Surah An-Noor (24) — Ayah 6

(Ayah 6 to 9) ➊ { وَ الَّذِيْنَ يَرْمُوْنَ اَزْوَاجَهُمْ …:} After the verses of the punishment for slander were revealed, the issue arose that if a husband sees his wife committing adultery and he does not have witnesses, then what should he do? The first to ask the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) about this hypothetically was Sa’d bin ‘Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him). He said: [ يَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ! إِنْ وَجَدْتُ مَعَ امْرَأَتِيْ رَجُلاً، أَ أُمْهِلُهُ حَتّٰی آتِيَ بِأَرْبَعَةِ شُهَدَاءَ؟ قَالَ نَعَمْ ] [ مسلم، کتاب اللعان : 1498/15 ] “O Messenger of Allah! If I find a man with my wife, should I give him respite until I bring four witnesses?” He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Yes!” ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and asked: “If a man finds another man with his wife, if he speaks, you will flog him, or if he kills (the man), you will kill him, or if he remains silent, he will suppress his rage in his heart.” He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ اللّٰهُمَّ ! افْتَحْ ] “O Allah! Decide!” and began to supplicate, so the verses of li’an were revealed: « وَ الَّذِيْنَ يَرْمُوْنَ اَزْوَاجَهُمْ وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَّهُمْ شُهَدَآءُ اِلَّاۤ اَنْفُسُهُمْ … اِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الصّٰدِقِيْنَ» [ النور : ۶ تا ۹ ] Then that very man was tested with this trial. So he and his wife came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and they performed li’an. The man swore four oaths by Allah that he was surely among the truthful, then the fifth time he invoked the curse that the curse be upon him if he was among the liars. Then the woman began to invoke the curse, so the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Wait!” But she did not accept and she performed li’an. When they left, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Perhaps she will give birth to a child with black, curly hair.” So she gave birth to a child with black, curly hair. [ مسلم، کتاب اللعان : ۱۴۹۵ ]

Sahl bin Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: “O Messenger of Allah! Tell me, if a man sees another man with his wife, should he kill him, and you will kill him, or what should he do?” So Allah revealed those verses in the Qur’an regarding both of them in which li’an is mentioned. So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Allah has decided concerning you and your wife.” Sahl (may Allah be pleased with him) says: “Both of them performed li’an and I was present with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and he separated from his wife, so it became Sunnah that there will be separation between the husband and wife who perform li’an. And she was pregnant, so the husband refused to acknowledge the pregnancy as his. Therefore, the child was called by the mother’s name, then this Sunnah continued in inheritance that the boy would inherit from his mother and she would inherit from him.” [ بخاري، التفسیر، باب : «والخامسۃ أن لعنت اللہ علیہ … » : ۴۷۴۶ ]

➋ In both these hadiths, almost all the rulings of li’an have been mentioned. Despite one of the husband or wife definitely being a liar, their matter after li’an is left to Allah, so that the guilty party may benefit from the respite and concealment and repent and seek forgiveness from Allah.

➌ Remember, for a husband to accuse his wife of adultery merely on the basis of doubt or because the child’s appearance does not resemble him is a grave sin. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: “O Messenger of Allah! A black child has been born to me?” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Do you have some camels?” He said: “Yes!” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “What are their colors?” He said: “They are red.” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Is there any gray among them?” He said: “Yes!” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “How did that happen?” He said: “Perhaps a vein pulled it.” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Perhaps a vein has pulled your son as well.” [ بخاری، الطلاق، باب إذا عرض بنفي الولد : ۵۳۰۵ ]

The exegesis of this verse has been done along with the previous verse.

The tafsir of this ayah is included with the following verse(s).