnesses.
Contextual Background
The incident occurred when an Ansari man expressed frustration about the legal dilemma facing a husband who finds his wife in adultery: speaking out risked punishment for slander, killing led to retribution, and silence meant swallowing anger.
This sincere complaint reached the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), who immediately turned to Allah in supplication, seeking divine guidance to resolve this complex social and legal problem.
Divine Revelation
Allah responded by revealing verses 6-9 of Surah An-Nur, establishing the procedure of li'ān. This divine legislation provided a middle path between absolute proof (requiring four witnesses) and baseless accusation.
The procedure involves the husband swearing four times by Allah that he is truthful about the adultery allegation, followed by a fifth oath invoking Allah's curse upon himself if he lies.
Legal Procedure & Wisdom
The wife then has the right to refute the allegation by similarly swearing four times and invoking Allah's wrath upon herself if her husband is truthful.
This mutual imprecation results in the dissolution of marriage without establishing the legal punishment for adultery, while protecting both parties from false accusations and unjust punishments.
Practical Application
The couple in the narration underwent this procedure before the Prophet (ﷺ). The husband completed his oaths, while the wife - despite the Prophet's counsel to reconsider - proceeded with her oaths.
The Prophet's subsequent remark about the child's appearance served as a divine confirmation of the truth, demonstrating how Allah manifests signs to validate such solemn proceedings.