1. The Misconception About
Stoning Adulterers in Islam

2. Outline
 Why this Subject?
 Misconceptions
 Defining Adultery
 Adultery Rational Quiz
 Consequences of Adultery
 How to prove a Case of Adultery
 Who gets Stoned?
 The Court Sentence
 Where is Stoning Mentioned in the Qur’an?
 Adultery & Stoning in Previous Revelations
 Conclusion
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3. Why this Subject?
 Non-Muslim Western Cultures:
 Consider Stoning to be an extremist law
 Need rational reasoning to comprehend
 Muslim Scholars:
 Need rational reasoning to convince
 Lack knowledge in the jurisprudence of
Stoning
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4. Misconceptions
 “How on Earth have we gone from a 'maximum'
punishment for public adultery of 100 floggings,
to a barbaric and cruel penalty of death by
stoning?”
 “I would not accept a religion that stones
adulterers!”
 “Islam is the only religion that stones adulterers.”
 “Do you say, “God is great” when you stone
adulterers?”
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5. Definitions
 Adultery: Extramarital sex that willfully and
maliciously interferes with marriage
relations
 Fornication: Voluntary sexual intercourse
between persons not married to each
other
 Incest: Sexual intercourse between
persons too closely related to marry (as
between a parent and a child)
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6. The Adultery Rational Quiz
1. Would you consider it fair to take
someone’s valuables without
permission?
2. Would you consider committing incest
with your mother, sister or daughter?
Why?
3. What gives you the right to commit
fornication or adultery with someone’s
mother, sister or daughter without
permission?
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7. Consequences of Adultery
 Sexually Transmitted Diseases: (www.cdc.gov)
 Bacterial Vaginosis (BV)
 Chlamydia (3 million infected/year)
 Genital Herpes (45 million ages 12 and older infected)
 Genital Warts (20 million infected; 5.5 million/year)
 Gonorrhea (650,000 infected/year)
 HIV / AIDS
 Syphilis
 Trichomoniasis
 Destruction of family bond
 Lost identity of the father
 Psychological Distress
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8. How to Prove a Case of Adultery
 4 Witnesses
 Pregnancy
 Confession
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9. Who Gets Stoned?
1. Puberty
2. Sanity
3. Freedom
4. Islam
5. Marriage
6. Intercourse
7. Equality of Status
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10. The Court Sentence
 The adulterer is taken into an open land,
and an adulteress is entered into a pit
 The witnesses will throw first, followed by
the judge, followed by the other people
 Sentence is dropped when a witness
refuses to throw
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11. Where is Stoning Mentioned in the
Qur’an?
 The evidence:
 “The venerable old man and woman, if they commit adultery, stone them without
hesitation.” was Text-Abrogated by the Sunnah.
 'Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
Verily Allah sent Muhammad (may peace be upon him) with truth and He sent
down the Book upon him, and the verse of stoning was included in what was sent
down to him. We recited it, retained it in our memory and understood it. Allah's
Messenger (my peace be upon him) awarded the penalty of stoning to death (to
the married adulterer and adulteress) and, after him, we also awarded the
penalty of stoning. I am afraid that, with the lapse of time, the people (may forget
it) and may say: We do not find the penalty of stoning in the Book of Allah, and
thus go astray by abandoning this duty prescribed by Allah. Stoning is a duty laid
down in Allah's Book for married men and women who commit adultery when
proof is established, or if there is pregnancy, or a confession.
 The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “Take from me, take from me, Allah has
ordained for them some other way: the virgin female (adulteress) to the virgin
male (adulterer) 100 lashes and sent one year in exile, and the married woman
(adulteress) to the married man (adulterer) 100 lashes and stoning.”
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12. Where is Stoning Mentioned in the
Qur’an? (Cont’d)
 References to adhering to the Sunnah besides
the Qur’an:
 “Nor does he say (aught) of (his own) Desire. It is no
less than inspiration sent down to him.” [Annajm 53:3-
4]
 “O ye who believe! obey Allah, and obey the
Messenger” [Annisaa’ 4:59]
 “So take what the Messenger assigns to you, and
deny yourselves that which he withholds from you.”
[Al-Hashr 59:7]
 “Say: If ye do love Allah, follow me: Allah will love you
and forgive you your sins” [Aal’ Imran 3:31]
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13. Adultery & Stoning in Previous
Revelations
 Prohibition of Adultery in:
 The Laws of Moses: Exodus {20:14}; Deuteronomy {5:18}
 The Gospels: Matthew {5:27}, {19:18}; Luke {18:20}
 Stoning (Death) for:
 Adultery: {Leviticus 20:10-20}, {Leviticus 22:22-25}, {John 8:1-11}
 Fornication: {Deuteronomy 22:13-29}
 Preaching a Different Religion: {Deuteronomy 13:6:11}
 Worshiping Other Gods: {Deuteronomy 17:1-7}
 Blasphemy: {Leviticus 24:10-16}, {Leviticus 24:23}, {John 10:25-40}
 Cursing God and the King: {1 Kings 21:1-16}
 Sacrificing Children to Other Gods: {Leviticus 20:1-5}
 Being Wizard: {Leviticus 20:27}
 Breaking the Sabbath: {Numbers 15:32-36}
 Stubborn Sons: {Deuteronomy 21:18-21}
 Stealing: {Joshua 7:20-26}
 Goring Animals: {Exodus 21:28-32}
 Touching Mount Sinai: {Exodus 19:10-13}, {Hebrews 12:20-22}
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14. Conclusion
 “This day, I have perfected your religion for you,
completed My Favor upon you, and have chosen for you
Islam as your religion.” The Qur’an {Al-Ma’idah 5:3}
 Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah
(PBUP) said, “Verily, I have been sent but to fulfill the
righteous of characters.”
 “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot
bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is
come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not
speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that]
shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He
shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall
shew [it] unto you.” John {16:12-14}
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