The Book of Oaths, Muharibin, Qasas (Retaliation), and Diyat (Blood Money)

كتاب القسامة والمحاربين والقصاص والديات

Chapter 7: The sin of the one who set the precedent of killing

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Jarir and 'Isa b. Yunus with a slight variation of words.

Chapter 8: The punishment for bloodshed in the hereafter, and bloodshed will be the first thing concerning which judgement is passed among the people on the Day of Resurrection

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of 'Abdullah through another chain of transmitters with a slight variation of words.

Chapter 11: The Diyah for a fetus; and the Diyah for accidental killing and the ambiguous killing must be paid by the shahiqilah of the killer

Abu Huraira reported that two women of the tribe of Hudhail fought with each other and one of them flung a stone at the other, killing her and what was in her womb. The case was brought to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and he gave judgment that the diyat (indemnity) of her unborn child is a male or a female slave of the best quality, and he also decided that the diyat of the woman is to be paid by her relative on the father's side, and he (the Holy Prophet) made her sons and those who were with them her heirs. Hamal b. al-Nabigha al-Hudhali said

Messenger of Allah, why should I play blood-wit for one who neither drank, nor ate, nor spoke, nor made any noise; it is like a nonentity (it is, therefore, not justifiable to demand blood-wit for it). Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: He seems to be one of the brothers of soothsavers on account of the rhymed speech which he has composed.

Miswar b. Makhrama reported that 'Umar b. Khattab consulted people about the diyat of abortion of an unboam child. Mughira b. Shu'ba said

I bear witness to the fact that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) gave judgment about it that a good quality of slave or female slave should be given for it. Thereupon 'Umar said: Bring one who may bear witness to you. Then Muhammad b. Maslama bore witness to him.

Chapter 1: Qasamah (Oaths)

Sahl b. Abu Hathma and Rafi' b. Khadij reported that 'Abdullah b. Sahl b. Zaid and Muhayyisa b. Mas'ud b. Zaid went out and as they reached Khaibar they were separated. Then Muhayyisa found 'Abdullah b. Sahl having been killed. He buried him, and then came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). They were Huwayyisa b. Mas'ud and 'Abd al-Rahman b. Sahl, and he (the latter one) was the youngest of the people (those three who had come to seek an interview with the Holy Prophet) began to talk before his Companions (had spoken). Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said

The eldest one (eldest in regard to age should speak). So he kept quiet, and his companions (Muhayyisa and Huwayyisa) began to speak, and he ('Abd al Rahman) spoke along with them and they narrated to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) the murder of 'Abdullah b. Sahl. Thereupon he said to them: Are you prepared to take fifty oaths so that you may be entitled (to blood-wit) of your companion (or your man who has murdered)? They said: How can we take an oath on a matter which we have not witnessed? He (the Holy Prophet) said: Then the Jews will exonerate themselves by fifty oaths. They said: How can we accept the oaths of people who are unbelievers? When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saw that, he himself paid his blood-wit.

Sahl b. Abu Hathma has narrated this hadith through another chain of transmitters with a slight variation of words, but no mention has been made of the hitting by the she-camel.

Sulaiman b. Yasar, the freed slave of Maimuna, the wife of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), narrated from one of the Ansari Companions of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) retained (the practice) of Qasama as it was in the pre-Islamic days.

Chapter 2: The ruling on Muharibin and Apostates

Abu Qilaba reported

I was sitting behind 'Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz and he said to the people: What do you say about al-Qasama? Thereupon 'Anbasa said: Anas b Malik narrated to us such and such (hadith pertaining to al-Qasama). I said: This is what Anas had narrated to me: People came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), and the rest of the hadith is the same. When I (Abu Qilaba) finished (the narration of this hadith), 'Anbasa said: Hallowed be Allah. I said: Do you blame me (for telling a lie)? He ('Anbasa) said: No. This is how Anas b Malik narrated to us. O people of Syria, you would not be deprived of good, so long as such (a person) or one like him lives amongst you.

Anas b. Malik reported

There came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) eight persons from the tribe of 'Ukl, but with this addition that he did not cauterise (the wounds which hid been inflicted upon them while punishing them).

