Mukhtasar Bukhari

Narrated from Sayyiduna Sahl bin Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) that Sayyiduna Uwaymir came to Sayyiduna Asim bin ‘Adi (may Allah be pleased with them both) and said, “If a person sees a man committing adultery with his wife, should he kill him? (If he kills him,) then will you people also kill him (in retribution)? If he does not kill, then what should he do? Ask this (issue) for me from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).” Sayyiduna Asim (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and asked him, but the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not like such questions to be asked and considered it bad. Then Sayyiduna Uwaymir (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him, so he said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) disliked asking such things. Sayyiduna Uwaymir (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “By Allah, I will never stop until I ask the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) about this issue,” and he came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said, “O Messenger of Allah! If a man sees another man (committing adultery) with his wife, should he kill him? (If he kills him,) will you kill him (in retribution)? So tell me, what should that person do now?” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah Almighty has revealed (verses of) the Qur’an regarding you and your wife.” Sayyiduna Uwaymir (may Allah be pleased with him) performed li’an (mutual cursing) with his wife and then said, “O Messenger of Allah! If I keep my wife with me, it is as if I have wronged her, i.e., made a false accusation.” So Sayyiduna Uwaymir (may Allah be pleased with him) divorced her. (The narrator says that) after this incident, this method was established for such husband and wife who perform li’an. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Look! If this woman (Uwaymir’s wife) gives birth to a child who is dark, with large black eyes, big buttocks, and thick legs, then I will consider that indeed Uwaymir (may Allah be pleased with him) has made a false accusation against his wife (because these characteristics were in Uwaymir (may Allah be pleased with him)).” Eventually, the woman gave birth to a child with the same features as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had confirmed for Sayyiduna Uwaymir (may Allah be pleased with him) (i.e., dark, with black eyes, big buttocks, and thick legs), so that child was attributed to his mother (no one called him by his father’s name).