Prescribed Punishments (Kitab Al-Hudud)

‘Ali burned some people who retreated from Islam. When Ibn ‘Abbas was informed of it, he said: If it had been I, I would not have burned them, for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Do not inflict Allah’s punishment on …

The blood of a Muslim man who testifies that there is no god but Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah should not be lawfully shed but only for one of three reasons: married fornicator, soul for soul, and one who …

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) Said: The blood of a Muslim man who testifies that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah's Apostle should not lawfully be shed except only for one of three reasons: a man who …

I went to the Prophet (ﷺ) while two men who were Ash’ arIs were with me. One of them was on my right and the other on my left side. Bothe of them asked him for employment. The prophet (ﷺ) was silent. He asked : What do …

AbuMusa said: Mu'adh came to me when I was in the Yemen. A man who was Jew embraced Islam and then retreated from Islam. When Mu'adh came, he said: I will not come down from my mount until he is killed. He was then …

A man who turned back from Islam was brought to Abu Musa. He invited him to repent for twenty days or about so. Muadh then came and invited him (to embrace Islam) but he refused. So he was beheaded

The tradition mention above has also been transmitted by Abu Musa through a different chain if narrators. But there is no mention of demand of repentance

Abdullah ibn AbuSarh used to write (the revelation) for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Satan made him slip, and he joined the infidels. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commanded to kill him on the day of Conquest (of Mecca). …

On the day of the conquest of Mecca, Abdullah ibn Sa'd ibn AbuSarh hid himself with Uthman ibn Affan. He brought him and made him stand before the Prophet (ﷺ), and said: Accept the allegiance of Abdullah, Messenger of …

When a slave runs away and reverts to polytheism, he may lawfully be killed

A blind man had a slave-mother who used to abuse the Prophet (ﷺ) and disparage him. He forbade her but she did not stop. He rebuked her but she did not give up her habit. One night she began to slander the Prophet (ﷺ) …

A Jewess used to abuse the Prophet (ﷺ) and disparage him. A man strangled her till she died. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) declared that no recompense was payable for her blood

AbuBarzah said: I was with AbuBakr. He became angry at a man and uttered hot words. I said: Do you permit me, Caliph of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), that I cut off his neck? These words of mine removed his anger; he stood …

Some people of ‘Ukl or ‘Urainah’ came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and found Madinah unhealthy. So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered them to go to the camels (of the sadaqah) and ordered them to drink some of their …

So he (the prophet) order nails to be heated and had them blinded with them, and he had their hands and feet cut off, and did not cauterise them to stop the flow of blood

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent some people who were experts in tracking in pursuit of them and they were brought (to him). Allah , the Exalted, then revealed the verse about it : “ The punishment of those who wage war …

Anas said : I saw one of them biting the earth with this mouth (teeth) on account of thirst and this they died

He then forbade disfiguring. This version does not mention the words “ from opposite sides” . This tradition has been narrated by Shu’bah from Qatadah and Salam bin Miskin from Thabit on the authority of Anas. They did …

Some people raided the camels of the Prophet (ﷺ), drove them off, and apostatised. They killed the herdsman of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) who was a believer. He (the Prophet) sent (people) in pursuit of them and they …

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) cut off (the hands and feet of) those who had stolen his camels and he had their eyes put out by fire (heated nails), Allah reprimanded him on that (action), and Allah, the Exalted, …

This happened before the prescribed punishments(hudud) were revealed, meaning the tradition of Anas

The verse "The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Apostle, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite …

The Quraish were anxious about the Makhzumi woman who had committed theft, They said : Who will speak to the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) about her ? Then they said: Who will be bold enough for it but Uasmah bin Zaid, the …

A Makhzumi woman used to borrow goods and deny having received them, so the prophet (ﷺ) gave orders that her hand should be cut off. The narrator than transmitted the rest of the tradition like that of al-laith, saying : …

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) Said: Forgive the people of good qualities their slips, but not faults to which prescribed penalties apply

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Forgive the infliction of prescribed penalties among yourselves, for any prescribed penalty of which I hear must be carried out

Ma'iz came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and admitted (having committed adultery) four times in his presence so he ordered him to be stoned to death, but said to Huzzal: If you had covered him with your garment, it would have been …

Huzzal had ordered Ma’iz to go to the prophet (ﷺ) and tell him(about his having committed adultery)

When a woman went out in the time of the Prophet (ﷺ) for prayer, a man attacked her and overpowered (raped) her. She shouted and he went off, and when a man came by, she said: That (man) did such and such to me. And when …

