What has been related about Li'an

Sa'eed bin Jubair narrated:

"I was asked about those who were involved in the case of Li'an and if they are to be separated, during the leadership of Mus'ab bin Az-Zubair. I did not know what to say. So I went to the house of Abdullah bin Umar and I sought permission to enter. I was told that he was taking a nap, but he heard me talking and he said: 'Is it Ibn Jubair? Enter. You would not have come except for a need.'"He said: "So I entered and found him lying on a saddlecloth from his mount. I said: 'O Abu Abdur-Rahman! Are those involved in Li'an separated?' He said: 'Glorious is Allah! Yes. The first who asked about that was so-and-so the son of so-and-so. He came to the Prophet and said: "O Messenger of Allah! If one of us saw his wife committing adultery what should he do? If he were to say anything, his statement would be a horrible matter, and if he were to remain silent, his silence about the matter would be horrible."
"He said: 'So the Prophet remained silent and did not answer him. Afterwards he came to the Prophet and said: "The one who asked you about it has been tried by it." So Allah revealed these Ayat from Surat An-Nur. And those who accuse their wives and have no witnesses except themselves - until the end of those Ayat. So he called for the man and recited the Ayat to him and admonished him, reminded him, and he told him: "Indeed the punishment of the world is less than the punishment of the Hereafter." So he said: "Nay! By the One Who sent you with the truth! I did not lie about her." Then he did the same with the woman, admonished her and reminding her and he told her: "Indeed the punishment of the world is less than the punishment of the Hereafter." She said: "Nay! By the One Who sent you with the truth! He is not telling the truth.'"
"He said: 'So he started with the man: He testified four times, by Allah that he is one of the truthful, and the fifth time that the curse of Allah be upon him if he was one of the liars. Then the same with the woman: She testified four times by Allah, that he was one of the liars, and the fifth time that the wrath of Allah be upon her if he was one of the truthful. Then he separated the two of them.'"

حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَةُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ أَبِي سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، قَالَ سُئِلْتُ عَنِ الْمُتَلاَعِنَيْنِ، فِي إِمَارَةِ مُصْعَبِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ أَيُفَرَّقُ بَيْنَهُمَا فَمَا دَرَيْتُ مَا أَقُولُ فَقُمْتُ مَكَانِي إِلَى مَنْزِلِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ اسْتَأْذَنْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَقِيلَ لِي إِنَّهُ قَائِلٌ . فَسَمِعَ كَلاَمِي فَقَالَ ابْنُ جُبَيْرٍ ادْخُلْ مَا جَاءَ بِكَ إِلاَّ حَاجَةٌ . قَالَ فَدَخَلْتُ فَإِذَا هُوَ مُفْتَرِشٌ بَرْدَعَةَ رَحْلٍ لَهُ . فَقُلْتُ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْمُتَلاَعِنَانِ أَيُفَرَّقُ بَيْنَهُمَا قَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ نَعَمْ إِنَّ أَوَّلَ مَنْ سَأَلَ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فُلاَنُ بْنُ فُلاَنٍ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ لَوْ أَنَّ أَحَدَنَا رَأَى امْرَأَتَهُ عَلَى فَاحِشَةٍ كَيْفَ يَصْنَعُ إِنْ تَكَلَّمَ تَكَلَّمَ بِأَمْرٍ عَظِيمٍ وَإِنْ سَكَتَ سَكَتَ عَلَى أَمْرٍ عَظِيمٍ . قَالَ فَسَكَتَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَلَمْ يُجِبْهُ فَلَمَّا كَانَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الَّذِي سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْهُ قَدِ ابْتُلِيتُ بِهِ . فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ هَذِهِ الآيَاتِ الَّتِي فِي سُورَةِ النُّور : (وَالَّذِينَ يَرْمُونَ أَزْوَاجَهُمْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُمْ شُهَدَاءُ إِلاَّ أَنْفُسُهُمْ ) حَتَّى خَتَمَ الآيَاتِ فَدَعَا الرَّجُلَ فَتَلاَ الآيَاتِ عَلَيْهِ وَوَعَظَهُ وَذَكَّرَهُ وَأَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ عَذَابَ الدُّنْيَا أَهْوَنُ مِنْ عَذَابِ الآخِرَةِ . فَقَالَ لاَ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ مَا كَذَبْتُ عَلَيْهَا . ثُمَّ ثَنَّى بِالْمَرْأَةِ فَوَعَظَهَا وَذَكَّرَهَا وَأَخْبَرَهَا أَنَّ عَذَابَ الدُّنْيَا أَهْوَنُ مِنْ عَذَابِ الآخِرَةِ فَقَالَتْ لاَ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ مَا صَدَقَ . قَالَ فَبَدَأَ بِالرَّجُلِ فَشَهِدَ أَرْبَعَ شَهَادَاتٍ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ وَالْخَامِسَةُ أَنَّ لَعْنَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ . ثُمَّ ثَنَّى بِالْمَرْأَةِ فَشَهِدَتْ أَرْبَعَ شَهَادَاتٍ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ وَالْخَامِسَةَ أَنَّ غَضَبَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ . ثُمَّ فَرَّقَ بَيْنَهُمَا . قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ وَابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ وَابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ وَحُذَيْفَةَ .

قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى حَدِيثُ ابْنِ عُمَرَ حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ وَالْعَمَلُ عَلَى هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ .