There is a total agreement between Judaism, Christianity and Islam on imposing a heavy penalty for the adultery crime. [223] The Old Testament, Book of Leviticus 20: 10-18.
In Christianity, Jesus stressed the meaning of adultery and made it inclusive of the moral conception and not just restricted to the physical and tangible act itself. [224] Christianity has made it forbidden for the adulterers to inherit the Kingdom of God; so, they will have no other option but to suffer the eternal torment in Hellfire. [225] The punishment to be inflicted on adulterers in this worldly life is that which was decided by the legislation of Moses, i.e., being stoned to death. [226] The New Testament, Gospel of Matthew 5: 27-30. The New Testament, First Epistle of the Corinthians 6: 9-10. The New Testament, Gospel of John 8: 3-11.
Moreover, scholars of the Holy Scripture admit today that the story of Jesus' forgiveness of the adulteress does not actually exist in the earliest copies of the Gospel of John; however, it was added to it later, the thing that is affirmed by the recent translations. [227] More important than all this is the declaration made by Jesus himself at the beginning of his call when he stated that he had not come to revoke the laws of Moses and the previous prophets, rather the disappearance of the heavens and the earth were less significant for him than missing one single point of Moses' legislation as mentioned in the Gospel of Luke. [228] Hence, Jesus could not have possibly suspended Moses' legislation by leaving the adulteress unpunished. https://www.alukah.net/sharia/ 0/82804/ The New Testament, Gospel of Luke 16: 17.
For the punishment to be implemented, there must be four witnesses along with a description of the adultery incident in a way that confirms its occurrence and not just the mere presence of a man with a woman in the same place. If any of the witnesses withdraws his testimony, the punishment is to be suspended. This explains the scarcity of cases where the punishment of adultery is implemented throughout history, as this is the only way to prove it and it is difficult, rather impossible, unless the adulterer himself makes a confession.
In case the punishment is implemented, based on the confession of one of the offenders not the testimony of four witnesses, punishment should not be inflicted on the second offender who has not confessed his crime.
Allah has left the door open to repentance,
as Allah Almighty said:
{Allah only accepts the repentance of those who commit evil out of ignorance, then repent soon thereafter; it is they to whom Allah will turn in forgiveness, for Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.} [229] Surat an-Nisā’: 17.
{Whoever commits evil or wrongs himself, then seeks Allah’s forgiveness will find Allah All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.} [230] Surat an-Nisā’: 110.
{Allah wants to lighten your burdens, for man was created weak.} [231] Surat an-Nisā’: 28.
Islam acknowledges man's natural need; however, it seeks to satisfy such instinctual motive through the legal method, i.e., marriage. That is why Islam advocates early marriage and offers support from the Muslims' public treasury in case of financial inability. Islam is also keen on purifying the society from all means of spreading immorality, setting sublime goals that would consume the energy and direct it to what is good, and filling the free time with what would bring closeness to Allah. All such things block all justifications for committing the crime of adultery. Despite all this, Islam does not hasten to inflict the punishment until adultery is proven by the testimony of four witnesses, knowing that it is extremely rare to find four witnesses to such a crime unless the offender declares it in public, in which case he becomes liable for this severe punishment. It should be noted that adultery is one of the major sins, whether committed secretly or openly.
Once a woman came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and willingly confessed and asked him to implement the punishment on her, and she was pregnant from adultery. The Prophet summoned her guardian and ordered him to treat her kindly, the thing that indicates the perfection of the Sharia and the perfection of the Creator's mercy towards His creation.
The Messenger of Allah said to her: "Go back until you give birth." When she came back, he said to her: "Go back until your child is weaned." Owing to her insistence on returning to the Prophet after her child was weaned, he implemented the punishment on her and said: "She repented such a repentance (for her sin) that if were distributed among seventy of the inhabitants of Madīnah, it would be sufficient for them."
This noble situation was a clear manifestation of the Prophet's mercy.