Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ سَمِعْتُ سَعِيدَ بْنَ جُبَيْرٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ فَقُلْتُ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْمُتَلَاعِنَيْنِ يُفَرَّقُ بَيْنَهُمَا قَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ نَعَمْ إِنَّ أَوَّلَ مَنْ سَأَلَ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فُلَانٌ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ لَوْ أَنَّ أَحَدَنَا رَأَى امْرَأَتَهُ عَلَى فَاحِشَةٍ كَيْفَ يَصْنَعُ إِنْ سَكَتَ سَكَتَ عَلَى أَمْرٍ عَظِيمٍ وَإِنْ تَكَلَّمَ فَمِثْلُ ذَلِكَ فَسَكَتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَلَمْ يُجِبْهُ فَقَامَ لِحَاجَتِهِ فَلَمَّا كَانَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ أَتَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الَّذِي سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْهُ قَدْ ابْتُلِيتُ بِهِ قَالَ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى هَذِهِ الْآيَاتِ فِي سُورَةِ النُّورِ { وَالَّذِينَ يَرْمُونَ أَزْوَاجَهُمْ } حَتَّى خَتَمَ الْآيَاتِ فَدَعَا الرَّجُلَ فَتَلَاهُنَّ عَلَيْهِ وَذَكَّرَهُ بِاللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَأَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ عَذَابَ الدُّنْيَا أَهْوَنُ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْآخِرَةِ فَقَالَ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ مَا كَذَبْتُ عَلَيْهَا ثُمَّ دَعَا الْمَرْأَةَ فَوَعَظَهَا وَذَكَّرَهَا وَأَخْبَرَهَا بِأَنَّ عَذَابَ الدُّنْيَا أَهْوَنُ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْآخِرَةِ فَقَالَتْ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ إِنَّهُ لَكَاذِبٌ فَدَعَا الرَّجُلَ فَشَهِدَ أَرْبَعَ شَهَادَاتٍ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لَمِنْ الصَّادِقِينَ وَالْخَامِسَةَ أَنَّ لَعْنَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ إِنْ كَانَ مِنْ الْكَاذِبِينَ ثُمَّ دَعَا بِالْمَرْأَةِ فَشَهِدَتْ أَرْبَعَ شَهَادَاتٍ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لَمِنْ الْكَاذِبِينَ وَالْخَامِسَةَ أَنَّ غَضَبَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا إِنْ كَانَ مِنْ الصَّادِقِينَ ثُمَّ فَرَّقَ بَيْنَهُمَا.
English Translation
Yazid narrated to us: Abd al-Malik informed us: I heard Sa'id ibn Jubayr say: I asked Ibn Umar, saying: O Abu Abd al-Rahman, are the two who invoke mutual imprecation (li'an) separated from each other? He said: Glory be to Allah, yes. The first person to ask about that was so-and-so, who said: O Messenger of Allah, what do you think if one of us saw his wife committing an indecent act — what should he do? If he stays silent, he stays silent over a grave matter; and if he speaks, it is likewise grave. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, remained silent and did not answer him, so the man got up and left for his need. Some time later he came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and said: That which I asked you about has befallen me. He said: So Allah, Most High, revealed these verses in Surat al-Nur: {And those who accuse their wives...} until the end of the verses. He then called the man, recited them to him, reminded him of Allah, Most High, and informed him that the punishment of this world is lighter than the punishment of the Hereafter. The man said: By He who sent you with the truth, I have not lied about her. Then he called the woman, admonished her, reminded her, and informed her that the punishment of this world is lighter than the punishment of the Hereafter. She said: By He who sent you with the truth, he is indeed lying. He then called the man, and he testified four times by Allah that he was truthful, and a fifth time that the curse of Allah would be upon him if he were among the liars. Then he called the woman, and she testified four times by Allah that he was lying, and a fifth time that the wrath of Allah would be upon her if he were among the truthful. Then he separated them from each other.