That the Prophet (ﷺ) said to Ma'iz bin Malik: "Is what has reached me about you true?" He said: "What has reached you about me?" He said: "It has reached me that you had relations with the slave-maid of the family of so-and-so" He said: "Yes." So he testified four times, and he gave the order that he be stoned.
The Book on Legal Punishments (Al-Hudud)
Jami' at-Tirmidhi - Hadith Reference: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1427
Hadith Text
That the Prophet (ﷺ) said to Ma'iz bin Malik: "Is what has reached me about you true?" He said: "What has reached you about me?" He said: "It has reached me that you had relations with the slave-maid of the family of so-and-so" He said: "Yes." So he testified four times, and he gave the order that he be stoned.
Scholarly Commentary
This narration establishes the fundamental principle that the legal punishment for unlawful sexual intercourse (zina) is stoning for a married person (muhsan). The Prophet's methodology in this case demonstrates the Islamic legal maxim that hudud punishments should be averted by doubts whenever possible.
The Prophet's initial questioning ("Is what has reached me about you true?") rather than immediate accusation shows his wisdom in giving the accused an opportunity for denial. Ma'iz's confession, repeated four times, fulfills the strict evidentiary requirement for implementing hadd punishments. His persistence in confession despite opportunities to retract indicates genuine repentance.
Classical scholars note that the four testimonies here serve the same purpose as the four witnesses required for conviction in zina cases - ensuring certainty before implementing this severe punishment. This case became a foundational precedent for the legal principle that confession must be clear, voluntary, and repeated to establish the hadd punishment.
Legal Rulings Derived
The punishment of stoning (rajm) applies only to muhsan - a married Muslim who has had lawful sexual relations in marriage.
Confession to zina must be explicit, voluntary, and repeated to eliminate any doubt about the speaker's intention.
The ruler or judge should initially give the accused opportunities to retract their confession before implementing the punishment.
This hadith establishes that Islamic law prioritizes the protection of people's honor and gives multiple opportunities to avoid the hadd punishment.