A thief who had accepted (having committed theft) was brought to the Prophet (ﷺ), but no good were found with him. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), said to him: I do not think you have stolen. He said: Yes, I have. He …

A man came to the prophet (ﷺ) and said : Messenger of Allah ! I have committed a crime which involves prescribed punishment so inflict it on me . He said : Have you not performed ablution when you came? He said : Yes, He …

Some goods of the people of Kila' were stolen. They accused some men of the weavers (of theft). They came to an-Nu'man ibn Bashir, the companion of the Prophet (ﷺ). He confined them for some days and then set them free. …

The prophet (ﷺ) used to cut off a thief’s hand for a quarter of a dinar and upwards

A thief’s hand should be cut off for a quarter of a dinar and upwards. Ahmed b. Salih said: The amputation (of a thief’s hand) is for a quarter of a dinar and upwards

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had thief’s hand cut off for a shield worth three dirhams

The Prophet (ﷺ) had a man's hand cut off who had stolen from the place reserved for women a shield whose price was three dirhams

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had a man's hand cut off for (stealing) a shield whose price was a dinar or ten dirhams. Abu Dawud said: Muhammad bin Salamah and Sa'dan bin Yahya have transmitted it from Ibn Ishaq through his …

Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Hibban said: A slave stole a plant of a palm-tree from the orchard of a man and planted it in the orchard of his master. The owner of the plant went out in search of the plant and he found it. He …

Marwan gave him some lashes and let him go

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about fruit which was bung up and said: If a needy person takes some with his mouth and does not take a supply away in his garment, there is nothing on him, but he who carries any of …

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Cutting of hand is not to be inflicted on one who plunders, but he who plunders conspicuously does not belong to us

He also said through this chain: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Cutting of the hand is not to be inflicted on one who is treacherous

Cutting of the hand is not be inflicted on one who snatches something. Abu Dawud said : Ibn Juraij did not hear these two traditions from Abu al-Zubair, I have been informed by Ahmad. B. Hanbal saving : Ibn Juraij heard …

I was sleeping in the mosque on a cloak mine whose price was thirty dirhams. A man came and pinched it away from me. The man was seized and brought to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He ordered that his hand should be cut …

A Makhzuml woman used to borrow goods and deny having received them, so the prophet (ﷺ) gave orders and her hand was cut off. Abu Dawud said: Juwairiyyah has transmitted it from Nafi from Ibn ‘Umar or from Safiyyah …

A woman borrowed jewellery through some known persons and she herself was unknown. She then sold them. She was seized and brought to the Prophet (ﷺ). He gave orders that her hand should be cut off. It is this woman about …

A Makhzuml woman used to borrow goods and deny having received them. The prophet (ﷺ) gave orders that her hand should be cut off. He (the narrator) then narrated the tradition similar to the one transmitted by Qutaibah …

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: There are three (persons) whose actions are not recorded: a sleeper till he awakes, an idiot till he is restored to reason, and a boy till he reaches puberty

Ibn Abbas said: A lunatic woman who had committed adultery was brought to Umar. He consulted the people and ordered that she should be stoned. Ali ibn AbuTalib passed by and said: What is the matter with this (woman)? …

“... . Till he reaches puberty , and a lunatic till he is restored to consciousness.” ‘Umar then began to utter: Allah is most great

Ibn Abbas said: A lunatic woman passed by Ali ibn AbuTalib. He then mentioned the rest of the tradition to the same effect as Uthman mentioned. This version has: Do you not remember that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has …

AbuZubyan said: A woman who had committed adultery was brought to Umar. He gave orders that she should be stoned. Ali passed by just then. He seized her and let her go. Umar was informed of it. He said: Ask Ali to come …

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: There are three (persons) whose actions are not recorded: a sleeper till he awakes, a boy till he reaches puberty, and a lunatic till he comes to reason. Abu Dawud said: Ibn Juraij has transmitted …

I was among the captives of Banu Qurayzah. They (the Companions) examined us, and those who had begun to grow hair (pubes) were killed, and those who had not were not killed. I was among those who had not grown hair

They uncovered my private parts, and when they found that the hair had not begun to grow they put me among the captives

He was presented before the prophet (ﷺ) on the day of Uhd when he was fourteen years old, but he did not allow him (to participate in the battle). He was again presented before him on the day of Khandaq when he was …

When I mentioned this tradition to ‘Umar.b.’Abd al-Aziz he said : This prescribed punishment is between the minor and the major

Junadah ibn AbuUmayyah said: We were with Busr ibn Artat on the sea (on an expedition). A thief called Misdar who had stolen a bukhti she-camel was brought. He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: Hands are not …

