حَدَّثَنَا أَسْوَدُ بْنُ عَامِرٍ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْرَائِيلُ عَنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ عَامِرٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبْزَى عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ قَالَ كُنْتُ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ جَالِسًا فَجَاءَ مَاعِزُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ فَاعْتَرَفَ عِنْدَهُ مَرَّةً فَرَدَّهُ ثُمَّ جَاءَهُ فَاعْتَرَفَ عِنْدَهُ الثَّانِيَةَ فَرَدَّهُ ثُمَّ جَاءَهُ فَاعْتَرَفَ الثَّالِثَةَ فَرَدَّهُ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ إِنَّكَ إِنْ اعْتَرَفْتَ الرَّابِعَةَ رَجَمَكَ قَالَ فَاعْتَرَفَ الرَّابِعَةَ فَحَبَسَهُ ثُمَّ سَأَلَ عَنْهُ فَقَالُوا مَا نَعْلَمُ إِلَّا خَيْرًا قَالَ فَأَمَرَ بِرَجْمِهِ
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 41
It was narrated from Jabir from 'Abdur-Rahman bin Abza that Abu Bakr (RA) said: I was sitting with the Prophet (PBUH) when Ma'iz bin Malik came and confessed (to adultery) in his presence once, and he sent him away. Then he came and admitted it in his presence a second time and he sent him away. Then he came and admitted it in his presence a third time and he sent him away. I said to him: If you confess a fourth time, he will stone you. Then he admitted it the ourth time, so he detained him and asked about him, and they said: We do not know anything but good about him. Then he ordered that he be stoned.
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020