Stoning is a controversial punishment that many people associate with Islam. Quite often, news stories involving the “Stoning to death” of individuals or couples attract wide coverage in the media and there are certain countries notably Iran, Nigeria, Sudan and some others where stoning is codified in law or has been carried out by private individuals.

The punishment for stoning is usually prescribed for adultery, or extra-marital sex. There is no real consensus on stoning being a punishment under “Islamic” law and it continues to be heavily debated around the world.

The important thing to note is that there is no such punishment for adultery prescribed within the Qur'an. The punishment of stoning is implied only in the Hadith, which are a collection of testimonies on the sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him).

What is the punishment for adulterers in the Qur'an?

“The woman and the man guilty of adultery or fornication,- flog each of them with a hundred stripes: Let not compassion move you in their case, in a matter prescribed by Allah, if ye believe in Allah and the Last Day: and let a party of the Believers witness their punishment. “

“Let no man guilty of adultery or fornication marry and but a woman similarly guilty, or an Unbeliever: nor let any but such a man or an Unbeliever marry such a woman: to the Believers such a thing is forbidden.”

“And those who launch a charge against chaste women, and produce not four witnesses (to support their allegations),- flog them with eighty stripes; and reject their evidence ever after: for such men are wicked transgressors;”
“Unless they repent thereafter and mend (their conduct); for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

Surah Nur (24:02-24:05)

From these verses we can conclude the following

• The punishment for adultery is actually 100 lashes
• There is no distinction between married and unmarried couples
• Unmarried adulterers are only permitted to marry either unbelievers or other adulterers
• In order for adultery to be proven there needs to be four reliable witnesses
• Failure to produce four witnesses will result in the person making the allegation receiving 80 lashes and their evidence will be disregarded in the future. (This is to protect women against false and malicious allegations) 

If the punishment for adultery was stoning, then how could unmarried adulterers be remarried? That in itself shows that the adulterer must be alive after the punishment. Now lets not forget that within the Qur'an there is no distinction between married and unmarried couples in the context of punishment.

So how did the punishment of stoning come about?

Well if we look at the Hebrew Bible, we find the following.

"If a man is found lying with the wife of another man, both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman. So you shall purge the evil from Israel.”

"If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her;"

"Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour's wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you."

Deuteronomy (22:22-22:24)

“The man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, he who commits adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress, shall surely be put to death.” Leviticus 20:10

Stoning as a punishment for adultery is actually taken from Jewish sources.

Those who claim that stoning exists as a punishment in the Qur'an claim that there is in fact a verse that was removed which talked about this matter. Muslims, if they believe that the Qur'an is perfect and the literal word of God, cannot accept that the Qur'an is in any way incomplete and so this theory is not tenable.

The Qur'an does mention stoning, but only as an action carried out by disbelievers.

Noah threatened with stoning by disbelievers.

They said: "If thou desist not, O Noah! thou shalt be stoned (to death)." (26:116)

Abraham's father threatens him with stoning

(The father) replied: "Dost thou hate my gods, O Abraham? If thou forbear not, I will indeed stone thee: Now get away from me for a good long while!" (19:46)

Men in cave scared of stoning by disbelievers

"For if they should come upon you, they would stone you or force you to return to their cult, and in that case ye would never attain prosperity." (18:20)

The three messengers threatened with stoning

The (people) said: "for us, we augur an evil omen from you: if ye desist not, we will certainly stone you. And a grievous punishment indeed will be inflicted on you by us." (36:18)

Shu'aib threatened with stoning by disbelievers

They said: "O Shu'aib! much of what thou sayest we do not understand! In fact among us we see that thou hast no strength! Were it not for thy family, we should certainly have stoned thee! for thou hast among us no great position!" (11:91)

So in fact, for those who claim that stoning is a punishment prescribed under Islam, the only evidence of stoning is pre-Islamic. It is before the arrival of the Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) and it is only used as a punishment by the disbelievers against messengers or prophets of God.

What is the status of stoning as a punishment in Muslim majority countries?

Stoning is codified in law in Iran, Nigeria and Sudan. Technically speaking the evidence required for adultery to be proven (four male witnesses or three male and two female) should mean that very few people are convicted of stoning. These witnesses have to actually see the act taking place, under some interpretations pregnancy can also be taken as evidence that adultery has been committed.

However sometimes this punishment has been carried out due to special dispensation by the judge or by private individuals.

More recently a province within Indonesia has adopted stoning as a punishment for adultery, although it has come under strong opposition and there are hopes that this law will be repealed.

Stoning is not practiced in Malaysia, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria and many other Muslim majority countries.

What are people doing about stoning? 

Numerous organisations all around the world are working to try and stop this practice from happening. Organisations such as Amnesty International are not only working against stoning but other forms of capital punishment such as execution.