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Legal Punishments (Hudud)

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Legal Punishments (Hudud)

الحدود الشرعية

In Islamic tradition, *Hudud* (الحدود), literally meaning 'limits' or 'boundaries,' primarily refers to a category of specific, divinely ordained punishments for certain grave offenses. These penalties are fixed in the Quran and Sunnah, representing [the limits set by Allah] that must not be transgressed. The profound wisdom behind them is understood as a deterrent to safeguard society's well-being, protect individual rights, and maintain justice. Key examples of *Hudud* offenses include theft, for which the Quran prescribes [amputation of the hand], and unlawful sexual intercourse, where the Quran specifies [a hundred lashes] for the unmarried perpetrator. Other *Hudud* crimes, such as false accusation of unlawful sexual intercourse, are derived from prophetic tradition. It is crucial to understand that the application of *Hudud* is subject to exceptionally strict evidential requirements and conditions, making their implementation rare in practice. Beyond penal law, the term *hudud Allah* also broadly signifies all [divine ordinances and boundaries] that guide a Muslim's life, encompassing ethical, social, and ritual conduct.

Quran 6 verses

أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ لَيْلَةَ ٱلصِّيَامِ ٱلرَّفَثُ إِلَىٰ نِسَآئِكُمْ هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَّكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لِبَاسٌ لَّهُنَّ عَلِمَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ تَخْتَانُونَ أَنفُسَكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَعَفَا عَنكُمْ فَٱلْـَٰٔنَ بَٰشِرُوهُنَّ وَٱبْتَغُوا۟ مَا كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَكُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ ٱلْخَيْطُ ٱلْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ ٱلْخَيْطِ ٱلْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ ٱلْفَجْرِ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا۟ ٱلصِّيَامَ إِلَى ٱلَّيْلِ وَلَا تُبَٰشِرُوهُنَّ وَأَنتُمْ عَٰكِفُونَ فِى ٱلْمَسَٰجِدِ تِلْكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ فَلَا تَقْرَبُوهَا كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ

Uhilla lakum laylatas Siyaamir rafasu ilaa nisaaa'ikum; hunna libaasullakum wa antum libaasullahunn; 'alimal laahu annakum kuntum takhtaanoona anfusakum fataaba 'alaikum wa 'afaa 'ankum fal'aana baashiroo hunna wabtaghoo maa katabal laahoo lakum; wa kuloo washraboo hattaa yatabaiyana lakumul khaitul abyadu minal khaitil aswadi minal fajri summa atimmus Siyaama ilal layl; wa laa tubaashiroo hunna wa antum 'aakifoona fil masaajid; tilka hudoodul laahi falaa taqraboohaa; kazaalika yubaiyinul laahu aayaatihee linnaasi la'allahum yattaqoon

It has been made permissible for you the night preceding fasting to go to your wives [for sexual relations]. They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them. Allah knows that you used to deceive yourselves, so He accepted your repentance and forgave you. So now, have relations with them and seek that which Allah has decreed for you. And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast until the sunset. And do not have relations with them as long as you are staying for worship in the mosques. These are the limits [set by] Allah, so do not approach them. Thus does Allah make clear His ordinances to the people that they may become righteous.

روزوں کی راتوں میں تمہارے لئے اپنی عورتوں کے پاس جانا کردیا گیا ہے وہ تمہاری پوشاک ہیں اور تم ان کی پوشاک ہو خدا کو معلوم ہے کہ تم (ان کے پاس جانے سے) اپنے حق میں خیانت کرتے تھے سو اس نے تم پر مہربانی کی اور تمہاری حرکات سےدرگزرفرمائی۔اب (تم کو اختیار ہے کہ) ان سے مباشرت کرو۔ اور خدا نے جو چیز تمہارے لئے لکھ رکھی ہے (یعنی اولاد) اس کو (خدا سے) طلب کرو اور کھاؤ پیو یہاں تک کہ صبح کی سفید دھاری (رات کی) سیاہ دھاری سے الگ نظر آنے لگے۔ پھر روزہ (رکھ کر) رات تک پورا کرو اور جب تم مسجدوں میں اعتکاف بیٹھے ہو تو ان سے مباشرت نہ کرو۔ یہ خدا کی حدیں ہیں ان کے پاس نہ جانا۔ اسی طرح خدا اپنی آیتیں لوگوں کے (سمجھانے کے) لئے کھول کھول کر بیان فرماتا ہے تاکہ وہ پرہیزگار بنیں

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Explained here in this verse are the remaining injunctions of fasting including the injunction relating to I` tikaf اعتکاف . Commentary The opening words of the verse, أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ (uhilla lakum: 'It is made lawful for you' ) tell us that the act made lawful through this verse was unlawful before....
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: Permitted to you upon the night of the Fast is to go in to your wives in sexual intercourse this was revealed as an abrogation of its unlawfulness during the earliest phase of Islam as well as an abrogation of the unlawfulness of eating and drinking after the night prayer; they are a vestment for yo...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Eating, Drinking and Sexual Intercourse are allowed during the Nights of Ramadan These Ayat contain a relief from Allah for the Muslims by ending the practice that was observed in the early years of Islam. At that time, Muslims were allowed to eat, drink and have sexual intercourse only until the `I...

