(28) Chapter: Covering Faults of the Muslims

Abu Hurairah (May Allah bepleased with him) reported:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When a slave-girl commits fornication and this fact of fornication has become evident, she must be given the penalty of (fifty) lashes without hurling reproaches at her; if she does it again, she must be given the penalty but she should not be rebuked. If she does it for the third time, he should sell her, even for a rope woven from hair (i.e., something worthless)".

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Commentary: If a slave-girl is guilty of fornication, she is liable to a punishment of fifty stripes, and this punishment can be given by her master. This Hadith is, in fact addressed to the master of such a slave-girl. The order that one should not censure and reproach her is perhaps based on the consideration that she may abstain from such a sin in future because politeness often proves more effective than reproach. If politeness proves ineffective and she commits that sin again then that slave-girl should be sold for cheap.