Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 1 of 2

51 4 Financial and judiciary institutions at the time of 'Ali
against the undermining of Islam and prevents them from leaving
it,n230
3.2.2. Hadd punishment for zina
3.2.2.a. The story of stoning
Ash-Sha'bi said: "Shur%ah had a husband who was absent in
Syria, and she got pregnant. Her master brought her to Amir al-
Mu'mineen 'Ali ibn Abi T%h (&) and said: 'This woman
committed adultery and admitted it.' So he gave her one hundred
lashes on Thursday and stoned her on Friday. A hole was dug for her
up to her navel, and I was present, then he said: 'Stoning is a ruling
established by the Messenger of Allah (B). If there is a witness who
accused her, he would be the first one to throw a stone. Since she
admitted it, I will he the first one to stone her.' Then the people
stoned her, and I was among them, and by Allah, I was among those
who killed her." According to the version narrated by Ahmad and
Bukhari, 'Ali (&) said: "I flogged her in accordance with the Book
of Allah (%), and I stoned her in accordance with the ruling of the
Messenger of Allah (&!5)."Z3' This judicial ruling was the personal
view (ijtihgd) of 'ALi (&), and there is a difference of opinion
concerning it among the jurists. The majority are of the view that
lashes and stoning should not be combined.232
According to another report, a hole was dug for her to her
navel, and the people formed a circle around her, but ('Ali) struck
them with his stick and said: "This is not how stoning is done, for if
you do it this way, you will shed one another's blood. Rather you
should form rows as for prayer." Then he said: "0 people, the first of
the people to stone the adulterer should be the ruler, if there was a
confession. If four witnesses testified to adultery, then the first of the
people to stone him or her should he the witnesses who testified to
that, then the ruler, then the people." He threw a stone at her and said
takbeer, then he ordered those in the first row to throw their stones