Al-Muqaddimāt al-Mumahhidāt - Ibn Rush al-Jadd - (3/242)

Al-Muqaddimāt al-MumahhidātIbn Rush al-Jadd

If Islam is present without freedom, it constitutes legally recognized ihsān. If freedom is present without Islam, it does not constitute legally recognized ihsān.

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The Quranic verses concerning this matter are to be interpreted according to the sequence we have described. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says:

“Those of your women who commit sexual immorality—call four witnesses from among you against them. If they testify, confine them to their houses until death takes them or Allah makes a way for them.” [al-Nisā’: 15]

He, exalted is He who speaks, also says:

“Punish the two among you who commit it. If they repent and mend their ways, leave them alone. Indeed, Allah is ever Accepting of repentance, Merciful.” [al-Nisā’: 16]

These are two abrogated verses. The scholars do not disagree that they were abrogated; they differ only over the sequence of their abrogation, what abrogated them, and whether they concern offenders possessing ihsān, virgin offenders, or both categories generally. Some held that both verses concern those possessing ihsān; others that both concern virgins; and others that both apply generally to the two categories. Another view is that the first verse concerns those possessing ihsān, while the second concerns virgins. On this view, neither can abrogate the other, since their rulings and the people to whom they apply differ.

The first would thus be abrogated by stoning—whose implementation is established through mass transmission, whose ruling remains in force, and whose written wording has been abrogated, according to the view based on what was narrated from ʿUmar ibn al-Khattāb—as indicated by Allah’s words:

“And the punishment will be averted from her.” [al-Nūr: 8]

For the punishment mentioned in this verse is stoning in the case of a non-virgin, as the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, explained. The second is abrogated by His words:

“The woman and the man who commit unlawful sexual intercourse—flog each of them with one hundred lashes, and do not let pity for them keep you from enforcing Allah’s law.” [al-Nūr: 2]

As for those who hold that the two verses concern virgin offenders, or concern

وإن انفرد الإسلام دون الحرية كان إحصانا يعتبر به. وإن انفردت الحرية دون الإسلام لم يكن إحصانا يعتبر به. فصل فعلى هذا الترتيب الذي وصفناه تُتَأَوَّل آيُ القرآن الواردة في ذلك. فأما قول الله ﷿: ﴿وَاللاتِي يَأْتِينَ الْفَاحِشَةَ مِنْ نِسَائِكُمْ فَاسْتَشْهِدُوا عَلَيْهِنَّ أَرْبَعَةً مِنْكُمْ فَإِنْ شَهِدُوا فَأَمْسِكُوهُنَّ فِي الْبُيُوتِ حَتَّى يَتَوَفَّاهُنَّ الْمَوْتُ أَوْ يَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ لَهُنَّ سَبِيلا﴾ [النساء: ١٥] وقوله ﷿ من قائل: ﴿وَاللَّذَانِ يَأْتِيَانِهَا مِنْكُمْ فَآذُوهُمَا فَإِنْ تَابَا وَأَصْلَحَا فَأَعْرِضُوا عَنْهُمَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ تَوَّابًا رَحِيمًا﴾ [النساء: ١٦] فإنهما آيتان منسوختان لم يختلف أهل العلم أنهما منسوختان، وإنما اختلفوا في ترتيب نسخهما وفي الناسخ لهما ما هو. وإن كانتا في الزانيين المحصنين أو في الزانيين البكرين أو عامة في الصنفين فقيل إن الآيتين جميعا في المحصنين. وقيل إنهما في البكرين. وقيل إنهما عامتان فيهما جميعا. وقيل إن الآية الأولى في المحصنين والآية الثانية في البكرين، فلا يصح أن تكون إحداهما ناسخة للأخرى لاختلاف الحكمين والمحكوم فيهم، وتكون الأولى منسوخة بالرجم المتواتر فعلُه الباقي حكمه المنسوخ خطه على قول من ذهب إلى أن ما روي عن عمر بن الخطاب بقول الله ﷿: ﴿وَيَدْرَأُ عَنْهَا الْعَذَابَ﴾ [النور: ٨] لأن العذاب المذكور في هذه الآية هو الرجم في الثيب على ما بينه رسول الله ﷺ، والثانية بقوله: ﴿الزَّانِيَةُ وَالزَّانِي فَاجْلِدُوا كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا مِائَةَ جَلْدَةٍ وَلا تَأْخُذْكُمْ بِهِمَا رَأْفَةٌ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ﴾ [النور: ٢]. وأما من قال إن الآيتين في الزانيين البكرين أو في