Stoning (rajm) as a penalty for zina

الرجم

Al-Sha'rawi affirms stoning for a married offender on the basis of the Prophet ﷺ's practice: he stoned Ma'iz, al-Ghamidiyya, and a Jewish man and woman. He holds that a practice is a text stronger than an argument from the apparent wording of 'muhsanat', and that a slave woman's penalty, being half, cannot apply to stoning. He reports the Kharijite view that the Qur'an contains no stoning and that 'muhsanat' means married women, and answers it ¹²³⁴⁵⁶.

Summary

Al-Sha'rawi affirms stoning for a married offender on the basis of the Prophet's practice and approval, and holds that a practice is a text stronger than an argument from doubtful wording. He reports and refutes the view that the Qur'an contains no stoning. ¹⁵

The Prophet's practice

He states that the Prophet stoned Ma'iz, al-Ghamidiyya, and a Jewish man and woman, and that his practice carries more weight than the text, since he is the legislator with delegated authority. ⁵²

"Muhsanat" and the slave woman

He reads "muhsanat" in the verse on slave women as free women. A slave woman receives half the penalty, and stoning cannot be halved, so it does not apply to her. ⁴²⁷

The view he reports and answers

He reports that some people held that "muhsanat" means married women and that the Qur'an has no stoning, so only lashing applies, and he answers that the doubtful reading cannot stand against the practice. ³⁴

Not checked here

No academic reading is set out in these pages (needs_source). The reports are cited as the book names their transmitters and have not been checked. This is a Tier A review item.

Opinions on the question

The question: Is stoning established by the Prophet's practice although the Qur'an does not name it, and how is 'muhsanat' to be understood?

First opinion · Sunni tradition (the museum's frame)Main reference

Stoning for a married offender is established by the Prophet's practice and approval, and cannot be halved, so it does not apply to a slave woman

Sha'rawi holds that the Prophet's practice is a practical text, stronger than a doubtful wording, and argues that stoning cannot be halved because it ends life while the halved penalty is pain {cite:tafsir-sharawi-khawatir-scan-vol-2 p. 2126}{cite:tafsir-sharawi-khawatir-scan-vol-2 p. 2129}. He cites the hadith of Ubada, which he attributes to Muslim, and says legislation came through the Sunna together with the Qur'an {cite:tafsir-sharawi-khawatir-scan-vol-2 p. 2059}{cite:tafsir-sharawi-khawatir-scan-vol-2 p. 2060}.

Held by: Muhammad Mutawalli al-Sha'rawi

More opinions (2)

Academic viewSecondary opinion

A verified historical or juristic reading of stoning has not yet been added

No academic reading is set out in these pages; it needs a named source (needs_source). The reports are cited as the book names their transmitters and have not been checked.

Other viewOther opinion

The Kharijite view as Sha'rawi reports it: there is no stoning in the Qur'an, 'muhsanat' here means married women, so only lashing applies

Sha'rawi reports this view in order to refute it; it is the view of others as he states it, not the museum's view {cite:tafsir-sharawi-khawatir-scan-vol-2 p. 2125}{cite:tafsir-sharawi-khawatir-scan-vol-2 p. 2126}.

Sources

Sha'rawi's Khawatir around the Holy Quran, volume one (scan copy) , p. 2059

Sha'rawi's Khawatir around the Holy Quran, volume one (scan copy) , p. 2060

Sha'rawi's Khawatir around the Holy Quran, volume one (scan copy) , p. 2125

Sha'rawi's Khawatir around the Holy Quran, volume one (scan copy) , p. 2126

Sha'rawi's Khawatir around the Holy Quran, volume one (scan copy) , p. 2129

Sha'rawi's Khawatir around the Holy Quran, volume one (scan copy) , p. 2130

Sha'rawi's Khawatir around the Holy Quran, volume one (scan copy) , p. 2061

Stoning (rajm) as a penalty for zina

At a glance