Types of Blood-Wit (Kitab Al-Diyat)

كتاب الديات

Chapter 9: Not Retaliating On The Basis Of Qasamah

Narrated Rafi' ibn Khadij

A man of the Ansar was killed at Khaybar and his relatives went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and mentioned that to him. He asked: Have you two witnesses who can testify to the murderer of your friend? They replied: Messenger of Allah! there was not a single Muslim present, but only Jews who sometimes have the audacity to do even greater crimes than this. He said: Then choose fifty of them and demand that they take an oath; but they refused and the Prophet (ﷺ) paid the blood-wit himself.

Narrated 'Abd al-Rahman b. Bujaid

I swear by Allah, Sahl had a misunderstanding about this tradition. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) wrote to the Jews: A slain man has been found amongnst you, so pay his bloodwit. They wrote (to him): Swearing by Allah fifty oaths, we neither killed him nor do we know his slayer. He said: Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) himself paid his bloodwit which consisted of one hundred she-camels.

Chapter 11: Should A Muslim Be Killed In Retaliation For A Disbeliever ?

Narrated Qays ibn Abbad

I and Ashtar went to Ali and said to him: Did the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) give you any instruction about anything for which he did not give any instruction to the people in general?

He said: No, except what is contained in this document of mine. Musaddad said: He then took out a document. Ahmad said: A document from the sheath of his sword.

It contained: The lives of all Muslims are equal; they are one hand against others; the lowliest of them can guarantee their protection. Beware, a Muslim must not be killed for an infidel, nor must one who has been given a covenant be killed while his covenant holds. If anyone introduces an innovation, he will be responsible for it. If anyone introduces an innovation or gives shelter to a man who introduces an innovation (in religion), he is cursed by Allah, by His angels, and by all the people.

Musaddad said: Ibn AbuUrubah's version has: He took out a document.

Chapter 15: Retaliation Of A Ruler On Himself For Striking Someone

Narrated Abu Firas

'Umar b. al-Khattab (ra) addressed us and said: I did not send my collectors (of zakat) so that they strike your bodies and that they take your property. If that is done with someone and he appeals to me, I shall take retaliation on him. Amr ibn al-'As said: If any man (i.e. governor) inflicts disciplinary punishment on his subjects, would you take retaliation on him too? He said: Yes, by Him in Whose hand my soul is, I shall take retaliation on him. I saw that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has given retaliation on himself.

Chapter 16: A Woman Has The Right To Waive Retaliation For Killing

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin

The Prophet (ﷺ) Said: The disputants should refrain from taking retaliation. The one who is nearer should forgive first and then the one who is next to him, even if (the one who forgives) were a woman.

Abu Dawud said: I have been informed that forgiving by women in the case of murder is permissible if a woman were one of the heirs (of the slain). I have been told on the authority of Abu 'Ubaid about the meaning of the word yanhajizu, that is, they should refrain from retaliation.

Chapter 19: Diyah For A Mistaken Killing That Appears Purposeful

Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr

(Musaddad's version has): The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) made a speech on the day of the conquest of Mecca, and said: Allah is Most Great, three times. He then said: There is no god but Allah alone: He fulfilled His promise, helped His servant, and alone defeated the companies.

(The narrator said:) I have remembered from Musaddad up to this.

Then the agreed version has: Take note! All the merits mentioned in pre-Islamic times, and the claim made for blood or property are under my feet, except the supply of water to the pilgrims and the custody of the Ka'bah. He then said: The blood-money for unintentional murder which appears intentional, such as is done with a whip and a stick, is one hundred camels, forty of which are pregnant. Musaddad's version is more accurate.

Chapter 7: If A Man Kills His Slave Or Mutilates Him, Should Retaliation Be Imposed On Him ?

Qatadah transmitted the tradition mentioned above through a chain of narrators like that of Shu'bah. This version adds

Then al-Hasan forgot this tradition, and he used to say: A free man is not to be killed for a slave.

Narrated 'Amr b. Shu'aib

On his father's authority, said that his grandfather told that a A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) crying for help. He said: His slave-girl, Messenger of Allah! He said: Woe to you, what happened with you ? He said that it was an evil one. He saw the slave-girl of his master; he became jealous of him, and cut off his penis. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Bring the man to me. The man was called, but people could not get control over him. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then said: Go away, you are free. He asked: Messenger of Allah! upon whom does my help lie? He replied: On every believer, or he said: On every Muslim.

Abu Dawud said: The name of the man who was emancipated was Rawh b. Dinar

Abu Dawud said: The man who cut off the penis was Zinba'

Abu Dawud said: The Zinba' Abu Rawh was master of the slave.

Chapter 8: Al-Qasamah

Narrated Sahl b. Abi Hathmah and Rafi' b. Khadij

Muhayyasah b. Mas'ud and 'Abd Allah b. Sahl came to Khaibar and parted (from each other) among palm trees. 'Abd Allah b. Sahl was killed. The Jews were blamed (for the murder). 'Abd al-Rahman b. Sahl and Huwayyasah and Muhayyasah, the sons of his uncle (Mas'ud) came to the Prophet (ﷺ). 'Abd al-Rahman, who was the youngest, spoke about his brother, but the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to him: (Respect) the elder, (respect) the elder or he said: Let the eldest begin. They then spoke about their friend and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Fifty of you should take oaths regarding a man from them (the Jews) and he should be entrusted (to him) with his rope (in his neck). They said: It is a matter which we did not see. How can we take oaths ? He said: The Jews exonerate themselves by the oaths of fifty of them. They said: Messenger of Allah! they are a people who are infidels. So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) paid them bloodwit himself. Sahl said: Once I entered the resting place of their camels, and the she-camel struck me with her lef. Hammad said this or (something) similar to it.

