CSI - 14 centuries ago

Last night, I had an interesting YM conversation with one of this blog's regular visitors, Sezzy. We discussed, among others, about the tv show CSI. I told her that forensic science is not something new, as can be seen during the time of the Khulafa' al-Rasyidin.

Allow me to share the following which is an excerpt from a chapter that I wrote entitled "Genealogy and Preservation of the Progeny in the 21st Century" in the book Genealogy and Preservation of the Progeny: An Islamic Perspective (2006: 49-50):

During the time of Khalifah 'Umar Ibn al-Khattab, a woman was extremely fond of an Ansar man. She tried several times to seduce the man but to no avail. She then tried to implicate him with the crime of rape. She took an egg, threw away its yolk and spread the white egg on her dress and between her legs. Then she went to see the Khalifah in a distressed manner and complaint that the man had raped her. Khalifah 'Umar then consulted other women and they agreed on the fact that there are marks of semen on her body and dress. The Khalifah was going to punish the man but he vehemently denied the serious accusation. Khalifah 'Umar then consulted Sayyidina 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib on this matter. Sayyidina 'Ali looked at the alleged semen on this dress and ordered for some boiling water before pouring it on the dress. The white egg solidified. Sayyidina 'Ali smelled and tasted the solidified white egg before scolding the woman for lying. She then confessed to have lied to the Khalifah.

(Ibn Qayyim,
Al-Turuq al-Hukmiyyah fi al-Siyasah al-Shar'iyyah: 37)

Gil Grissom, eat your heart out!