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 committed fornication after marriage, in which case he should be stoned; one who goes forth to fight with Allah and His Apostle, in which case he should be killed or crucified or exiled from the land; or one who commits murder for which he is killed.
Hadith Text & Context
This hadith from Sunan Abi Dawud 4353 establishes the fundamental sanctity of Muslim life, stating that a Muslim's blood is inviolable except in three specific cases of capital crimes.
Scholarly Commentary
The three exceptions represent crimes that threaten the very foundations of Islamic society: marital infidelity (which destroys family structure), warfare against the Muslim community (which threatens collective security), and murder (which violates individual safety).
Scholars emphasize that these punishments require strict evidentiary standards and proper Islamic judicial procedures. The stoning punishment for adultery requires four eyewitnesses to the actual act, making it extremely difficult to prove.
Legal Implications
This hadith forms the basis for the Islamic legal principle that capital punishment is reserved for only the most severe crimes. Classical jurists derived from this that any killing outside these three categories constitutes unlawful homicide.
The discretionary punishment for warfare against the Muslim state (killing, crucifixion, or exile) allows the ruler to choose the most appropriate response based on circumstances and public interest.
Spiritual Dimensions
The emphasis on the shahadah (testimony of faith) highlights that the protection of life is intrinsically linked to one's faith. This creates a sacred trust within the Muslim community where every life is valued and protected by divine law.