Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah

Sayyiduna Sa’id bin Sa’d bin ‘Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that there was a weak and physically deficient man living among our houses. (Suddenly) he was seen committing adultery with a slave woman. Sayyiduna Sa’d bin ‘Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) brought his case to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Give him one hundred lashes.” The people said: O Messenger of Allah! He is very weak; if we give him one hundred lashes, he will die (what should we do in such a case)? The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Take a large branch on which there are one hundred small twigs, and strike him with it once.”