Is it permissible to conceal one who has committed a sin for which there is a prescribed punishment (hadd) – such as fornication, theft, murder, or abandoning prayer – based on the hadith: "Whoever conceals a Muslim, Allah will conceal him on the Day of Resurrection," or must their case be brought before the judge and ruler for the punishment to be carried out? And does the ruling differ if the system is non-Islamic? And must a husband invoke li’an against his adulterous wife if she does not confess, or is li’an in this instance merely recommended?

The ruling on concealing a person who has committed a sin that warrants a hadd punishment or ta'zeer (discretionary punishment) varies according to their situation. Concealment is preferable if the person who committed the sin is discreet and not known for corruption. However, if the perpetrator is caught in the act, the sin must be denounced and the perpetrator prevented from continuing. If one is unable to do so, it is obligatory to report it to the ruler. It is recommended not to conceal those who are notorious for openly committing sins; instead, their case should be brought before the ruler. Imam Ahmad disliked reporting corrupt individuals to the authorities, because, for the most part, they do not carry out the hudud punishments correctly.