What is the prescribed manner for carrying out the stoning (rajm)?

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It is the Sunnah that people move around the person being stoned. If the illicit sexual act (zina) was proven by clear evidence (bayyinah), the witnesses initiate the stoning. If the proof was by confession (iqrar), the Imam or the ruler initiates the stoning, followed by the rest of the people. Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that stoning involves two types: that established by confession begins with the Imam stoning first, then the people, and that established by evidence begins with the witnesses stoning first, then the people. This procedure serves to distance the witnesses from suspicion of lying against the accused.