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me: O AbuDharr: I replied: At your service and at your pleasure, Messenger of Allah! He said: how will you do when death smites people, and a house, meaning a grave, will cost as much …

A thief was brought to the Prophet (ﷺ). He said: Kill him. The people said: He has committed theft, Messenger of Allah! Then he said: Cut off his hand. So his (right) hand was cut off. He was brought a second time and he …

We asked Fadalah b. 'Ubaid about the hanging the (amputated) hand on the neck of a thief whether it was a sunnan. He said: A thief was brought to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and his hand was cut off. Thereafter he …

The Prophet (ﷺ) as saying: When a slave steals, sell him, even though it be for half an uqiyah

The Qur’anic verse goes: “If any of your woman are guilty of lewdness, take the evidence of four (reliable) witnesses from amongst you against them, and if they testify, Confine them to houses until death do chain them …

“Apponting a way in the verse (iv.15) means prescribed punishment. Sufiyan said: “Punish them “refers to unmarried, and “confine them to houses” refers to the women who are married

Receive my teachings, receive my teachings. Allah has appointed a way for those women. If the parties have been married, they shall receive a hundred lashes and stoned to death. If the parties are unmarried, they shall …

They shall receive a hundred lashes and toned to death

The tradition mentioned above (No. 4401) has also been transmitted by Ubadah ibn as-Samit through a different chain of narrators. This version has: The people said to Sa'd ibn Ubadah: AbuThabit, the prescribed …

‘Umar b. al-Khattab gave an address saying: Allah sent Muhammad (ﷺ) with truth and sent down the Books of him, and the verse of stoning was included in what He sent down to him. We read it and memorized it. The Messenger …

Yazid ibn Nu'aym ibn Huzzal, on his father's authority said: Ma'iz ibn Malik was an orphan under the protection of my father. He had illegal sexual intercourse with a slave-girl belonging to a clan. My father said to …

Muhammad ibn Ishaq said: I mentioned the story of Ma'iz ibn Malik to Asim ibn Umar ibn Qatadah. He said to me: Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn Ali ibn AbuTalib said to me: Some men of the tribe of Aslam whom I do not blame and …

Ma'iz ibn Malik came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said that he had committed fornication and he (the Prophet) turned away from him. He repeated it many times, but he (the Prophet) turned away from him. He asked his people: Is …

I saw Ma’iz b. Malik when he was brought to the Prophet (ﷺ). He was a small and muscular man. He did not wear the loose outer garment. He made confession about him four times that he committed fornication. The Messenger …

I heard this tradition from Jabir b. Samurah. But the first version is more perfect. This version has: He repeated twice, Simak said: I narrated to Sa’id b. Jubair. He said: He repeated it four times

I asked Simak about the meaning of KUTHBAH. He said: A small quantity of milk

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked Ma’iz b. Malik : Is what I have heard about you is true? He said: What have you heard about me? He said: I have heard that you have had intercourse with a girl belonging to the family of …

Ma'iz ibn Malik came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and admitted fornication twice. But he drove him away. He then came and admitted fornication twice. But he drove him away. He then came and admitted fornication twice. He (the …

The Prophet (ﷺ) said to Ma'iz ibn Malik: Perhaps you kissed, or squeezed, or looked. He said: No. He then said: Did you have intercourse with her? He said: Yes. On the (reply) he (the Prophet) gave order that he should …

A man of the tribe of Aslam came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and testified four times against himself that he had had illicit intercourse with a woman, while all the time the Prophet (ﷺ) was turning away from him. Then when he …

The narrator Hasan b. “All said: The transmitters have differed in the wordings (of this tradition) reported to me. Some said: He (Ma’iz) was tied to a tree, and others said: He was made to stand

A man of the tribe of Asalam came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and made confession of fornication. He (the prophet) turned away from him. When he testified against him four times, the Prophet (ﷺ) said: Are you mad? He …

When the Prophet (May peace e upon him) commanded to stone Ma’iz b. Malik, we took him out to Baql. I swear by Allah, we did not tie him, nor did we dig a pit for him. But he was standing before us. The narrator Abu …

A man came to Prophet (ﷺ). He then mentioned a similar tradition but not completely. This version has: People began to speak ill of him but he (the Prophet) forbade them. Then they began to ask forgiveness from him, but …

The Prophet (ﷺ) smelt the breath of Ma’iz

We, the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), used to talk mutually: Would that al-Ghamidiyyah and Ma'iz ibn Malik had withdrawn after their confession; or he said: Had they not withdrawn after their confession, he …

I was working in the market. A woman passed carrying a child. The people rushed towards her, and I also rushed along with them. I then went to the Prophet (ﷺ) while he was asking: Who is the father of this (child) who is …

