14107 - My father narrated to us, Yahya ibn 'Uthman narrated to us, Baqiyyah narrated to us, I heard Nasr ibn 'Alqamah regarding His saying: "And let a party of the believers witness their punishment," he said: "That is not for the purpose of public humiliation; rather, it is so that Allah may be called upon for their repentance and mercy."

[His saying: A party.]

[The First Aspect]

14108 - Muhammad ibn Isma'il al-Ahmasi narrated to us, al-Muharibi narrated to us, from Ash'ath, from his father, from Abu Barzah al-Aslami, who was one of the companions of the Tree (al-shajarah), he said: "A slave woman of some of his family was brought, and she had given birth as a result of adultery some days prior. He had with him a group of about ten men, so he ordered her to be sat in a corner. Then he ordered a garment to be thrown over her. Then he gave a whip to a man and said: 'Lash her fifty times, neither with gentleness nor with severity.' He stood and lashed her, and began to distribute the blows upon her. Then he recited: 'And let a party of the believers witness their punishment.'"

14109 - My father narrated to us, Abu Salih narrated to us, Mu'awiyah ibn Salih narrated to me, from 'Ali ibn Abi Talhah, from Ibn 'Abbas regarding His saying: "And let a party of the believers witness their punishment," he said: "The party is one man or more."

14110 - Muhammad ibn Hammad al-Tahrani narrated to me, Hafs ibn 'Umar narrated to us, al-Hakam ibn Aban narrated to us, from 'Ikrimah regarding His saying: "And let a party of the believers witness their punishment," he said: "A single person is a party (ta'ifah)."

14112 - Abu Sa'id al-Ashajj narrated to us, Zayd ibn Hubab narrated to us, Shu'bah narrated to us, from Abu Bishr, from Mujahid regarding: "And let a party of the believers witness their punishment," he said: "The party is from one man up to one thousand men."

The Second Aspect:

14113 - Abu 'Abd Allah al-Tahrani informed us in what he wrote to me, 'Abd al-Razzaq informed us, Ma'mar informed us, from Qatadah regarding His saying: "And let a party of the believers witness their punishment," he said: "A group (nafar)."

The Third Aspect:

14114 - Abu Zur'ah narrated to us, Yahya ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Bukayr narrated to us, Ibn Lahi'ah narrated to me, 'Ata' ibn Dinar narrated to me, from Sa'id ibn Jubayr: "And let a party of the believers witness their punishment," meaning: two men and above.