ٱلطَّلَٰقُ مَرَّتَانِ فَإِمْسَاكٌۢ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ تَسْرِيحٌۢ بِإِحْسَٰنٍ وَلَا يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ أَن تَأْخُذُوا۟ مِمَّآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ شَيْـًٔا إِلَّآ أَن يَخَافَآ أَلَّا يُقِيمَا حُدُودَ ٱللَّهِ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا يُقِيمَا حُدُودَ ٱللَّهِ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَا فِيمَا ٱفْتَدَتْ بِهِۦ تِلْكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ فَلَا تَعْتَدُوهَا وَمَن يَتَعَدَّ حُدُودَ ٱللَّهِ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ

Attalaaqu marrataani fa imsaakum bima'roofin aw tasreehum bi ihsaan; wa laa yahillu lakum an taakhuzoo mimmaaa aataitumoohunna shai'an illaaa ai yakhaafaaa alla yuqeemaa hudoodallahi fa in khiftum allaa yuqeemaa budoodal laahi falaa junaaha 'Alaihimaa feemaf tadat bihee tilka hudoodul laahi falaa ta'tadoohaa; wa mai yata'adda hudoodal laahi fa ulaaa'ika humuzzaa limoon

Divorce is twice. Then, either keep [her] in an acceptable manner or release [her] with good treatment. And it is not lawful for you to take anything of what you have given them unless both fear that they will not be able to keep [within] the limits of Allah. But if you fear that they will not keep [within] the limits of Allah, then there is no blame upon either of them concerning that by which she ransoms herself. These are the limits of Allah, so do not transgress them. And whoever transgresses the limits of Allah - it is those who are the wrongdoers.

طلاق (صرف) دوبار ہے (یعنی جب دو دفعہ طلاق دے دی جائے تو) پھر (عورتوں کو) یا تو بطریق شائستہ (نکاح میں) رہنے دینا یا بھلائی کے ساتھ چھوڑ دینا۔ اور یہ جائز نہیں کہ جو مہر تم ان کو دے چکے ہو اس میں سے کچھ واپس لے لو۔ ہاں اگر زن و شوہر کو خوف ہو کہ وہ خدا کی حدوں کو قائم نہیں رکھ سکیں گے تو اگر عورت (خاوند کے ہاتھ سے) رہائی پانے کے بدلے میں کچھ دے ڈالے تو دونوں پر کچھ گناہ نہیں۔ یہ خدا کی (مقرر کی ہوئی) حدیں ہیں ان سے باہر نہ نکلنا۔ اور جو لوگ خدا کی حدوں سے باہر نکل جائیں گے وہ گنہگار ہوں گے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary The injunctions governing talaq طلاق (divorce) and nikah نکاح (marriage) appear in several verses throughout the Qur'an but the verses mentioned here consist of cardinal rules of procedure in cases of divorce. To understand these, it is necessary to know the status of Nikah نکاح in the Sh...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: Divorce that is repudiation of the type that may be revoked is twice; then honourable retention that is to say you are then obliged to revert to them to retain them without harming them; or setting them free kindly. It is not lawful for you O male spouses to take of what you have given them of dowry...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Divorce is Thrice This honorable Ayah abrogated the previous practice in the beginning of Islam, when the man had the right to take back his divorced wife even if he had divorced her a hundred times, as long as she was still in her `Iddah (waiting period). This situation was harmful for the wife, an...

فَإِن طَلَّقَهَا فَلَا تَحِلُّ لَهُۥ مِنۢ بَعْدُ حَتَّىٰ تَنكِحَ زَوْجًا غَيْرَهُۥ فَإِن طَلَّقَهَا فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَآ أَن يَتَرَاجَعَآ إِن ظَنَّآ أَن يُقِيمَا حُدُودَ ٱللَّهِ وَتِلْكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ يُبَيِّنُهَا لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ

Fa in tallaqahaa falaa tahillu lahoo mim ba'du hattaa tankiha zawjan ghairah; fa in tallaqahaa falaa junaaha 'alaihimaaa ai yataraaja'aaa in zannaaa ai yuqeemaa hudoodal laa; wa tilka hudoodul laahi yubaiyinuhaa liqawminy ya'lamoon

And if he has divorced her [for the third time], then she is not lawful to him afterward until [after] she marries a husband other than him. And if the latter husband divorces her [or dies], there is no blame upon the woman and her former husband for returning to each other if they think that they can keep [within] the limits of Allah. These are the limits of Allah, which He makes clear to a people who know.

