Hudud are a few fixed punishments in Islamic law for serious crimes such as theft, adultery, false accusation and robbery. They apply only when a very high standard of proof is met, and the Prophet ﷺ taught to avoid them wherever there is any doubt.
For example, zina (adultery) needs four eyewitnesses to the act itself, or a voluntary and repeated confession, and the Quran prescribes a penalty for those who accuse without four witnesses. Theft requires that the stolen goods are above a certain value, taken from a safe place, with no hunger or necessity. It is reported that during the famine in the time of 'Umar, he suspended the punishment for theft. The Prophet ﷺ turned away a man, Ma'iz, who confessed to adultery and asked him whether he was sure.
In reality, the hudud have been applied very rarely in history, and in the modern world most Muslim-majority countries do not apply them. Some scholars say they should be applied only in a society that provides justice and welfare first. The stoning punishment for adultery is based on the Sunnah and not on the text of the Quran, and scholars have disagreed about it. Critics see these penalties as harsh, and Muslims say their purpose is deterrence, with the strict conditions making conviction almost impossible.
وَٱلسَّارِقُ وَٱلسَّارِقَةُ فَٱقْطَعُوٓا۟ أَيْدِيَهُمَا جَزَآءًۢ بِمَا كَسَبَا نَكَٰلًۭا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌۭ ﴿٣٨﴾
As for the thief, both male and female, cut off their hands. It is the reward of their own deeds, an exemplary punishment from Allah. Allah is Mighty, Wise.
ٱلزَّانِيَةُ وَٱلزَّانِى فَٱجْلِدُوا۟ كُلَّ وَٰحِدٍۢ مِّنْهُمَا مِا۟ئَةَ جَلْدَةٍۢ ۖ وَلَا تَأْخُذْكُم بِهِمَا رَأْفَةٌۭ فِى دِينِ ٱللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ ۖ وَلْيَشْهَدْ عَذَابَهُمَا طَآئِفَةٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٢﴾
The adulterer and the adulteress, scourge ye each one of them (with) a hundred stripes. And let not pity for the twain withhold you from obedience to Allah, if ye believe in Allah and the Last Day. And let a party of believers witness their punishment.
وَٱلَّذِينَ يَرْمُونَ ٱلْمُحْصَنَٰتِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَأْتُوا۟ بِأَرْبَعَةِ شُهَدَآءَ فَٱجْلِدُوهُمْ ثَمَٰنِينَ جَلْدَةًۭ وَلَا تَقْبَلُوا۟ لَهُمْ شَهَٰدَةً أَبَدًۭا ۚ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْفَٰسِقُونَ ﴿٤﴾
And those who accuse honourable women but bring not four witnesses, scourge them (with) eighty stripes and never (afterward) accept their testimony - They indeed are evil-doers -
The authentic hadith behind this answer, from Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim and the Sunan with the grade of the scholars of hadith. Open a reference to read it in the hadith library of this site.
وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَعْلَى، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ الْحَارِثِ الْمُحَارِبِيُّ - عَنْ غَيْلاَنَ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ جَامِعٍ الْمُحَارِبِيُّ - عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ بْنِ مَرْثَدٍ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ، بْنِ بُرَيْدَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ جَاءَ مَاعِزُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ طَهِّرْنِي . فَقَالَ " وَيْحَكَ ارْجِعْ فَاسْتَغْفِرِ اللَّهَ وَتُبْ إِلَيْهِ " . قَالَ فَرَجَعَ غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ ثُمَّ جَاءَ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ طَهِّرْنِي . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " وَيْحَكَ ارْجِعْ فَاسْتَغْفِرِ اللَّهَ وَتُبْ إِلَيْهِ " . قَالَ فَرَجَعَ غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ ثُمَّ جَاءَ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ طَهِّرْنِي . فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَتِ الرَّابِعَةُ قَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " فِيمَ أُطَهِّرُكَ " . فَقَالَ مِنَ الزِّنَى . فَسَأَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَبِهِ جُنُونٌ " . فَأُخْبِرَ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ بِمَجْنُونٍ . فَقَالَ " أَشَرِبَ خَمْرًا " . فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ فَاسْتَنْكَهَهُ فَلَمْ يَجِدْ مِنْهُ رِيحَ خَمْرٍ . قَالَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَزَنَيْتَ " . فَقَالَ نَعَمْ . فَأَمَرَ بِهِ فَرُجِمَ فَكَانَ النَّاسُ فِيهِ فِرْقَتَيْنِ قَائِلٌ يَقُولُ لَقَدْ هَلَكَ لَقَدْ أَحَاطَتْ بِهِ خَطِيئَتُهُ وَقَائِلٌ يَقُولُ مَا تَوْبَةٌ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ تَوْبَةِ مَاعِزٍ أَنَّهُ جَاءَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَوَضَعَ يَدَهُ فِي يَدِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ اقْتُلْنِي بِالْحِجَارَةِ - قَالَ - فَلَبِثُوا بِذَلِكَ يَوْمَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلاَثَةً ثُمَّ جَاءَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُمْ جُلُوسٌ فَسَلَّمَ ثُمَّ جَلَسَ فَقَالَ " اسْتَغْفِرُوا لِمَاعِزِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ " . قَالَ فَقَالُوا غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لِمَاعِزِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ . - قَالَ - فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لَقَدْ تَابَ تَوْبَةً لَوْ قُسِمَتْ بَيْنَ أُمَّةٍ لَوَسِعَتْهُمْ " . قَالَ ثُمَّ جَاءَتْهُ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ غَامِدٍ مِنَ الأَزْدِ فَقَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ طَهِّرْنِي . فَقَالَ " وَيْحَكِ ارْجِعِي فَاسْتَغْفِرِي اللَّهَ وَتُوبِي إِلَيْهِ " . فَقَالَتْ أَرَاكَ تُرِيدُ أَنْ تُرَدِّدَنِي كَمَا رَدَّدْتَ مَاعِزَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ . قَالَ " وَمَا ذَاكِ " . قَالَتْ إِنَّهَا حُبْلَى مِنَ الزِّنَا . فَقَالَ " آنْتِ " . قَالَتْ نَعَمْ . فَقَالَ لَهَا " حَتَّى تَضَعِي مَا فِي بَطْنِكِ " . قَالَ فَكَفَلَهَا رَجُلٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ حَتَّى وَضَعَتْ قَالَ فَأَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ قَدْ وَضَعَتِ الْغَامِدِيَّةُ . فَقَالَ " إِذًا لاَ نَرْجُمَهَا وَنَدَعَ وَلَدَهَا صَغِيرًا لَيْسَ لَهُ مَنْ يُرْضِعُهُ " . فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فَقَالَ إِلَىَّ رَضَاعُهُ يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ . قَالَ فَرَجَمَهَا .
The hadith and reports behind this answer. Open a number to read it in the hadith library of this site.
This answer follows the mainstream Sunni understanding and is general learning, not a fatwa. Where Muslims differ, the answer says so. Have a question of your own? Write to us.
