The faults of an imam

Question

(1) Zayd and ‘Amr go about accusing Bakr of being a dayyuth (one who condones his wife’s immorality), his wife Hinda of being an adulteress, and her brother-in-law of being an adulterer. They say that they have known of this illicit relationship between them for years, but they are speaking of it only now, and as proof they cite Bakr himself, Hinda’s husband, [saying] that Bakr himself told them that his brother has an illicit relationship with his wife — although Bakr now denies this.

Answer

The full incident is not actually known to us. The answer to the matters written in the question on the basis of mutual hostility is clear in itself; nevertheless, it is written point by point. (1) Doing such a thing without Shari‘a proof is haram and a major sin; if there were a Shari‘a government, such people would be severely punished.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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