It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, that Sayyiduna Sa'd bin 'Ubada, may Allah be pleased with him, said to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him: "If I find a man with my wife, should I give him respite until I bring four witnesses?" The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Yes."

It is narrated from Sa'id bin al-Musayyib that a man from among the people of Syria (Ibn Jubair) found a man with his wife and killed him, or killed both the man and the woman. Mu'awiyah bin Abi Sufyan (who was the ruler of Syria) found it difficult to decide this matter, so he wrote to Sayyiduna Abu Musa Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) to ask Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) about this issue. Sayyiduna Abu Musa Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) asked Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), and Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: This incident did not happen in my land. I put you under oath, tell the truth, where did this matter occur? Sayyiduna Abu Musa Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Mu'awiyah bin Sufyan has written to me to ask you about this issue. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I am Abu al-Hasan. If he does not bring four witnesses, he should be content with being killed.