❖ Proof of Slander, Testimony, and the Ruling on Dropping the Ḥadd
Written by: Imran Ayoob Lahori
◈ Establishing the Punishment
This punishment is established either by the confession of the accused or by the testimony of two just witnesses.
If the person does not repent, then his testimony will never be accepted.
For a person’s single confession makes the ḥadd obligatory, as stated in the ḥadīth where the Prophet ﷺ said:
”اے انیس! اس کی بیوی کے پاس صبح جاؤ: فإن اعترفت فارجمها“
"O Anīs! Go to this man’s wife in the morning. If she admits, then stone her."
References:
أحمد: 115/4 ، بخاري: 6842 ، 6843 ، مسلم: 1697، 1698 ، أبو داود: 4445 ، ترمذي: 1433 ، ابن ماجة: 2549 ، حميدي: 811
◈ Qur’ānic Evidences
وَأَشْهِدُوا ذَوَيْ عَدْلٍ مِّنكُمْ [الطلاق: 2]
"And take two just witnesses from among you."
وَلَا تَقْبَلُوا لَهُمْ شَهَادَةً أَبَدًا ۚ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ - إِلَّا الَّذِينَ تَابُوا مِن بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ ………. [النور: 4 – 5]
"And never accept their testimony ever; they indeed are the fāsiqūn. Except those who repent thereafter…"
❀ Regarding whether the testimony of a slanderer (qādhif) is accepted after repentance or not, this has already been discussed in the Chapter of Testimonies (باب الشهادات).
◈ Dropping of the Ḥadd
➊ If the slanderer, after making the accusation, produces four witnesses, then the ḥadd will be dropped.
➋ If the one accused himself confesses to zinā, then too the ḥadd will be dropped from the slanderer.
In such a case, he will not be considered a qādhif, because with four witnesses the act of zinā is established, and then the ḥadd will be carried out upon the adulterer, not upon the accuser.
This is the meaning of the statement of Allah:
ثُمَّ لَمْ يَأْتُوا بِأَرْبَعَةِ شُهَدَاءَ فَاجْلِدُوهُمْ [النور: 4]
"And those who do not produce four witnesses, then lash them."
Certainly, if they bring witnesses, then they will not be lashed; rather, the one who confessed will have the ḥadd applied to him, not the accuser, as has already been established.
