Messenger of Allah, tell me if a man finds his wife with another person, should he kill him? Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: No. Sa'd said: Why not? I swear by Him Who has honored you with the Truth. There upon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Listen to what your chief says.
The Prohibition of Private Retribution
The questioner inquires about taking personal vengeance upon discovering his wife in adultery. The Prophet's emphatic "No" establishes that individual Muslims lack authority to execute legal punishments (hudud) without proper judicial process.
The Wisdom Behind Judicial Process
Islamic law requires four upright witnesses who directly witnessed the actual act of penetration, or a confession repeated four times before a judge. This stringent evidence prevents false accusations, protects privacy, and ensures justice through proper channels rather than emotional reactions.
The Case of Li'an (Invoking Curses)
When direct evidence is unavailable, the Quran prescribes the solemn procedure of mutual imprecation (Surah An-Nur, 24:6-9). The husband swears four times by Allah that he speaks truth, and a fifth oath invoking Allah's curse upon himself if lying. The wife similarly swears four times and a fifth oath invoking Allah's wrath upon herself if he speaks truth.
Sa'd's Zeal and Prophetic Guidance
Sa'd ibn 'Ubadah's passionate exclamation reflects pre-Islamic tribal norms of honor killings. The Prophet's redirecting attention to "your chief" emphasizes communal authority over individual vengeance, establishing that Islamic law supersedes tribal customs through divinely ordained procedures.