3. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu Nasr from al-Muthanna’ from Zurarah who has said the following: “Once abu ‘Abd Allah , was asked about the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘Those who accuse their wives and do not have witnesses except themselves. . . (24:4) He (the Imam) said, ‘He is one who accuses his wife. If he accuses then confesses that he has lied against her, the punishment for him is whipping and his wife is returned to him. If he refuses and goes ahead he must testify four times against her, by Allah, that he is truthful. For the fifth time he must condemn himself if he is of the lying people. If she wanted to defend herself against suffering (punishment and penalty), which is to be stoned, she must testify four times, by Allah, that he is of the lying people and for the fifth time must condemn herself by saying that she must be subjected to the anger of Allah if he has spoken the truth. If she did not do it she then is stoned but if she defended herself, penalty is diverted from her and thereafter she will never become lawful for him in marriage until the day of Day of Judgment.’ I then asked, ‘What happens if they are separated and she has a child who dies? He (the Imam) said, ‘His mother inherits him and if his mother dies his maternal uncles inherit him. Those who say that he is born out of wedlock must be punished by whipping.’ I then asked, ‘Is the child returned to him if he confesses that he has lied?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘No, it is not honorable. He does not inherit the son but the son inherits him.’”