Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah

Alqamah bin Wa’il al-Kindi narrates from his father that in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), a woman set out (from her house) with the intention of performing prayer. On the way, she met a man who overpowered her and committed adultery with her. She began to scream and cry out, and the man left. (Meanwhile) another man passed by her, and she informed him that this man had committed adultery with her. Then she passed by a group of the Muhajirun and told them that such-and-such a man had done such-and-such to her. They went and caught that man and brought him before the woman, and she said: “Indeed, this is the man.” ... They brought him to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). When he (the Prophet) ordered that he be stoned, another man, who was in fact the real culprit, stood up and said: “O Messenger of Allah! The one who committed adultery with her is not this man, but I am.” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “You may go, Allah has forgiven you.” Then he spoke words of goodness regarding the previous man, and concerning the (adulterer) who confessed to his crime, he said: “Stone him (to death).” And he said: “This man who confessed has repented with such a repentance that if the people of Madinah were to repent with such repentance, it would be accepted from them.”