lashes, except where one of Allah’s limits has been violated.” Some scholars have explained that “Allah’s limits” here refers to prohibitions pertaining to Allah’s rights. In the Quran and Sunnah, “limits” denotes the boundary between the lawful and the unlawful: the furthest extent of what is lawful and the point at which the unlawful begins. Concerning the former, Allah says:

“These are Allah’s limits, so do not transgress them.”

Concerning the latter, He says:

“These are Allah’s limits, so do not approach them.”

Calling a prescribed punishment a hadd, however, is a later terminological convention. The hadith means that someone administering a beating to enforce a personal right—such as a man striking his wife for marital defiance—must not exceed ten lashes.

The flogging prescribed by Islamic law consists of moderate strokes with a whip, for the best course is the middle one. ‘Alī (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

“Moderation in the stroke, and moderation in the whip.”

Flogging is not to be administered with sticks or scourges, nor does a light whip suffice. Rather, a light whip is used for discretionary punishment, whereas prescribed punishments require flogging with a whip. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) used to administer discipline with a light whip, but when a prescribed punishment was to be carried out, he would call for a whip.

The person being flogged is not to be stripped of all his clothing. Only what prevents him from feeling the pain of the blows—such as padded garments, furs, and the like—is to be removed. He is not to be bound unless necessary, nor is his face to be struck, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“When one of you fights