"A woman from Juhainah confessed before the Prophet (ﷺ) that she had committed adultery, and she said: 'I am pregnant.' So the Prophet (ﷺ) called for her guardian and said: 'Be good to her and if she gives birth to her child then tell me.' So he did so, and then he (ﷺ) gave the order that her clothes be bound tightly around her. Then he ordered her to be stoned and she was stoned. Then he performed (funeral) Salat for her. So 'Umar bin Al-Khattab said to him: 'O Messenger of Allah! You stoned her then you prayed for her?!' He said: 'She has repented a repentance that, if distributed among seventy of the people of Al-Madinah, it would have sufficed them. Have you ever seen something more virtuous than her sacrificing herself for the sake of Allah?'"
The Book on Legal Punishments (Al-Hudud)
Jami' at-Tirmidhi - Hadith 1435
Hadith Text
"A woman from Juhainah confessed before the Prophet (ﷺ) that she had committed adultery, and she said: 'I am pregnant.' So the Prophet (ﷺ) called for her guardian and said: 'Be good to her and if she gives birth to her child then tell me.' So he did so, and then he (ﷺ) gave the order that her clothes be bound tightly around her. Then he ordered her to be stoned and she was stoned. Then he performed (funeral) Salat for her. So 'Umar bin Al-Khattab said to him: 'O Messenger of Allah! You stoned her then you prayed for her?!' He said: 'She has repented a repentance that, if distributed among seventy of the people of Al-Madinah, it would have sufficed them. Have you ever seen something more virtuous than her sacrificing herself for the sake of Allah?'"
Legal Commentary
This hadith establishes several crucial legal principles: the punishment for adultery is stoning for married persons, pregnancy serves as evidence of the act, the punishment is delayed until after childbirth to protect the innocent child, and binding clothes prevents immodesty during execution.
Spiritual Dimensions
The Prophet's prayer for the woman demonstrates that sincere repentance transforms the spiritual state of a sinner. Her voluntary confession and acceptance of punishment constituted the highest form of tawbah (repentance), making her worthy of prophetic intercession despite her sin.
Scholarly Insights
Classical scholars note this case shows hudud punishments serve both legal and spiritual purposes. While the worldly punishment is executed, the spiritual consequence is mitigated by sincere repentance. The delay in punishment until childbirth reflects Islamic mercy and protection of innocent life.