in view of the prohibition against breaking promises. It was deemed objectionable for either party to promise marriage to the other, lest a change of mind lead to breaking the promise. It was deemed objectionable for either party to promise marriage to the other, lest a change of mind lead to breaking the promise. If, however, the promise is merely hinted at rather than explicitly made, there is no ground for objection.
Section
An argument that silences them and entirely invalidates their position is to say to them: You must adopt one of two positions. Either you say that an insinuation conveys no accusation of adultery whatsoever, or you say that it conveys such an accusation but does not incur the prescribed punishment.
If they say that it conveys no accusation of adultery, they should be asked: What do you say about two men exchanging insults, one of whom says to the other, “You son of an adulteress!” The other replies, “Would someone like you call anyone a son of an adulteress, when your mother is that chaste woman, renowned for her chastity, who has never committed adultery—not once in her entire life?”
If someone says, “Such words do not convey an accusation of adultery, yet no prescribed punishment is due,” they should be asked: What is the difference between this and his saying, “I intended it as an accusation of adultery”? There is no disagreement between us and them that, if he acknowledges having intended such an accusation, he is subject to the prescribed punishment. They have no answer to this argument.
Section
The prescribed punishment for an accusation of adultery becomes obligatory when seven conditions are met. Five concern the person accused: being Muslim, being free, having reached puberty, being chaste, and possessing the physical means of illicit intercourse—not being sexually incapable or having had the penis severed before puberty. Two concern the accuser: having reached puberty and being sane.
Some maintain that there are eight conditions, adding sanity as a requirement for the person accused. This is incorrect, since it is already included under chastity. If any of these conditions is absent, the prescribed punishment is waived; if they are all present, it becomes obligatory.