Abu Dawud said: Another version transmitted by Yahya b. Sa'id has: Would you swear fifty oaths and make you claim regarding your friend or your slain man ? Bishr, the transmitter, did mention blood. 'Abdah transmitted it from Yahya as transmitted by Hammad. Ibn 'Uyainah has also transmitted it from Yahya, and began with his words: The Jew will exonerate themselves by fifty oaths which they will swear. He did not mention the claim.

Abu Dawud said: This is a misunderstanding on the part of Ibn 'Uyainah.

Sahl b. Abi Hathmah and some senior men of the tribe told that 'Abd Allah b. Abi Sahl and Muhayyasah came to Khaibar on account of the calamity (i.e. famine) that befall them. Muhayyasah came and told the 'Abd Allah b. Sahl had been killed and thrown in a well or stream. He hen came to the Jews and said

I swear by Allah, you have killed him. They said: We swear by Allah, we have not killed him. He then proceeded and came to his tribe and mentioned this to them. Then he, his brother Huwayyasah, who was older to him, and 'Abd al-Rahman b. Sahl came forward (to the Prophet). Muhayyasah began to speak. It was he who was at Khaibar. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then said to him: Let the eldest (speak), let the eldest (speak), meaning age. So Huwayyasah spoke, and after him Muhayyasah spoke. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then said: They should either pay the bloodwit for you friend or they should be prepared for war. So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) wrote to them about it. They wrote (in reply): We swear by Allah, we have not killed him. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then said to Huwayyasah, Muhayyasah and 'Abd al-Rahman: Will you take an oath and thus have the claim to the blood of your friend ? They said: No. He (the Prophet) said: The Jews will then take an oath. They said: They are not Muslims. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) himself paid the bloodwit. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then sent on one hundred she-camels and they were entered in their house. Sahl said: A red she-camel of them gave me a kick.

Narrated 'Amr b. Shu'aib

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) killed a man of Banu Nadr ibn Malik at Harrah ar-Righa' at the bank of Layyat al-Bahrah. The transmitter Mahmud (ibn Khalid) also mentioned the words along with the words "at Bahrah" "the slayer and the slain were from among them". Mahmud alone transmitted in this tradition the words "at the bank of Layyah".

Chapter 13: Injury Caused Accidentally By The Zakah Collector

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin

The Prophet (ﷺ) sent AbuJahm ibn Hudhayfah as a collector of zakat. A man quarrelled with him about his sadaqah (i.e. zakat), and AbuJahm struck him and wounded his head. His people came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: Revenge, Messenger of Allah!

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: You may have so much and so much. But they did not agree. He again said: You may have so much and so much. But they did not agree. He again said: You may have so much and so much. So they agreed.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: I am going to address the people in the afternoon and tell them about your consent.

They said: Yes. Addressing (the people), the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: These people of faith came to me asking for revenge. I presented them with so much and so much and they agreed. Do you agree?

They said: No. The immigrants (muhajirun) intended (to take revenge) on them. But the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commanded them to refrain and they refrained.

He then called them and increased (the amount), and asked: Do you agree? They replied: Yes. He said: I am going to address the people and tell them about your consent. They said: Yes. The Prophet (ﷺ) addressed and said: Do you agree? They said: Yes.

Chapter 14: Retaliation Without A Weapon Of Iron

Narrated Anas

A girl was found with her head crushed between two stoned. She was asked: Who did it with you ? Was it so and so ? Was it so and so ? Until the Jew was named. Thereupon she gave a sign with her head. The Jew was arrested and he admitted. So the Prophet (ﷺ) gave command that his head should be crushed with stones.

Chapter 17: One Who Is Killed In A Fight Among People And His Killer Is Not Known

Tawus, in his version said

If anyone is killed. Ibn 'Ubaid in his version said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: If anyone is killed in error (blindly) when people are throwing stones, or by beating with whips, or striking with a stick, it is accidental and the compensation for accidental death is due. But if anyone is killed deliberately, retaliation is due. Ibn 'Ubaid in his version: Retaliation of the man is due. The agreed version then goes: If anyone comes in (between the two parties) to prevent it, Allah's curse and anger will rest on him, and neither supererogatory nor obligatory acts will be accepted from him. The version of the tradition of Sufyan is more perfect.

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: He then mentioned the rest of the tradition to the same effect as mentioned by Sufyan.

Chapter 18: The Amount Of The Diyah

Narrated 'Amr b. Suh'aib

On his father's authority, said that his grandfather reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gave judgment that if anyone is killed accidentally, his blood-wit should be one hundred camels: thirty she-camels which had entered their second year, thirty she-camels which had entered their third year, thirty she-camels which had entered their fourth year, and ten male camels which had entered their third year.

Chapter 19: Diyah For A Mistaken Killing That Appears Purposeful

The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by Khalid through the same chain of narrators to the same effect.

Narrated 'Abd Allah (b. Mas'ud)

The bloodwit for unintentional murder which resembles intentional is twenty-five she camels which entered their fourth year, twenty five she-camels which had entered their fifth year, twenty five she-camels which had entered their third year, and twenty five camels which had entered their second year.

Narrated 'Ali

The bloodwit for unintentional murder is in four parts: twenty five she-camels in their fourth year, twenty five she-camels in their fifth year, twenty five she-camels in their third year, and twenty twenty five she-camels in their second year.

Narrated 'Uthman b. 'Affan and Zaid b. Thabit

The bloodwit for what resembled intentional murder should be forty pregnant she-camels in their fifth year, thirty she-camels in their fourth year, and thirty she-camels in their third year. The bloodwit for unintentional murder is thirty she-camels in their fourth year, thirty she-camels in their third year, and twenty she-camels in their second year.