the session were not a condition, it would not be permissible to administer the hadd to them, as it is possible they could complete the required number with a fourth person in another session. Also, if three people testified and he administered the hadd to them, then a fourth came and testified, his testimony would not be accepted; yet, were it not for the requirement of a single session, their testimony would have been completed. In this, it differs from all other testimonies. As for the verse, it does not address the conditions; for this reason, it does not mention uprightness (adalah) or the specific manner of the adultery. Furthermore, His saying: "Then they do not bring four witnesses, then flog them" (17) must either be absolute in all time or restricted. It is not possible for it to be absolute, because that would prevent the permissibility of flogging them, as there is no time in which it is not possible for four witnesses to arrive, or for their number to be completed if some have already testified, so the commanded flogging would be prevented, which would be a contradiction. Once it is established that it is restricted, the most appropriate is that it be restricted to the session; for the entire session is equivalent to a single moment, and for this reason, the option of the session (khiyar al-majlis) is established within it, and it is considered sufficient for taking possession in matters where taking possession is required. When this is established, it is not a condition that they be gathered together at the moment of their arrival; even if they arrive separately, one after another, in the same session, their testimony is accepted. Malik and Abu Hanifa said: If they arrive separately, they are slanderers, because they did not gather in their arrival, so their testimony is not accepted, just like those who did not testify in one session. Our evidence is the story of al-Mughira, as the witnesses arrived one after another, and their testimony was heard (18), and they were only administered the hadd because it was not completed. In his hadith, Abu Bakra said: "Do you see, if another person came to testify, would you stone him?" Umar said: "Yes, by the One in Whose hand is my soul." Furthermore, they gathered in one session (20), which resembles the case where they arrive (21) together, and because the entire session is equivalent to its beginning, as we mentioned. If they separate into different sessions, then the hadd is upon them, because whoever testifies to adultery and does not complete the testimony, the hadd is mandatory upon him (22); because of the saying of Allah the Almighty: "And those who accuse chaste women, then do not bring four witnesses, then flog them with eighty lashes" (23).