Abu Dawud

Ibn Abbas said “Hilal bin Umayyah was one of the three persons whose repentance was accepted by Allaah. One night he returned from his land and found a man along with his wife. He witnessed with his eyes and heard with his ears. He did not threaten him till the morning. ” Next day he went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the morning and said Messenger of Allah ﷺ “I came to my wife in the night and found a man along with her. I saw with my own eyes and heard with my own ears. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ disliked what he described and he took it seriously. There upon the following Quranic verse came down “And those who make charges against their spouses but have no witnesses except themselves, let the testimony of one of them. . . . ” When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to himself (after the revelation ended) he said “Glad tidings to you Hilal, Allaah the exalted has made ease and a way out for you. ” Hilal said “I expected that from my Lord. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said “Send for her. She then came. ” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited the verses to them and he reminded them and told them that the punishment in the next world was more severe than that in n this world. Hilal said “I swear by Allah I spoke the truth against her. ” She said “He told a lie. ” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said “Apply the method of invoking curses on one another. Hilal was told “Bear witness. So he bore witness before Allaah four times that he spoke the truth. ” When he was about to utter the fifth time he was told “Hilal fear Allah, for the punishment in this world is easier than that in the next world and this is the deciding one, that will surely cause punishment to you. ” He said “I swear by Allaah. Allah will not punish me for this (act), as He did not cause me to be flogged for this (act). ” So he bore witness a fifth time invoking the curse of Allah on him if he was of those who tell a lie. Then the people said to her, Testify. So she gave testimony before Allaah that he was a liar. When she was going to testify the fifth time she was told “Fear Allah, for the punishment in this world is easier than that in the next world. This is the deciding one that will surely cause punishment to you. ” She hesitated for a moment. And then said “By Allah, I will not disgrace my people. ” So she testified a fifth time invoking the curse of Allah on her if he spoke the truth. Messenger of Allah ﷺ separated them from each other and decided that the child will not be attributed to its father. Neither she nor her child will be accused of adultery. He who accuses her or her child will be liable to punishment. He also decided that there will be no dwelling and maintenance for her (from the husband) as they were separated without divorce and death. He then said “If she gives birth to a child with reddish hair, light buttocks, wide belly and light shins he will be the child of Hilal. If she bears a dusky child with curly hair, fat limbs, fat shins and fat buttocks he will be the child of the one who was accused of adultery. She gave birth to a child with curly hair, fat limbs, fat shins and fat buttocks. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said “Had there been no oaths, I would have dealt with her severely. ” Ikrimah said “Later on he became the chief of the tribe of Mudar. He was not attributed to his father. ”