پھر اگر شوہر (دو طلاقوں کے بعد تیسری) طلاق عورت کو دے دے تو اس کے بعد جب تک عورت کسی دوسرے شخص سے نکاح نہ کرلے اس (پہلے شوہر) پر حلال نہ ہوگی۔ ہاں اگر دوسرا خاوند بھی طلاق دے دے اورعورت اور پہلا خاوند پھر ایک دوسرے کی طرف رجوع کرلیں تو ان پر کچھ گناہ نہیں بشرطیکہ دونوں یقین کریں کہ خدا کی حدوں کو قائم رکھ سکیں گے اور یہ خدا کی حدیں ہیں ان کو وہ ان لوگوں کے لئے بیان فرماتا ہے جو دانش رکھتے ہیں

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: After dealing with the above problem, the third talaq was mentioned in this manner فَإِن طَلَّقَهَا فَلَا تَحِلُّ لَهُ مِن بَعْدُ حَتَّىٰ تَنكِحَ زَوْجًا غَيْرَ‌هُ that is, if that person goes on to pronounce the third talaq as well (something not liked by the Shari'ah), the transaction of nikah sha...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: If he the husband divorces her after the two utterances of divorce; she shall not be lawful to him after that after the third utterance of divorce until she marries another husband who has sexual intercourse with her as reported by the two Shaykhs Bukhārī and Muslim. If he the second husband divorce...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Divorce is Thrice This honorable Ayah abrogated the previous practice in the beginning of Islam, when the man had the right to take back his divorced wife even if he had divorced her a hundred times, as long as she was still in her `Iddah (waiting period). This situation was harmful for the wife, an...

إِنَّمَا جَزَٰٓؤُا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ يُحَارِبُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَيَسْعَوْنَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَسَادًا أَن يُقَتَّلُوٓا۟ أَوْ يُصَلَّبُوٓا۟ أَوْ تُقَطَّعَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُم مِّنْ خِلَٰفٍ أَوْ يُنفَوْا۟ مِنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ ذَٰلِكَ لَهُمْ خِزْىٌ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَلَهُمْ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ

Innamaa jazaaa'ul lazeena yuhaariboonal laaha wa Rasoolahoo wa yas'awna fil ardi fasaadan ai yuqattalooo aw yusallabooo aw tuqatta'a aideehim wa arjuluhum min khilaafin aw yunfaw minalard; zaalika lahum khizyun fid dunyaa wa lahum fil Aakhirati 'azaabun 'azeem

Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment,

جو لوگ خدا اور اس کے رسول سے لڑائی کریں اور ملک میں فساد کرنے کو دوڑتے پھریں ان کی یہی سزا ہے کہ قتل کر دیئے جائیں یا سولی چڑھا دیئے جائیں یا ان کے ایک ایک طرف کے ہاتھ اور ایک ایک طرف کے پاؤں کاٹ دیئے جائیں یا ملک سے نکال دیئے جائیں یہ تو دنیا میں ان کی رسوائی ہے اور آخرت میں ان کے لیے بڑا (بھاری) عذاب تیار ہے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary Qur'anic Laws are Unique and Revolutionary Mentioned in the previous verses (27-32) was the event of the killing of Habil (Abel) and its gravity as a crime. In the verses cited above, and in verses which follow, there is a description of the legal punishments for killing, plundering, robb...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: The following was revealed when the ‘Arniyyūn came to Medina suffering from some illness and the Prophet s gave them permission to go and drink from the camels’ urine and milk. Once they felt well they slew the Prophet’s shepherd and stole the herd of camels Truly the only requital of those who figh...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Human Beings Should Respect the Sanctity of Other Human Beings Allah says, because the son of Adam killed his brother in transgression and aggression, كَتَبْنَا عَلَى بَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ (We ordained for the Children of Israel...) meaning, We legislated for them and informed them, أَنَّهُ مَن قَتَلَ ن...

