Mishkat al-Masabih

Ibn Abu Laila said he was told by Muhammad’s companions that during a journey with God’s Messenger while one of them was asleep another went to a rope he had with him and seized him,* with the result that he was startled. God’s Messenger then said, “It is not lawful for a Muslim to frighten another.” Abu Dawud transmitted it. * The meaning is that he tied the rope round him while he was asleep, presumably as a joke.

Abud Darda’ reported God’s Messenger as saying, “He who gets land on which tax is due 1 has sought to rescind his emigration,2 and he who takes an infidel’s lowliness from his neck and puts it on his own 3 has turned his back on Islam.” Abu Dawud transmitted it. 1. The word for "tax" here is jizya. Eventually a distinction was made between jizya and kharaj, the former being used for poll-tax and the latter for land-tax. 2. i.e. to make himself like a dhimmi. 3. i.e. undertakes the responsibility of paying his tax for him.

Jarir b. ‘Abdillah told that when God’s Messenger sent an expedition to Khath'am some of them sought God’s protection by having recourse to prostration* and were quickly killed. When the Prophet heard that, he ordered half the blood wit to be paid for them, saying, “I am not responsible for any Muslim who stays among polytheists.” On being asked why that was, he replied, “Their fires should not be visible to one another.” Abu Dawud transmitted it. * Some members of Khath'am who were Muslims prostrated themselves in prayer to God thinking that this would make it clear to the attackers that they were Muslims.

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet as saying, “Faith is an assurance of safety from being killed unawares. A believer does not kill another unawares.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Jarir reported the Prophet as saying, “When a slave runs away and reverts to polytheism he may lawfully be killed.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Ali told that a Jewess who was reviling the Prophet and speaking evil of him was strangled to death by a man and the Prophet allowed no payment to be made for her death. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Jundub reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The punishment given to a magician is a stroke with the sword.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Usama b. Sharik reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Cut off the head of any man who goes out and causes division among my people.” Nasa’i transmitted it.

I wanted to meet one of the Prophet’s companions to ask him about the Kharijites. Meeting Abu Barza al-Aslami along with some of his companions on a festival day, I asked him whether he had heard God’s Messenger mentioning the Kharijites, and he replied that he had both heard him with his ears and seen him with his eyes. He told that God’s Messenger was brought some property and divided it, giving something to those on his right and those on his left, but giving nothing to those who were behind him. One of those behind him, a black man whose hair was completely cut off and who was wearing two white garments, then said, "You have not divided justly, Muhammad.” God's Messenger became very angry and said, “I swear by God that after my death you will not find a man more just than I am,” adding, “At the end of time people looking like this man will come forth, reciting the Qur'an, but it will not pass their throats. They will swerve from Islam as an arrow passes through the game at which is it shot, and their distinguishing mark will be shaving. They will continue to come forth till the last of them comes forth with the antichrist. When you meet them they will be the worst of men and beasts.” Nasa’i transmitted it.

Abu Ghalib told that when Abu Umama saw some heads set up on the road to Damascus he said, “The dogs of hell, the worst people killed under the sky. The best who have been killed are those killed by them.” He then recited, “On the day when some faces will be white and some faces will be black (Al-Qur’an, 3:106). Abu Umama was asked whether he had heard it from God’s Messenger and replied, “If I had heard it only once, twice, or thrice (counting up to seven times) I would not have told you.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a hasan tradition.

Abu Huraira and Zaid b. Khalid told that two men brought a dispute before God’s Messenger, one of them saying, "Pronounce judgment between us in accordance with God’s Book," and the other saying, "Yes Messenger of God, pronounce judgment between us in accordance with God’s Book, and allow me to speak." He told him to speak and he said, "My son who was a hired servant with this man committed fornication with his wife, and when I was told that my son must be stoned to death I ransomed him with a hundred sheep and a slave girl of mine; but when I asked the learned they told me that my son should receive a hundred lashes and be banished for a year, and that stoning to death applied only to the man’s wife." God’s Messenger replied, "By Him in whose hand my soul is, I shall certainly pronounce judgment between you in accordance with God's Book. Your sheep and your slave girl must be returned to you, and your son shall receive a hundred lashes and be banished for a year. As for you, Unais, go to this man's wife, and if she confesses stone her to death." She confessed and he stoned her. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Zaid b. Khalid told that he heard God’s Messenger giving command that an unmarried man who committed fornication should receive a hundred lashes and be banished for a year. Bukhari transmitted it.