A part of tradition has also been transmitted by al-Lajlaj from the Prophet (ﷺ) through a different chain of narrators

A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and confessed before him that he had committed fornication with a woman whom he named. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent for the woman and asked her about it. But she denied that she had …

A man committed fornication with a woman. So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered regarding him and the prescribed punishment of flogging was inflicted on him. He was then informed that he was married. So he commanded …

A man committed fornication with a woman. It was not known that he was married. So he was flogged. It was then known that he was married, so he was stoned to death

A woman belonging to the tribe of Juhaynah (according to the version of Aban) came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said that she had committed fornication and that she was pregnant. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) called her guardian. …

The word shukkta means tied, meaning her clothes were tied on her

A woman of Ghamid came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: I have committed fornication. He said: Go back. She returned, and on the next day she came to him again, and said: Perhaps you want to send me back as you did to Ma’iz …

I heard an old man who transmitted from Abu Bakrah on this father's authority that the Prophet (ﷺ) had a woman stoned and a pit was dug up to her breasts. Abu Dawud said: A man made me understand it from 'Uthman (b. Abi …

A similar tradition has been transmitted by Zakariya b. Salim through a different chain of narrators. This version adds: He (the Prophet) then threw a pebble like a gram at her. He then said: Throw at her and avoid her …

Two men brought a dispute before the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). One of them said: Pronounce judgement between us in accordance with Allah’s Book, Messenger of Allah! The other who had more understanding said: Yes, Messenger …

some jews came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and mentioned to him that a man and a women of their number had committed fornication. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked them: What do you find in the Torah about stoning? They …

The people passed by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with a jew whose face blackened with charcoal and he was being taken around. He adjured them by Allah and asked: What is the prescribed punishment for a fornicator in your …

The people passed by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with a Jew who was blackened with charcoal and who was being flogged. He called them and said: Is this the prescribed punishment for a fornicator? They said: Yes. He then …

A group of Jews came and invited the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to Quff. So he visited them in their school. They said: AbulQasim, one of our men has committed fornication with a woman; so pronounce judgment upon them. They …

(This is Ma'mar's version which is more accurate.) A man and a woman of the Jews committed fornication. Some of them said to the others: Let us go to this Prophet, for he has been sent with an easy law. If he gives a …

A man and a woman of the Jews who were married committed fornication at the time when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to Medina. Stoning was a prescribed punishment for them in accordance with the Torah, but they …

The Jews brought a man and a woman of them who had committed fornication. He said: Bring me two learned men or yours. So they brought the two sons of Suriya. He adjured them and said: How do you think about the matter if …

He called the witnesses who testified

A similar tradition has also been transmitted by al-Sha’bi through a different chain of narrators

The Prophet (ﷺ) had a man and a woman of the Jews who had committed fornication stoned to death

while I was wandering in search of my camels which had strayed, a caravan or some horsemen carrying a standard came forward. The bedouin began to go round me for my position with the Prophet (ﷺ). They came to a domed …

I met my uncle who was carrying a standard. I asked him: Where are you going? He said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has sent me to a man who has married his father's wife. He has ordered me to cut off his head and take his …

Habib ibn Salim said: A man called AbdurRahman ibn Hunayn had intercourse with his wife's slave-girl. The matter was brought to an-Nu'man ibn Bashir who was the Governor of Kufah. He said: I shall decide between you in …

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: about a man who had (unlawful) intercourse with his wife's slave girl: If she made her lawful for him, he will be flogged one hundred lashes; if she did not make her lawful for him, I shall stone …

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) made a decision about a man who had intercourse with his wife's slave-girl as follows. If he forced her, she is free, and he shall give her mistress a slave-girl similar to her; if she asked …

A similar tradition (to the No. 4445) has also been transmitted by Salamah ibn al-Muhabbaq from the Prophet (ﷺ). This version has: If she asked her to have intercourse with her voluntarily, then she and a similar …

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: If you find anyone doing as Lot's people did, kill the one who does it, and the one to whom it is done. Abu Dawud said: A similar tradition has also been transmitted by Sulaiman b. Bilal from 'Amr …

If a man who is not married is seized committing sodomy, he will be stoned to death. Abu Dawud said: The tradition of 'Asim proved the tradition of 'Amir b. Abi 'Amr as weak

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: If anyone has sexual intercourse with an animal, kill him and kill it along with him. I (Ikrimah) said: I asked him (Ibn Abbas): What offence can be attributed to the animal/ He replied: I think he …