Chapter 3: Confirmation of Qisas in the case of killing with a rock and other sharp or heavy objects, and the killing of a man for a woman

Anas b. Malik reported that a Jew killed a girl with a stone for her silver ornaments. She was brought to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) when there was yet some life in her. He (the Holy Prophet) said to her

Has so and so killed you? She indicated with the nod of her head: No. He said for the second time, and she again said: No with the nod of her head. He asked for the third time, and she said: Yes with the nod of her head and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) commanded to crush his head between two stones.

Chapter 4: If a person attacks another person's life and limb, and the other defends himself and kills him or injures him, there is no penalty on him

'Imran b. Husain reported that a person bit the arm of another person; he pulled it out and his foretooth fell down. This matter was taken to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), and he turned it down saying

Did you want to eat his flesh?

Chapter 6: When it is permissible to shed the blood of a muslim

'Abdullah (b. Mas'ud) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

It is not permissible to take the life of a Muslim who bears testimony (to the fact that there is no god but Allah, and I am the Messenger of Allah, but in one of the three cases: the married adulterer, a life for life, and the deserter of his Din (Islam), abandoning the community.

This hadith has been reported on the authority of A'mash with the same chain of narrators but with a slight variation of words, i. e. he did not say

By Him besides Whom there is no god.

Chapter 9: Emphasis on the sanctity of Blood, Honor and Wealth

Abu Bakra reported that (in the Farewell Address) Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) said

Time has completed a cycle and come to the state of the day when Allah created the heavens and the earth. The year is constituted of twelve months, of which four are sacred; three of them consecutive, viz. Dhu'l-Qa'da, Dhu'l- Hijja and Muharram, and also Rajab the month of Mudar which comes between Jumada and Sha'ban. He (the Holy Prophet) then said: which month is this? We said Allah and His Messenger know best. He (the narrator) said: He (the Holy Prophet) remained silent for some time until we thought that he would give it a name other than that (by which it was known). He said: Is it not Dha'l-Hijja? We said: Yes. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Which city is this? We said: Allah and His Messenger know best. He (the Holy Prophety remained silent until we thought that he would give it another name. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Is it not the Balda (the city of Mecca)? We said: Yes. He said: What day is this? We said: Allah and His Messenger know best. He (the Holy Prophet) remained silent until we thought that he would give it another name. He said: Is it not the Day of Sacrifice? We said: Allah's Messenger. yes. Thereupon he said: Your blood, your property (Muhammad, one of the narrators, said: I think, he also said this) and your honour are sacred to you like the sacredness of this day of yours, in this city of yours, and in this month of yours. You will soon meet your Lord and He will ask you about your deeds. So do not turn after me unbelievers (or misguided), some of you striking the necks of the others. Behold I let him who is present convey to him who is absent, for many a one whom a message is conveyed has a more retentive memory than one who hears. He again said: Behold! have I not delivered (the message) to you? This hadith has been narrated through another chain of transmitters, but with a slight variation of words.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Abu Bakra through another chain of transmitters (and the words are)

" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) addressed us on the day of Nahr (Sacrifice) and said: What day is this? And the rest of the hadith is the same except that he did not make mention of" your honour," and also did not make mention of this: He then turned his attention towards two rams and what follows, and in a hadith (the words pertaining to sacred- ness are recorded in this way):" Like the sacredness of this day of yours, in this month of yours, in this city of yours to the day when you will meet your Lord. Behold, have I not conveyed (the Message of God)? They said: Yes. He said: O Allah, bear witness."

Chapter 10: A confession to murder is valid and the heir of the victim is entitled to Qisas, but it is recommended to ask him to let him go

'Alaqama b. Wa'il reported on the authority of his father that a person was brought to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) who had killed another person, and the heir of the person slain had dragged him (to the Holy Prophet) with a strap around his neck. As he turned away Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said

The killer and the killed are (doomed) to fire. A person came to the other person (the heir of the deceased) and he reported to him the words of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and so he let him off. Isma'il b. Salim said: I made a mention of it to Habib b. Abu Thabit and he said: Ibn Ashwa' reported to me that Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) had asked him to pardon him, but he refused.

Chapter 11: The Diyah for a fetus; and the Diyah for accidental killing and the ambiguous killing must be paid by the shahiqilah of the killer

Abu Huraira reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) gave judgment in case of the abortion of a woman of Banu Lihyan (that the offender and near relative should give compensation in the form of) good quality of a slave or a slave-girl. And the woman about whom the judgment was given for compensation died and thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) gave judgment that her inheritance goes to her sons and her husband, and the payment of the blood-wit lies with the family of (one who struck her).