God sent Muhammad with the truth and sent down the Book to him, and the verse of stoning was included in what God most high sent down. God's Messenger had people stoned to death and we have done it also since his death. Stoning is a duty laid down in God’s Book for married men and women who commit fornication when proof is established, or if there is pregnancy, or a confession. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Ubada b. as-Samit reported the Prophet as saying, “Receive my teaching, receive my teaching God has appointed a way for those women (Cf. Al-Qur'an, 4:15). When the parties are unmarried they shall receive a hundred lashes and be banished for a year when they commit fornication and when they have been married they shall receive a hundred lashes and be stoned to death.” Muslim transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar told that the Jews came to God’s Messenger and mentioned to him that a man and a woman of their number had committed fornication. He asked them what they found in the Torah about stoning and they replied that they should disgrace them and that they should be beaten. ‘Abdallah b. Salam then said, “You lie; it contains instruction that they should be stoned to death, so bring the Torah.” They spread it out, and one of them put his hand over the verse of stoning and read what preceded it and what followed it. 'Abdallah b. Salam told him to lift his hand and when he did so the verse of stoning was seen to be in it. They then said, “He has spoken the truth, Muhammad; the verse of stoning is in it.” The Prophet then gave command regarding them and they were stoned to death. In a version it says that he told him to lift his hand and that when he did so the verse of stoning was clearly in it. The man then said, “It contains the verse of stoning, Muhammad, but we have been concealing it from one another.” He then gave command regarding them and they were stoned to death. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

I was informed by one who heard Jabir b. ‘Abdallah say, “Then we stoned him in Medina, but when the stones hurt him he ran away, and we caught up on him in the harra and stoned him to death.” In aversion by Bukhari on Jabir’s authority, after “he replied that he was” it says that he gave command regarding him and he was stoned in the place of prayer. Then when the stones hurt him he fled, but was overtaken and stoned to death. The Prophet then spoke well of him and prayed over him. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn ‘Abbas said that when Ma'iz b. Malik came to the Prophet and he* said, “Perhaps you kissed, or squeezed, or looked,” he replied, “No, Messenger of God.” He then said, “Did you have intercourse with her?” asking the question in plain words, and when he replied that he had, he gave orders that he should be stoned to death. Bukhari transmitted it. * i.e. the Prophet. The tradition leaves it to be inferred that Ma'iz had confessed to committing fornication.

Buraida told that Ma'iz b. Malik came to the Prophet and said, “Purify me, Messenger of God.” He replied, “Out upon you! Go back, ask God's forgiveness and turn to Him in repentance.” He said that he went back not very far, then came and said, “Purify me, Messenger of God,” and the Prophet said the same as he had said before. When this went on till a fourth time he asked, “For what am I to purify you?” and he replied that it was because of fornication. God’s Messenger then asked if the man was mad, and when he was told that he was not, he asked if he had drunk wine. A man got up and smelt his breath but noticed no smell of wine, so the Prophet asked him if he had committed fornication, and when he replied that he had, he gave orders regarding him and he was stoned to death. Two or three days later God’s Messenger came and said, “Ask forgiveness for Ma'iz b. Malik. He has repented to such an extent that if it were divided among a people it would be enough for them all.” Then a woman of Ghamid, a branch of Azd came to him and said, “Purify me, Messenger of God.” He replied, “Out upon you! Go back, ask God’s forgiveness and turn to Him in repentance.” She said, “Do you want to send me back as you did to Ma'iz b. Malik when I am 1 pregnant as a result of fornication?” He asked whether she was referring to herself, and when she replied that she was, he told her to wait till she had given birth to what was in her womb. One of the Ansar became responsible for her till she was delivered of a child, and then went to the Prophet and told him that the woman of Ghamid had given birth to a child. He said, "In that case we shall not stone her and so leave her child as an infant with no one to suckle him.” One of the Ansar then got up and said, "I shall be responsible for his suckling, Prophet of God." He then had her stoned to death. A version says that he told her to go away till she gave birth to a child, then when she did, he told her to go away and suckle him till she had weaned him. When she had weaned him she brought the boy to him with a piece of bread in his hand and said, "I have weaned this one and he has eaten food." He (hen handed the boy over to one of the Muslims, and when he had given command regarding her and she was put in a hole up to her breast, he ordered the people to stone her. Khalid b. al-Walid came forward with a stone which he threw at her head, and when the blood spurted on his face he cursed her, but the Prophet said, "Gently, Khalid, By Him in whose hand my soul is, she has repented to such an extent that if one who wrongfully takes an extra tax 2 were to repent to a like extent he would be forgiven." Then giving command regarding her, he prayed over her and she was buried. Muslim transmitted it. 1. The Arabic uses the third person, saying she was pregnant. It may be an explanatory phrase, but I have ventured to treat it as part of the woman's word since this makes the sentence read a little more easily. 2. Sahib maks. Maks was money taken from sellers in the market in pre-Islamic times; it is also used of something taken by a tax-collector over and above that is duo.

Aba Huraira told that he heard the Prophet say, "When the slave woman of any of you commits fornication and the matter is clear, he should give her the appropriate beating, but not hurl reproaches at her. If she does it again he should give her the appropriate beating, but not hurl reproaches at her. If she does it a third time and the matter is clear he should sell her, even if only for a rope of hair." (Bukhari and Muslim)

You people must carry out the punishment on your slaves, those of them who are married and those who are not, for a slave woman belonging to God’s Messenger committed fornication and he ordered me to beat her. But she had recently given birth to a child and I was afraid that if I beat her I might kill her, so I mentioned that to the Prophet and he said, “You have done well." Muslim transmitted it. In a version by Abd Dawud he said, “Leave her till her blood stops flowing and then carry out the punishment on her, and carry out* the punishment on your female slaves”. Abu Dawud. *Here the verb is plural.