There is no prescribed punishment for one who has sexual intercourse with an animal. Abu Dawud said: 'Ata is also so. Al Hakam said: I think he should be flogged, but the number should not reach the one of the prescribed …

A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and made acknowledgment before him that he had committed fornication with a woman whom he named. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent someone to the woman and he asked her about it. She denied …

A man of Bakr ibn Layth came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and made confession four times that he had committed fornication with a woman, so he had a hundred lashes administered to him. The man had not been married. He then asked …

A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: I contacted directly a women at the furthest part of the city (i.e., Medina), and I did with her everything except sexual intercourse. So here I am; inflict any punishment you …

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about a slave-woman who commits fornication, and she is not married: If she commits fornication, flog her: if she commits fornication again flog her; if only for a rope of hair …

When the slave-woman of any of you commits fornication, he should inflict the prescribed punishment on her, but not hurl reproaches at her. This is to be done up to three times. If she a fourth time, he should flog her, …

He said each time: He should give her the appropriate beating according to Allah’s Book, but not Hurl reproaches at her. He said a fourth time: If she does it again, he should give her the appropriate beating according …

AbuUmamah ibn Sahl ibn Hunayf said that some companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) told that one of their men suffered so much from some illness that he pined away until he was skin and bone (i.e. only a skeleton). A …

A slave-girl belonging to the house of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) committed fornication. He (the Prophet) said: Rush up, Ali, and inflict the prescribed punishment on her. I then hurried up, and saw that blood was …

When my vindication came down, the Prophet (ﷺ) mounted the pulpit and mentioned that, and recited the Qur'an. Then when he came down from the pulpit he ordered regarding the two men and the woman, and they were given the …

He (the Prophet) commanded regarding the two men and the woman who spoke obscenity were Hassan ibn Thabit and Mistah ibn Uthathah. An-Nufayl said: It is said that the woman was Hammah daughter of Jahsh

The Prophet (ﷺ) did not prescribe any punishment for drinking wine. Ibn Abbas said: A man who had drunk wine and become intoxicated was found staggering on the road, so he was taken to the Prophet (ﷺ). When he was …

When a man who had drunk wine was brought to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), he said: Beat him. Abu Hurairah said: Some struck him with their hands, some with their garment. When he turned his face, some people said: Allah …

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then said to his Companions: Reproach him, and they faced him and said: You have not respected Allah, you have not feared Allah and you have not shown shame before the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). …

The Prophet (ﷺ) gave a beating with palm-branches and sandals for drinking wine and Abu Bakr gave lashes. When ‘Umar came to power, he called upon people and said to them: The people are living now near watering placing, …

I was present with Uthman ibn Affan when al-Walid ibn Uqbah was brought to him. Humran and another man bore witness against him (for drinking wine). One of them testified that he had seen him drinking wine, and the other …

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and AbuBakr gave forty lashes for drinking wine and Umar made it eighty. And all this is sunnah, the model and standard practice. Abu Dawud said: Al-Asma'i explaning the maxim, "He who enjoys …

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: If they (the people) drink wine, flog them, again if they drink it, flog them. Again if they drink it, kill them

I think he said for the fifth time: If he drinks it, kill him. Abu Dawud said: And similarly the word “a fifth time” occurs in the tradition of Abu Ghutaif

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: If he is intoxicated, flog him; again if he is intoxicated, flog him; again if he is intoxicated, flog him if he does it again a fourth time, kill him. Abu Dawud said: And there is a similar …

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: If anyone drinks wine, flog him; if he repeats it, flog him, and if he repeats it, flog him. If he does it again a third or a fourth time, kill him. A man who had drunk wine was brought (to him) and …

I shall not pay blood-money or (he said) : I am not going to pay blood-money for him on whom I inflicted the prescribed punishment except for the one who drank wine, for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not prescribe …

I can still picture myself looking at the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) who was among the camps of the Companions seeking the camp of Khalid ibn al-Walid, when a man who had drunk wine was brought before him. He asked the …

A man who had drunk wine was brought before the Prophet (ﷺ) when he was in Hunayn. He threw some dust on his face. He then ordered his Companions and they beat him with their sandals and whatever they had in their hands. …

I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the morning of the conquest of Mecca when I was a young boy. He was walking among the people, seeking the camp of Khalid ibn al-Walid. A man who had drunk wine was brought (before him) …

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade to take retaliation in the mosque, to recite verses in it and to inflict the prescribed punishments in it

No more than ten lashes are to be given, except in the case of one of the punishment prescribed by Allah, the Exalted

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say. . . He then mentioned the tradition to the same effect

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: When one of you inflicts a beating, he should avoid striking the face