He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was very careful in implementing corporal punishments

More than one person came to the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to ask him to implement the ‘Hadd’ (corporal punishment) of Islam upon them because of a sin. The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, would try to return them at first, but if they insisted he would implement the punishment.

Buraydah ibn Al-Husayb (a Companion) narrated: 

“Maa’iz ibn Maalik (a Companion) came to the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and said to him: ‘O Messenger of Allah, purify me.’ He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said:  ‘Woe to you! Go back, ask forgiveness from Allah and turn to Him in repentance.’ He had not gone far, when he came and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, purify me.’ The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: ‘Woe to you! Go back and ask forgiveness from Allah and turn to Him in repentance.’ He went some distance, then he returned and said: “O Messenger of Allah, purify me.’ The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, repeated what he had said before. The fourth time, the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: ‘From what am I to purify you?’ He said: ‘From adultery.’ The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, asked his people: ‘Is he insane?’ They said: ‘He is normal’. He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: ‘Has he drunk alcohol?’ Someone stood up and smelled his breath but found no trace of alcohol. Then the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: ‘Have you committed adultery?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: ‘Perhaps you kissed, or touched, or looked?’ He said: ‘No, O Messenger of Allah.’ He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, asked: ‘Are you married?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ At that point, he ordered for him to be stoned.

We took him to the Baqee’ Al-Gharqad, and we neither tied him nor dug any ditch for him. He ran away and we ran after him until he reached the stony ground called Al-Harrah and he stood there. We stoned him with the large stones of the Harrah until he died.
They mentioned to the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, that he ran when he felt the stones and knew he would die. The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: ‘Why did you not leave him, perhaps he would repent and Allah would
forgive him?’

The people split into two groups regarding Maa’iz. Some of them said: ‘He has been destroyed, his sins have encompassed him.’ Another said: ‘There is no repentance better than the repentance of Maa’iz, for he came to the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa  sallam, and placed his hand in the Prophet’s hand and said: ‘Stone me to death'.

They remained like this for two or three days. Then the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, came to them while they were sitting. He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, greeted them and then sat down and said: ‘Ask forgiveness for Maa’iz ibn Maalik.’ They said: ‘May Allah forgive Maa’iz ibn Maalik.’ The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: ‘He made such a repentance that if it were to be divided among a nation, it would have been enough for all of them.’

Then a woman from (the tribe) Ghaamid came to him and said: 

‘O Messenger of Allah, purify me.’ Thereupon he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: ‘Woe to you! Go back and ask forgiveness from Allah and repent to Him.’ She said: ‘I see that you want to send me back as you sent back Maa’iz ibn Maalik.’ The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: ‘What has happened?’ She said that she had become pregnant as a result of fornication. He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, asked: ‘You?’ She said: ‘Yes.’ The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said to her: ‘Not until you give birth to that which is in your womb.’

One of the Ansaar took responsibility for her until she delivered the child. The Ansaari came to the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and said: ‘The woman from Ghaamid has given birth.’ The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: ‘In that case, we shall not stone her and leave her infant with no one to breast-feed him.’ One of the Ansaar got up and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, the responsibility of nursing him will be upon me.’ She was then stoned to death.”(1)