وَٱلسَّارِقُ وَٱلسَّارِقَةُ فَٱقْطَعُوٓا۟ أَيْدِيَهُمَا جَزَآءًۢ بِمَا كَسَبَا نَكَٰلًا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

Wassaariqu qassaariqatu faqta'oo aidiyahumma jazaaa'am bimaa kasabaa nakaalam minal laah; wallaahu 'Azeezun hakeem

[As for] the thief, the male and the female, amputate their hands in recompense for what they committed as a deterrent [punishment] from Allah. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.

اور جو چوری کرے مرد ہو یا عورت ان کے ہاتھ کاٹ ڈالو یہ ان کے فعلوں کی سزا اور خدا کی طرف سے عبرت ہے اور خدا زبردست (اور) صاحب حکمت ہے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: The fourth verse (38) reverts to the subject of the punishment of crimes where the Islamic Legal Punishment of theft has been described. The punishment for theft belongs to the category of Hudud which is one of the three kinds of Islamic Legal Punishments dis-cussed earlier (under the Tafsir of vers...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And the thieving male and the thieving female the definite article in both nouns relates to the subject sc. wa’lladhī saraqa wa’llatī saraqat ‘And the male who thieves and the female who thieves’; because this clause resembles a conditional statement sc. ‘if he thieves if she thieves’ etc. the fā’ h...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Necessity of Cutting off the Hand of the Thief Allah commands and decrees that the hand of the thief, male or female be cut off. During the time of Jahiliyyah, this was also the punishment for the thief, and Islam upheld this punishment. In Islam, there are several conditions that must be met be...

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ إِذَا طَلَّقْتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَطَلِّقُوهُنَّ لِعِدَّتِهِنَّ وَأَحْصُوا۟ ٱلْعِدَّةَ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ رَبَّكُمْ لَا تُخْرِجُوهُنَّ مِنۢ بُيُوتِهِنَّ وَلَا يَخْرُجْنَ إِلَّآ أَن يَأْتِينَ بِفَٰحِشَةٍ مُّبَيِّنَةٍ وَتِلْكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ وَمَن يَتَعَدَّ حُدُودَ ٱللَّهِ فَقَدْ ظَلَمَ نَفْسَهُۥ لَا تَدْرِى لَعَلَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحْدِثُ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ أَمْرًا

Yaaa ayyuhan nabiyyu izaa tallaqtummun nisaaa'a fatalliqoohunna li'iddatihinna wa ahsul'iddata; wattaqul laaha rabbakum laa tukhri joohunna mim bu-yootihinna wa laa yakhrujna illaaa any yaateema bifaahishatim mubaiyinah; wa tilka hudoodul laah; wa many yata'adda hudoodal laahi faqad zalama nafsha; laa tadree la'allal laaha yuhdisu ba'dazaalika amraa

O Prophet, when you [Muslims] divorce women, divorce them for [the commencement of] their waiting period and keep count of the waiting period, and fear Allah, your Lord. Do not turn them out of their [husbands'] houses, nor should they [themselves] leave [during that period] unless they are committing a clear immorality. And those are the limits [set by] Allah. And whoever transgresses the limits of Allah has certainly wronged himself. You know not; perhaps Allah will bring about after that a [different] matter.

اے پیغمبر (مسلمانوں سے کہہ دو کہ) جب تم عورتوں کو طلاق دینے لگو تو عدت کے شروع میں طلاق دو اور عدت کا شمار رکھو۔ اور خدا سے جو تمہارا پروردگار ہے ڈرو۔ (نہ تو تم ہی) ان کو (ایام عدت میں) ان کے گھروں سے نکالو اور نہ وہ (خود ہی) نکلیں۔ ہاں اگر وہ صریح بےحیائی کریں (تو نکال دینا چاہیئے) اور یہ خدا کی حدیں ہیں۔ جو خدا کی حدوں سے تجاوز کرے گا وہ اپنے آپ پر ظلم کرے گا۔ (اے طلاق دینے والے) تجھے کیا معلوم شاید خدا اس کے بعد کوئی (رجعت کی) سبیل پیدا کردے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: The Status of Marriage and Divorce in Shari’ ah: The Wise Legal Framework In Ma’ ariful Qur’ an, Volume [ 1], p 573, in Surah Al-Baqarah, full details of the subject under similar heading are given. The gist of the matter is that marriage and divorce in any given religion is not like a mutual transa...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: O Prophet meaning to address his community on account of what follows; or it means say to them when you men divorce women when you intend to effect a divorce divorce them by their prescribed period at the beginning of it such that the divorce is effected while she is pure and has not been touched se...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Which was revealed in Al-Madinah بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ (In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. There is a Period during which Divorced Women remain in Their Homes The Prophet was addressed first in this Ayah, to honor him, even though his Ummah is also being add...

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