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English translation
2067. It was narrated from Ibn 'Abbās that Hilāl bin Umayyah accused his wife in the presence of the Prophet ﷺ of (committing adultery) with Sharik bin Sahmā'. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Bring proof
or you will feel the Hadd (punishment) on your back.” Hilāl bin Umayyah said: “By the One Who sent you with the truth, I am telling the truth, and Allāh will send down revelation concerning my situation which will spare my back.” Then the following was revealed: “And for those who accuse their wives, but have no witnesses except themselves, let the testimony of one of them be four testimonies (i.e., testifies four times) by Allāh that he is one of those who speak the truth. And the fifth (testimony should be) the invoking of the curse of Allāh on him if he be of those who tell a lie (against her). But it shall avert the punishment (of stoning to death) from her, if she bears witness four times by Allāh, that he (her husband) is telling a lie. And the fifth (testimony) should be that the wrath of Allāh be upon her if he (her husband) speaks the truth.”[1] The Prophet ﷺ turned and sent for them, and they came. Hilāl bin Umayyah stood up and bore witness, and the Prophet ﷺ said: “Allāh knows that one of you is lying. Will either of you repent?” Then she stood up and affirmed her innocence. On the fifth time, meaning that the wrath of Allāh be upon her if he (her husband) speaks the truth, they said to her: “It will invoke the wrath of Allāh.” Ibn ‘Abbās said:
"She hesitated and backed up, until we thought that she was going to recant. Then she said: 'By Allāh, I cannot dishonor my people for ever.' Then the Prophet ﷺ said: 'Wait and see. If she gives birth to a child with black eyes, fleshy buttocks and big calves, then he is the son of Sharik bin Sahmā'. And she gave birth to such a child. Then the Prophet ﷺ said: 'Had not the matter been settled by the Book of Allāh, I would have punished her severely.'" (Sahih)
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Footnotes
1
[1] They say it is a kind of gecko (lizard) or small red crawling animal or reptile.
1
[1] An-Nur 24:6-9.
Commentary
Hilāl bin Umayyah ﷺ trusted Allāh, and left his matter with Allāh, and Allāh cleared him.
The wording of the fifth witnessing is different than the first four; which is to awaken the conscious that whoever is in the wrong from the two parties should admit their mistake, and should accept a worldly punishment in order to escape the punishment of the Hereafter.
The statement of Allāh's Messenger ﷺ: 'Had not the matter been settled by the Book of Allāh, I would have punished her severely' means the crime of the woman was certain, but to inflict punishment after Li'ān (having invoked the curse) was not allowed, so he ﷺ let her go, otherwise she would have had to be stoned.
